My Take Tuesday: The Vituperation of the Vaccination

In case you haven’t noticed, vaccines have been in the news recently. A lot! Given the global pandemic that we are facing and the race to develop a vaccination, it seems that we hear about vaccines in some form every single day. 

Fearing vaccine-related reactions or other concerns, some people are leery not only of vaccinating their children against preventable illnesses, but also their pets. While these conversations are important, I am worried that they are being heavily influenced by what pet owners are seeing online from unreliable sources.

Protecting against something you’ve never seen can be a difficult concept for both pet owners and veterinarians. Many veterinarians who have graduated in the past 10 to 20 years have never seen a case of canine distemper. For the pet owner — add in families, friends, co-workers and acquaintances — who has also never seen or known a dog with the disease, it’s easy to begin to believe the threat doesn’t exist, isn’t serious or is overblown. I witnessed this disease first hand in Mexico City a few years ago. The disease began with green discharge from the eyes and nose, hardening of the footpads, neurological signs and death. Many deaths. We know this invisible and now infrequent killer can gain ground quickly in a community of dogs that are unvaccinated or under-vaccinated and kill indiscriminately and grotesquely.

Similarly, parvovirus outbreaks occur in shelters across the country every week because approximately half of the dogs coming in have never been vaccinated.

My take is this: If you love your dog or cat specifically, and dogs and cats in general, you’ll get your pets vaccinated not only to give them potentially life-saving protection, but also to put an invisible blanket of protection over the whole pet community. If people don’t vaccinate their pets, we risk seeing a rise in extremely unpleasant, preventable, diseases that can cause considerable animal suffering and death.

This doesn’t mean your pet needs every vaccination out there. Your pet’s vaccination program should be individualized, based on factors such as his age, health, medical history, lifestyle, and the prevalence of disease in your locale.

Proper vaccination for your puppy or kitten is one of the most important investments in your pet’s life long good health. Some people chose to purchase the least expensive products possible and administer them at home. The cheapest option is not always best. Almost anyone can follow the manufacturers’ directions for administration. However, only qualified veterinary professionals can advise you on what is best for your pet, determine if your pet is healthy enough to safely receive vaccines, effectively and promptly treat possible reactions and diagnose and treat other health problems during examination. Vaccines administered by a veterinarian are your best and safest option.

It is very important to discuss with your veterinarian a vaccination protocol that’s right for your dog. Factors that should be examined include age, medical history, environment, travel habits and lifestyle. Our vaccine protocols at Mountain West Animal Hospital vary and are based on the needs of each individual pet.

Being a pet owner is a joy and a privilege and you, and you alone, are responsible for their health and welfare. We strive to work with you in making these important decisions regarding the care of your four-legged family member.

And that is my take.

N. Isaac Bott, DVM