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Vaccinating your pet is one of the most important things you'll ever do to help ensure his ongoing health and wellness -- and yet many owners don't understand exactly why vaccinations matter so much, what a proper cat and dog vaccination routine should include, or even how vaccinations work. Here at Animal Hospital of Onslow County, each veterinarian in Jacksonville strives to help area residents provide the strongest possible disease protection for their beloved animals. Let us look at the reasons vaccinations are administered, what kinds of vaccinations your pet may need, and when such vaccinations should be administered.
A vaccine is a special kind of formulation aimed at convincing your pet's body that it has been invaded by a particular germ. In fact, this substance is generally a deactivated, non-infectious version of that same germ, one that still carries all the trademark identifiers that alert the immune system to start creating antibodies against the invading substance. When this inert substance is injected into the animal's bloodstream, the resulting immune response will protect your pet against the real thing with none of the dangerous, potentially fatal disease exposure.
This approach to building immunity is especially valuable when you consider that newborn puppies and kittens have no such pre-built immunity at all; they're merely borrowing antibodies from their mother's milk. Once these babies are weaned, they're on their own against a world of devastating illnesses unless we can intervene through vaccinations. It's therefore imperative that you provide these lifesaving shots for your special friend beginning at around 6 weeks of age. Your veterinarian in Jacksonville will administer several rounds of vaccinations during that first formative year to create a strong protective foundation. But your pet isn't out of the woods entirely, because most vaccines lose their potency after 1 to 3 years. That's why it's equally important to schedule booster shots as needed to keep your pet safe throughout his life.
Cat and dog vaccination recommendations fall into two main categories, core and elective. Core vaccinations are the shots every dog or cat must receive to protect against the most common killers. For dogs, these include vaccinations against rabies, canine hepatitis, canine parvovirus and canine distemper. For cats, they include vaccinations against rabies, feline distemper (panleukopenia), FHV (feline herpesvirus 1) and feline calicivirus.
Elective vaccinations can also be necessary, but only for certain animals who are at elevated risk of infection due to their environment or lifestyle. For example, our veterinary team might recommend a Lyme disease dog vaccination for canines who live in "tick country," or a Bordetella vaccination for dogs who are boarded in close quarters with other pets. We might also recommend a cat vaccination against feline leukemia for felines who mostly live outdoors.
Let us give your pet the lifetime of health and wellness he deserves. Call (910) 353-1722 to schedule that much-needed upcoming dog or cat vaccination with your veterinarian in Jacksonville!
Dr. Corry has always gone above and beyond for the care of our family's pets.
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