We all love our furry friends and want the best care for them.

Taking care of your pets necessitates routine veterinary appointments.

These visits to the vet often include wellness examinations and vaccines, and occasionally booster shots.

Pet vaccinations, just like the ones for humans, protect the four legged members of your family from serious diseases and allow them to live the healthiest, longest lives possible.

However, they also protect you from catching some disease from your pet, that’s why knowing what vaccinations are necessary is so important.

The right vaccination can also aid in preventing zoonotic infections from spreading to your other family members from pets.

While certain vaccinations are optional or dependent on your pet’s lifestyle, most are considered mandatory, regardless of disease risk or geographic location.

What is The Difference Between Core Vaccinations and Non Core Vaccinations?

The vaccinations considered mandatory for all pets irrespective of their living situations are core vaccinations.

Whereas non core vaccinations are those which are suggested by veterinarians depending on the pet’s lifestyle and environment.

For instance, if you have a puppy that is frequently boarded or only spends time outside, your veterinarian may advise some non core immunizations.

Core vaccinations:

These vaccines are necessary for maintaining the health of your pets and are mostly administered by the vet when your pet is a puppy.

Many municipalities stipulate to see the proof of some mandatory core immunizations before you can get a license for your pet.

Some common core vaccines for dogs include:

Rabies.

This is one of the deadliest viral diseases that can affect a dog.

It affects your pet’s central nervous system and causes symptoms like excessive drooling, headaches, hallucinations, and paralysis.

The disease is transmitted when saliva or blood gets exchanged between a rabid and healthy animal.

Apart from infected dogs, many wild animals including foxes, skunks, raccoons, and bats can bite your pets and transmit the virus.

Contracting this disease can be fatal for human beings as well.

Puppies must be immunized around 14 to 16 weeks and again at 1 year.

After that, they should be given booster doses annually or at least once every three years.

Parvovirus.

An extremely contagious disease, the canine parvovirus poses a significant risk for puppies younger than four months old and unvaccinated dogs.

The disease affects the intestinal tract of a dog, causing appetite loss, vomiting, diarrhea, hypothermia, fever, and lethargy.

It spreads through contact with contaminated surfaces and infected dogs.

Puppies should receive the vaccine between the ages of 8 and 16 weeks.

The first booster should be given after one year.

After that, they should be administered every 3 years or more often.

Distemper.

This vaccine guards dogs against a crippling virus that affects their lymphoid tissues as well as their respiratory, nervous, and digestive systems.

Some symptoms of this disease include appetite loss, fever, vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, eye and nose discharge, blindness, twitching, seizures, and paralysis.

Distemper spreads via body fluids, excrement, and aerosol droplets.

A puppy should be given at least three doses between the ages of six and 16 weeks.

A booster is necessary after a year and then after every three years.

Hepatitis.

Infectious canine hepatitis, a contagious viral disease, can cause liver inflammation in dogs.

It can also have an effect on a number of organs, like the nervous system, kidneys, lungs, and digestive system.

The disease spreads through an infected dog’s saliva, nasal discharge, urine, blood, and feces.

Fever, sneezing, nasal congestion, coughing, difficulty breathing, decreased appetite, tiredness, eye redness, yellowing skin, bruises, and seizures are a few of the symptoms.

Puppies should get their first vaccine between 6 and 8 weeks of age, and booster shots every three to four weeks till they’re four months old.

A booster is required for adult dogs after a year and thereafter every 3 years.

Non Core Vaccinations:

Non core vaccinations are not mandated by law, however, they may be required for pets who frequent kennels, outdoor lakes, or are living in specific areas.

Depending on the exposure risk for your dog, vets may prescribe non core vaccines.

Some of these include:

Bordetella.

This vaccine offers defense against a virus linked to the kennel cough disease and is typically given every 6 to 12 months.

Borrelia Burgdorferi.

This vaccine is administered to protect dogs with a high risk of contracting Lyme disease.

Leptospira.

This vaccination is given before 12 weeks, followed by boosters every 4 to 6 weeks, and then every year after that to protect dogs from Leptospira interrogans.

Influenza.

Vaccination is given every 6 months, followed by a booster shot every 2 weeks, and then every year after that to prevent dog flu.

What you should remember?

Administering proper vaccines at the right time is essential to maintaining the health of your pet.

Along with this, owners should watch out for their pets, keep them away from sick animals, and schedule routine veterinary checkups to ensure their pet has a long and healthy life.