Vaccinating Your Pets

Timely vaccinations are a very important part of your pet's health. Different types of vaccines should be given at different times and locations. For example, if you live in an area where rabies is prevalent, then you should have your pet vaccinated for this disease. However, if you live in an area where rabies is rare, then it may not be necessary to get your pet vaccinated against this disease, or it may only need to be vaccinated every two or three years instead of every year. Currently there is a lot of controversy among veterinarians and among staff at veterinarian colleges regarding the frequency of vaccinations. These professionals are currently conducting tests to determine the optimal time frame for safe and effective vaccinations. When they have arrived at a major consensus, I will post a further entry on this topic.

Some people are against vaccination of their pets and some are in favour of it, but my assertion is that there are risks involved with both decisions. A firm statement cannot be made on this topic as the rules vary from one individual animal to another, depending on the needs and tolerance levels of the animal involved. There are, however, certain factors to be considered when you are making your decision. I will try and point out these factors in this post.

Young animals which have been separated from their mothers before they reach six weeks of age and who are bottle fed, are at higher risk of getting diseases. This is because these animals do not get enough maternal antibodies from their mothers milk, which protect them from contracting diseases, until their own immune system becomes fully developed. The development of an animal's immune system can differ on the basis of the mother's antibodies, the amount and type of viruses the young animal is exposed to, the potency of the viruses and the body's ability to withstand the virus attack. Diet and nutrition will also play an important role in the young animal's ability to ward off disease.

Animals which don't get their mother's antibodies and which aren't exposed to diseases, do not build the antibodies needed to ward of these diseases on their own. As a result, they need to be vaccinated against these diseases so that the vaccination causes their bodies to build the necessary antibodies needed to prevent them from contracting these diseases if they are exposed to them at a later time.

As mentioned above, numerous pet owners do not believe in vaccinating their pets. They feel that the risks associated with vaccinations outweigh the benefits from them. This is a personal decision, which has both good points and bad points associated with it. An unvaccinated animal exposed to a disease would have a poor chance of warding off that disease. On the other hand, if their animal is never vaccinated, then it will never have an adverse reaction to a vaccination.

Vaccines and vaccinations are being improved all the time, so fatal reactions to vaccinations are now becoming rare, but they do happen on occasion. One thing that needs to be covered more thoroughly by both the owner and the veterinarian is the history and genetics of the animal. When obtaining a pet, it is inherent on the new owner to determine the background of the animal, its parents and grandparents, if possible. By checking the animal's family background it can be determined if any family members suffered from any genetic diseases, or had adverse reactions to vaccinations. The veterinarian should also do a thorough physical examination of the animal including blood testing to ensure the animal is healthy. Sickly animals will have more likelihood of experiencing an adverse reaction to a vaccination than healthy animals. Also, by having the weight of the animal, the veterinarian can determine the exact amount of vaccine that should be given to the animal, reducing the likelihood of an adverse reaction and still ensuring that the animal is protected against that specific disease.

The environment where the animal is being kept also plays a major role in both diseases that they might get and their reaction to vaccinations. If the animal is kept in a sanitary and clean place, it is less likely to become ill. A dirty environment not only spreads viruses and bacteria, but also affects the immune system and the overall health of the animal(s) kept there.

Another important factor that should be considered when determining if your pet should be vaccinated and what it should be vaccinated for is your lifestyle. If you travel a lot and you want to take your pet with you, then you will find that many jurisdictions require numerous vaccinations for your pet. If you cannot present an up-to-date vaccination record for your pet, they will frequently confiscate the animal and put it into a quarantine facility. Your animal will be held for a long period of time, usually 30 to 45 days, at your expense, and it will probably be given a multitude of vaccinations. If, while there, it shows any sign of illness, it will be euthanized. You could also find yourself in court for transporting a contagious animal. To prevent this sort of thing from happening, make sure that you either have your animal vaccinated according to the requirements of the jurisdictions you will be travelling through, or leave your animal home and hire a pet sitter. You will also find that the majority of good quality pet boarding facilities will not accept your pet unless it has an up-to-date vaccination record. They cannot take the chance that your pet may pass on a disease to the other animals in their care.

