Why Annual Vaccines for Dogs and Cats Are So Important

As a pet owner, you already strive to give your dog or cat a happy, healthy life. This includes a healthy diet of food and water, plenty of exercise, a comfortable place to sleep, an interesting variety of pet-appropriate toys and regular veterinary care. The latter encompasses everything from urgent attention to injuries and illnesses to annual checkups to ensure continued good health and wellness.

In other words, we care for pets in much the same way we care for our children and ourselves—and just as vaccination plays a critical role in a healthy human population, so do dog and cat vaccinations in Phoenix, AZ help to keep our companion animals healthy and safe.

Vaccines work by introducing animals’ immune systems to a variety of common pathogens, thereby teaching them to recognize them when encountered in the future and enabling them to fight off infection and disease. Some of the most common dog vaccines offer protection against rabies, parvovirus, distemper, kennel cough and heartworm. For cats, vaccines are administered to prevent rabies, distemper, feline leukemia, feline calicivirus and feline viral rhinotracheitis. Most vaccines are initially given during puppy- and kittenhood and require annual booster shots thereafter.

Not surprisingly, since they are regarded as a core component of good veterinary care, cat and dog vaccinations in Phoenix, AZ confer a number of benefits on pets—and we as their owners and caretakers benefit, too. Benefits of annual pet vaccinations include:

• Offering protection against illness and disease: First and foremost, vaccines offer the strongest possible protection against a host of viruses and bacterial infections. It is exceptionally rare for a pet to contract a disease for which it has received a vaccination, and if your pet frequently interacts with other animals, a robust vaccination regimen makes all of them safer.
• Promoting better overall health: Vaccines are certainly not the only aspect of veterinary care, but they play a key role in the overall health and wellness of your pet. Keeping up with vaccinations helps pets enjoy a better quality of life.
• Avoiding costly treatments for preventable diseases: The saying about an ounce of prevention being worth a pound of cure definitely applies here! When compared to the cost of treating a disease like rabies or distemper, the cost of vaccination simply pales.
• Offering protection for humans: Cat and dog vaccinations in Phoenix, AZ aren’t just important for pets—they’re important for people, too. Some diseases, including rabies and leptospirosis, can actually be transmitted to people by their pets, so this is definitely a case in which everyone is better safe than sorry.

Remembering all of the things you need to do for your pet can be a challenge, but this is why working with a veterinarian you know and trust is such a critical part of being a conscientious pet owner. Your vet can help you not merely by administering dog and cat vaccinations in Phoenix, AZ, but by ensuring you stay up to date on annual vaccinations and general wellness checkups.

At Christown Animal Hospital, we have nearly 50 years of experience in providing vaccinations and a host of veterinary services to dogs and cats. Whether you’re new to the area and looking for a vet or are unsure of when your pet last received vaccinations, we are here to help you. Please contact us today to schedule a visit!

Categorised in: Cat Vaccinations, Dog Vaccinations

This post was written by Writer