Many of us in this area have heard the new notion that vaccinations are bad for your pets, but is this really true? Have we really done enough research on this topic to really say that vaccinations are not healthy? Is it worth risking your pet’s life, because not vaccinating is making that choice.
What we vaccinate against is called a virus. Viruses are microbes that enter the body in many different ways. Viruses enter your pet’s body and start taking over cells and replacing the cells RNA or DNA with its own. Once this happens the viruses make the cell reproduce its diseased cell in your pet’s body. Since the virus makes a home in your pets original cells the body does not know how to fight the disease. That is why antibiotic’s cannot treat the viruses we commonly vaccinate against. The only way to prevent viruses is by vaccinations.
You’re wondering how your pet might come in contact with Distemper, Parvovirus, Adenovirus type 1 or 2, Coronavirus, Rabies, and Kennel Cough (Cats have a similar range of diseases). You may think this is not possible because your dog or cat only stays on your property or never interacts with other dogs or cats. The findings have been, that this is not the case, these disease microbes live everywhere! You can carry them home on your shoes or clothes, but more likely than not Parvovirus microbes are already in your home among many other contagious diseases.
What if you’re pet became infected by one or of these diseases? Your pet would be infected with a virus, which cannot be treated with antibiotics. So the only medical treatment that can be offered is supportive therapy. This includes IV fluids, warmth, and some medications to reduce the symptoms, but not actually cure the disease. It is up to your dog or cat’s immune system to fight the virus. Sometime the immune system wins and other times it doesn’t. Out of all of the diseases we vaccinate for Distemper is one that is very important. Distemper is very hard for the body’s immune system to fight, but if the dog does recover it may come down with Old Dog Encephalitis in its old age, which is basically a form of dementia. There is no win with this disease and Distemper microbes are contracted when your dog come into contact with another dog’s stool containing those microbes.
In hopes that our community will continue or start vaccinating their pets Nederland Veterinary Hospital will be holding a Low Cost Vaccination Clinic October 15-20th. We would love to see you and your pets. Let’s help lower the spread of disease in this beautiful place we live. And remember the only way to protect against disease is by vaccinating your pet.