If you have a cat or a dog, they should get vaccines from their veterinary clinic regularly. Vaccines are critical to preventing the spread of infectious diseases and protecting your pet. Consider the brief guide below and learn about the types of vaccines given during pet exams.

Core Vaccinations

Core vaccinations are crucial for your dog or cat’s health. They protect against the most common, harmful, and highly contagious diseases, and all animals should have them regardless of their situations.

Core Vaccines for Cats

Cats have four core vaccines that your veterinary clinic should give them: panleukopenia, feline calicivirus, feline herpesvirus type I, and rabies.

• Panleukopenia, or feline distemper, is caused by the feline parvovirus, and it can survive in harsh environments for up to a year. Its symptoms include lethargy, vomiting, dehydration, fever, and sudden death.
• Feline calicivirus is less severe, but a few strains of it are deadly. It causes respiratory infections and lasting oral diseases.
• The feline herpesvirus type I causes severe upper respiratory infections, along with ocular damage and skin disease.
• Rabies has no cure or treatment once symptoms appear, which include aggression and paralysis. Cats are the most common pet to contract the disease.

Core Vaccines for Dogs

Dogs also need the rabies vaccine, as well as a canine distemper vaccine, which attacks the respiratory, nervous, and GI systems. They also need a vaccine for canine parvovirus, which can be fatal. It causes intense vomiting and diarrhea, dehydration, and damage to the immune system and GI tract. Canine hepatitis vaccines are needed, too, as it can be fatal in up to 30% of infected dogs, and it causes eye and nose discharge, swelling, fever, and heart problems.

Non-Core Vaccinations

Non-core vaccines are optional but are given if your animal clinic determines your pet is at high risk based on their lifestyle and geographic factors.

Non-Core Vaccines for Cats

Non-core feline vaccines include tracheobronchitis, feline leukemia virus, feline immunodeficiency virus, virulent feline calicivirus, and chlamydia felis vaccines. Tracheobronchitis causes structures like the trachea and airways to swell, and feline leukemia virus causes cancer, blood diseases, and immune disorders. Feline immunodeficiency virus weakens the immune system, and chlamydia felis leads to ocular damage. The virulent feline calicivirus vaccine protects against deadly strains of the disease.

Non-Core Vaccines for Dogs

Dogs may also need the tracheobronchitis (kennel cough) vaccine, as well as the vaccines for canine parainfluenza and influenza viruses that are associated with tracheobronchitis. They may also require the vaccine for Leptospira, which is a bacterial disease that lives in humid conditions and can spread to humans, attacking their significant organs, including the brain, heart, kidney, and liver.

Protect your pets by allowing their veterinary clinic to give them core vaccines. At Tender Care Animal Hospital, LLC, in Prairie du Chien, WI, they’ll also determine if they need the protection of non-core vaccines. From pet exams and spaying and neutering to dental cleaning, this animal clinic with over 15 years’ experience provides comprehensive care to all breeds. Read their veterinary clinic FAQ online, and call (608) 326-7101 to schedule an appointment.