In veterinary medicine, we always joke about how everything comes in groups of 3. In the past week here at Berwick, we have seen firsthand why vaccinating your pet is so important, as we have seen 3 pets with potentially deadly diseases that are preventable through proper vaccinations. One of the cases was particularly challenging and while speaking with one of my Preventative Medicine professors from Ohio State, she stressed one very important fact: Vaccination saves lives.

For our canine patients, our recommended core vaccines will protect against Distemper, Adenovirus (Hepatitis), Parvovirus, Parainfluenza, Leptospirosis, and Rabies. When we recommend these for your pet, we are not just looking to protect your pet but also to protect other pets. In the cases of Leptospirosis and Rabies, we are also looking to protect you! Leptospirosis and Rabies are both what are called zoonotic diseases, as they can be transmitted from your dog to you or to your family.
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For our feline patients, our recommended core vaccines will protect against Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, Panleukopenia, and Rabies. Rhinotracheitis and Calicivirus will often cause upper respiratory symptoms but can be very lethal to young kittens. Panleukopenia is actually the virus that Parvovirus in dogs mutated from many years ago. It can cause very low white blood cell counts leading to severe vomiting, diarrhea, and dehydration and sadly, often in ending in death. Even indoor-only cats can be susceptible to these viruses, it is very important they maintain good level of protection through vaccines.

One thing many people don’t consider when vaccinating their pets is that the level of protection against these diseases that any newborn or young puppy/kitten will have is entirely dependent on the level of protection of the mother. If you have an intact female dog or cat and are considering breeding her, you need to make sure she is well-vaccinated before she becomes pregnant. The strength of her immunity against infectious diseases will determine the strength of the immunity of her offspring until they are old enough to be vaccinated themselves.

We’ve spoken in previous Staff Chats concerning the various vaccines we recommend - some of them are considered “non-core” vaccines, which we may recommend based upon the lifestyle of your furry family member. The vaccines discussed in this Staff Chat, however, are considered “core” vaccines – these vaccinations truly do save lives.