You want your pet to live a healthy, fulfilling life, and one way to promote this is through pet vaccinations. Dogs and cats are subject to a number of health complications, many of which are easily passed from others. By vaccinating them and staying up to date on shots, you’re ensuring their long-term health so you can enjoy one another for years to come.

3 Advantages of Pet Vaccinations

1. Preventing Infectious Diseases

Distemper, rabies, and parvovirus are just a few of the serious infectious diseases pets can acquire . Many lead to debilitating side effects and are often fatal. Vaccinations are especially important as puppies develop since they’re more susceptible to these diseases and have undeveloped immune systems. These vaccines are carefully engineered under strict guidelines to guarantee they’re safe.

2. Long Term Quality of Life

If your pet does contract a disease and lives, the impact of  that infection could continue to drastically affect their life.  Diseases like feline leukemia virus and feline immunodeficiency virus weaken their immune systems throughout life and predispose that pet to cancers.  In addition, not having updated vaccinations may limit your pets access to activities and sevices.   Most boarding and grooming services require vaccinations and dog parks will either require or strongly recommend them.

3. Stopping Disease Spread

More and more pets are going unvaccinated. Many diseases are rare, and that’s because pet vaccinations have significantly removed them from the pet population. However, with more chances to infect pets and thrive, they can quickly return. By vaccinating your pet, you're helping to prevent this. It keeps other pets safe and contributes overall to the general wellness of domestic animals.

If your dog or cat is due for pet vaccinations, turn to O’Fallon Veterinary Medical Center. Located in O’Fallon, MO, their staff can alleviate any concerns you have and offer a wide variety of services, including emergency animal care services, orthopedic surgery, and spaying and neutering. They believe in ensuring both pets’ and owners’ comfort, and you can explore their practice further by visiting them online. To schedule a wellness exam, call (636) 272-3100.