Mom and dad have owned numerous pets of all kinds over the years. Any pet that went outside their home was vaccinated with all the vaccines recommended by the veterinarian for the area where they lived at that time. None of their pets ever had a reaction to a vaccination and none of them ever caught a disease for which a vaccine was available.

To vaccinate or not to vaccinate, the choice is yours. However, please bear in mind what I have outlined above. Personally, my choice is to vaccinate as it has worked very well for me.

Until next time,

Teia

Horse Vaccinations

Vaccinations are an important part of keeping your horse healthy. Just like humans and dogs, horses need vaccinations to help reduce the incidence of diseases too. The more horses your horse comes into contact with, the more you need to make sure your horse is protected against infectious diseases. The following guidelines are recommended by the American Association of Equine Practitioners, the AAEP. The AAEP is a group of veterinarians who specialize in horse medicine.

Below are the most important vaccines for a pleasure horse to receive as recommended by the AAEP. The first four recommendations are considered basic required vaccines and the last three vaccines are optional.

1. Equine Encephalomyelitis (Eastern and Western) vaccination is recommended once per year in the spring. Encephalomyelitis is a disease carried by mosquitoes and is found in all 48 continental states and most Canadian provinces. It is a virus that affects the nervous system. Clinical signs range from fever to weakness and possibly to sudden death. Certain areas have a higher incidence of this disease than others.

2. Another mandatory vaccine is Tetanus, this is recommended once a year in the spring. Tetanus is a disease caused by bacteria called Clostridium. Normally this disease is seen in penetrating injuries, like stepping on a nail. The clinical signs are muscular stiffness. The horse is unable to move, and death could result if not treated.

3. Equine Rhinopneumonitis is recommended one to two times per year and prior to horse shows. Rhinopneumonitis is caused by a herpes virus. Clinical signs are typically abortions and pneumonia. This virus spreads rapidly between horses so vaccination is a must.

4. Equine Influenza vaccine is recommended once to twice a year or prior to shows as well. This virus can cause severe pneumonia in horses. Like Rhinopneumonitis, this too spreads rapidly between horses. Often, if there is a known outbreak of this disease, horse shows will be cancelled.

These last three vaccines should be considered only if your vet recommends them. Typically the decision to vaccinate for the last two diseases is done if there is this disease present in the region.

5. Streptococcus Equi, also know as Strangles, is often given as an intranasal vaccine. Almost all horse owners are familiar with Strangles. This disease is caused by a bacterium that makes the horses lymph nodes swell up, making it difficult for the horse to breathe, hence the name Strangles.

6. Potomac Horse Fever vaccine is another optional vaccination. This disease primarily happens to horses who liver near water. The bacterium that causes this disease is linked to snails and the clinical signs include colic and laminitis.

7. Recently on the Canadian prairies, particularly in the Province of Saskatchewan, Anthrax has shown up because of the extremely wet conditions in some parts of these provinces. If you happen to have any livestock and you live in this area, consult your veterinarian about vaccinations for this deadly disease.

By following the basic vaccine protocol for pleasure horses from the AAEP, or one recommended by your local veterinarian, you can keep your horse healthy. Be sure to consult with your veterinarian before starting any vaccines. I also recommend that you get your vaccines from your vet and not by buying them over the Internet. Like human drugs and vaccines, horse vaccines purchased over the Internet may be cheaper, but you have no idea what they contain. Just to save a few dollars do you really want to put your horse at risk of premature death from some unknown concoction put together by an Internet hustler? Your veterinarian is a highly trained professional with the knowledge and training to prescribe the right medicine for the situation involved.

Until next time,

Teia