January Newsletter: Don't Forget to Vaccinate Your Pets this Year

Pink cat gets vaccinated

Don't Forget to Vaccinate Your Pets This Year

Vaccines reduce the risk of serious illness or death and are essential for your furry friend's good health. Unfortunately, it's easy to forget about vaccinations when your life is hectic. If it's been a while since your pet received its vaccinations, paying a visit to the veterinarian will help you ensure that your dog, cat, or ferret is protected.

How Vaccines Work

Vaccines make it easier for your pet's immune system to recognize and kill germs that cause serious illness and disease. After your pet receives a vaccine, his immune system produces antibodies, proteins that fight the particular bacteria or virus. These proteins destroy germs before they can make your pet sick.

Vaccines ensure that:

  • Pets Don't Develop Devastating Illnesses. The vaccines your pet receives offer protection against serious or deadly diseases, like rabies or distemper. Even if an unvaccinated pet survives a disease, it may face lifelong health complications. By preventing illness, vaccinations help your pet enjoy a long, healthy life.
  • Your Pet Is Welcome Everywhere. Boarding and grooming facilities may require proof of vaccinations before you can use their services. Your state or municipality might also require pets to be vaccinated against rabies.
  • Diseases Don't Spread. Since disease symptoms usually don't appear immediately after exposure, your pet could easily spread the illness to other animals and people long before you're aware that your furry friend is sick. By preventing illness, vaccines also reduce the likelihood of disease outbreaks in your area.
  • Young and Old Animals Receive the Protection They Need. Although vaccinations are important for all animals, young and old animals are at increased risk of illness due to their immature or weak immune systems. Vaccinations help them fight illnesses that could kill them.
  • You Won't Break Your Budget. Thanks to medical advances, it's now possible to treat illnesses and conditions that would have killed your pet years ago. Although the treatments will help improve quality of life, they can be expensive if your pet develops a chronic condition after suffering an illness. Vaccinations not only protect your pet's health, but also help you avoid costly veterinary bills.

Why It's Important to Follow the Recommended Vaccination Schedule

Most vaccines don't offer lifelong protection. In fact, they may begin to wear off just a year or more after your pet receives them. Luckily, vaccine boosters offer a simple way to provide continuous protection for your pet.

The recommended schedule for vaccines varies depending on the type of vaccine and the laws in your state. Dogs and cats receive the rabies vaccine every one to three years. The vaccine protects your pet from rabies, a disease that's almost always fatal. Rabies is spread to animals and people after contact with an infected animal's saliva, or eyes, nose or mouth.

Although you may associate rabies with dogs, cats are actually diagnosed with the disease more often according to the American Medical Veterinary Association (AVMA). The AVMA believes that may be due to lower vaccination rates for cats, in addition to exposure to rabid animals when cats wander outdoors.

Vaccines for feline and canine distemper, diseases that can cause death, brain damage, and other health complications, are recommended every three years. Ferrets also need distemper and rabies vaccines on a regular basis.

Puppies and kittens receive a series of vaccines several times throughout their first year of life. After the dog or cat turns one, it follows the adult vaccine schedule.

In addition to distemper and rabies vaccines, these core vaccinations are recommended for pets:

  • Canine Hepatitis (dogs)
  • Parvovirus (dogs)
  • Calicivirus (cats)
  • Feline Herpesvirus (cats)

Your veterinarian may also recommend certain non-core vaccinations depending on your pet's risk factors and the rate of disease transmission in your area. Non-core vaccinations that might be offered include:

Lyme Disease (dogs)

  • Leptospirosis (dogs)
  • Parainfluenza (dogs)
  • Feline leukemia (cats)
  • Bordetella (dogs and cats)

Is your pet due for its vaccinations? Contact our office to make an appointment.

Sources:

AVMA: Rabies and Your Pet

https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/one-health/help-control-rabies/rabies-and-your-pet

ASPCA: Vaccinations for Your Pet

https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/general-pet-care/vaccinations-your-pet

WebMD: Pet Vaccines: Schedules for Cats and Dogs, 11/9/2022

https://pets.webmd.com/pet-vaccines-schedules-cats-dogs

Location

Find us on the map

Office Hours

We are CLOSED all MAJOR HOLIDAYS

Monday:

7:30 am-6:00 pm

Tuesday:

7:30 am-6:00 pm

Wednesday:

7:30 am-6:00 pm

Thursday:

7:30 am-6:00 pm

Friday:

7:30 am-6:00 pm

Saturday:

Closed

Sunday:

Closed

Testimonial

  • "We bring both our girls Ava and Nellie. Our latest visit was due to a limping issue after a visit to a dog park with Nellie (Greyhound and Healer mix). Staff was very kind and gentle with Nellie who is timid with strangers. In the end Nellie thanked both the vet and tech by licking their hands. Great team go see this vet office."
    Joy M.
  • "Dr. Sutton and the loving staff at Union Animal Hospital are amazing! They've taken wonderful care of my dog's since they were puppies. We've added 2 more dog's to our pack, a rescue and a re-home, after my Springer passed this spring. Dr. Sutton and here staff are so good with dog's they don't even mind going for their visits. Thanks Doc!"
    Mike P.
  • "Every visit has been wonderful. I feel like they pay attention to every detail and always ask if we have any more questions. I feel safe leaving my dogs in their care."
    Lisa S.
  • "Union Animal Hospital is the best place! The first time visit was great even during the Pandemic, the techs are wonderful and friendly. Best of all is that they are definitely affordable compared to the rest of the clinics in Spokane."
    Lori J.
  • "The most caring and compassionate animal hospital and veterinary clinic I've found in Spokane. Everyone is so nice and they are outstanding with my 11 year old Pomeranian. I've been searching for a while to find a new Veterinary clinic to take my Pomeranian. I'm so happy to have finally found a place with such caring people whom I can trust to care for my dog and give me all the information I need. They even gave me a print out estimate for everything. They are a bit more expensive than some other places I've researched but with the quality of care they give in my opinion it's well worth the few extra dollars. Thank you guys for treating us so well."
    Amber M.
  • "Our fist time having a pet emergency and Union Animal Hospital took us in right away and helped our Fur baby get better again. We won't go anywhere else, good prices and amazing staff, this is the spot if you care and love your animals take them here to be treated with the utmost respect and quality. LOTS IF LOVE TO YOU GUYS FOR BEING THERE FOR OUR FAMILY"
    Elizabeth R.
  • "Had a great first experience! Dr Sutton was great!"
    Debra R.