There are many reasons why it is important to vaccinate your dogs or cats.  There are a multitude of serious and often life-threatening diseases that your pet can be protected from simply by vaccinating, deworming and giving some form of heartworm preventative.The truth is; Vaccines Save Pets Lives.  Below are explanations of the different diseases that vaccination may prevent.

Canine Diseases:

• Canine 6 in 1 (DA2PPV+CV)
  • Distemper is a widespread, often deadly, and can affect any wild or domestic animal.  Distemper may cause vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, or death.  If the dog survives the disease, it still may suffer nervous system disorders, such as seizures, for the rest of its life.
  • Hepatitis is spread through urine.  It can cause high fever, pain, depression, and enlarged liver, that may lead to death. Hepatitis can also affect the kidneys.  Younger animals are usually at a higher risk of contracting Hepatitis.  Animals that do recover from Hepatitis may continue to suffer chronic, recurring illnesses.
  • Parainfluenza is a respiratory virus that may cause coughing that could linger for up to several weeks.  Parainfluenza is not life-threatening, but it can spead rapidly in a large group of dogs, such as in a kennel.
  • Parvovirus is contracted, mostly by puppies, by coming in contact with infected dog feces.  Parvo is shed from the feces and can remain in the environment long after the feces have been removed.  Parvo typically causes bloody diarrhea, vomiting, and can often lead to death if untreated.
  • Corona virus is similar to parvovirus, in that it is a virus that infects the intestinal tract, causing vomiting and bloody diarrhea.

• Leptospirosis
  • Leptospirosis is contracted by coming in contact with the infected urine of other animals, and often seeps through skin abrasions.  If your dog has access to ponds or muddy marsh water areas, then he/she is at a higher risk of contracting this disease.  Leptospirosis spreads through the bloodstream, leading to fever and joint pain, and then settles in the kidneys and reproduces.  This leads to inflammation, and eventually, kidney failure.  Depending on the specific strain of Lepto, other organs, such as the liver, could also be affected.  Although Leptospirosis is a serious, life-threatening disease, the slightly higher occurance of adverse vaccine reactions warrants that it only be given to dogs that are at risk to exposure.

• Bordatella
  • Bordatella is the bacterial cause of Kennel Cough.  It is a highly contagious disease in dogs.  The most often observed symptom is coughing.  Although it is generally not life-threatening, because of its rapidly spreading nature, most dogs that visit boarding or grooming parlors should, and usually must, be vaccinated against Bordatella.

• Lyme
  • Lyme disease is transmitted through the bite of an infected tick, most commonly, the Deer Tick.  Symtoms of Lyme Disease include lameness (most often in one leg), arthritis, and fever.  After infected, a dog can progress from a mild discomfort to a stage where the dog has too much joint and muscle pain, and refuses to move.  Almost all dogs that are diagnosed with Lyme diease during the early stages, can be treated with a relatively low risk of mortality.  However, after treatment, the disease can still lead to life-long joint pain for the dog.  Another important reason to vaccinate dogs that are at risk of contracting this disease is that Lyme disease can also be contracted by humans.   

• Giardia
  • Giardia are actually protozoans (single-celled organisms) and are commonly found in the intestines of many animals, including dogs.  A few percent of dogs will actually carry giardia and not show any signs of disease.  But, more often, bloody or mucousy diarrhea accompanied by gas production is seen in infected puppies.  Dogs that are stressed by high levels of physical activity or malnourished may have a previously low-grade infestation that could flare up into a significant disease.  Giardia can be spread from animal to animal in feed, drinking water, or even in streams or other water sources.  Research also suggests that giardia might also be transmitted to humans, although the significance a pet plays in the source of infection is not known. 

Feline Diseases:

• Feline 4 in 1 (FVRCPC)
  • Feline Virus Rhinotracheitis is a highly contagious respitatory disease that causes sneezing, runny eyes, nasal congestion, oral ulcers, and possibly, pneumonia. 
  • Panleukopenia is feline distemper and causes vomiting, diarrhea, lack of appetite, and often leads to death.  The disease can be transmitted in the blood, urine, feces, nasal secretions, or even in the fleas of an infected cat. Also, pregnant cats that contract the disease may give birth to kittens with severe brain damage.
  • Calcivirus and Chlamydia are highly contagious respiratory diseases that may also cause sneezing, oral ulcers, and possibly pneumonia.

• Feline Leukemia (FeLv)
  • Leukemia virus causes immune suppression, secondary infection, and may lead to the development of a cancerous disease and other chronic recurring illnesses.  Most vets would recommend testing for the presence of leukemia before vaccinating kittens to make sure that he/she is free from the virus.

• Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP)
  • FIP is relatively uncommon but is generally fatal.  It occurs primarily in cats between 1/2-5 years.  FIP occurs in two forms; WET: a disease of the lining of the abdominal or chest cavities, in which massive fluid accumulation occurs; and DRY: a disease of various organs, such as the lymph nodes, kidneys, eyes, and brain.  It is caused by the feline coronavirus and both forms are caused by the same virus.  A cat whose immune system reacts poorly when the disease is contracted may develop the wet form, where as a cat whose immune system reacts optimally may contract the dry form or even not contract it at all, but become a carrier, until the cat's immune system weakens over time and begins to suffer from the disease.  Cats that are permitted outdoors or whom live indoors with other cats that go outside are at risk for the disease.  Although the disease is most commonly fatal, treatment may ease a cat's discomfort and prolong life for a short time.

Rabies:

• Rabies can be spread by raccoons, skunks, foxes, dogs, cats, and generally any warm-blooded mammal.  The virus is shed in saliva, is severe, and is invariably fatal.  Rabies vaccinations are required by law for pets.

*This article was created on December 1, 2004. Although we strive to provide information with great accuracy, Pet Vet Vaccination Clinics makes no warranties or claims of any nature that the information above is completely valid or entirely factual. Also, we strongly suggest that any person should not use this material as a citation or reference without cross-referencing the material for accuracy. By reading or using this material, you agree to hold our company harmless of any liability or damages that result from the usage of this data.