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By Kallie Wolseth What are vaccines? Vaccines are serums or sprays that are designed to prevent an animal, human or non-human, from falling ill. Vaccines work by exposing the body to a weakened, killed, or synthetic bacteria or virus. The vaccine rouses the body’s immune system to see that there is a foreign bacteria or virus, and then destroys said foreign bacteria or virus. Because the body is already familiar with the bacteria or virus, if it comes into contact with the real deal, the body will be able to fight it off more effectively because it’s already been exposed. There are two different categorizations of vaccines that differ what are considered the essential vaccines from the non-essential vaccines. The core vaccines are considered essential because they protect against diseases that are potentially deadly or can be spread to humans. Non-core vaccines prevent against diseases that are not life threatening, related to the animals lifestyle (ex. If they will be boarded at a kennel with other dogs), that are region specific, and that are treatable. In this post I’ll discuss what vaccines prevent, potential negative side effects, and the costs of vaccines. What do vaccines prevent? Vaccinations can prevent a wide range of illnesses. The two core vaccines that are considered necessary are DHPP (distemper, hepatitis, parainflueunza, and parvovirus), and rabies . DHPP prevents against four separate diseases in dogs, listed above, making this a very effective vaccine. Parvovirus is a disease that is usually deadly, 91% of dogs affected don’t make it more than 72 hours. It targets younger and older un-vaccinated dogs. Its symptoms include but are not limited to, lethargy, rapid weight loss due to loss of appetite, fever, vomiting, and dehydration. This potentially deadly disease is transmitted one of two ways: by direct contact with an infected dog, or by fecal-oral contact. This disease is not transmittable to humans and is entirely preventable with vaccination. Donny is one lucky puppy who was able to overcome parvovirus. At just two months old Donny was surrendered to Mending Spirits Animal Rescue where my family fostered him. Just a few days after taking him in, Donny displayed symptoms parallel to those of Parvovirus. He was lethargic, vomiting, and wouldn’t eat or drink. Donny was taken to the vet where he was tested for Parvovirus and given subcutaneous fluids to re-hydrate. We were told he tested positive for Parvovirus and most likely wouldn’t make it. The next two days were hard. The vet gave Donny antibiotics, told us to make his time as comfortable as possible, and hope for the best. Donny lost four pounds in these few days, almost 20% of his total body weight. Somehow, that little fighter made it; he beat parvovirus at just over two months old. Donny is now three months old, adopted, healthy, and happy as can be. All of Donny’s pain and suffering could have been prevented. Luckily, he beat the odds. Rabies is another preventable, but deadly disease. Some symptoms include, but are not limited to, fever, seizures, inability to swallow, lack of coordination, behavioral changes, hyper-salivation, and frothy saliva. All mammals are at risk of being infected with rabies, humans included. Most states require the rabies vaccine for dogs. Less essential vaccines, or non-core vaccines, include bordetella (kennel cough), lyme disease, canine influenza, and some region-specific vaccines. These diseases are less serious and are treatable. However, they do cause discomfort, which vaccination would prevent. Given the information above, it seems that the logical decision would be to vaccinate your beloved pet. If you could prevent potential discomfort or death for your animal, wouldn’t you want to? Nevertheless, vaccinations do have some potential negative side effects that I’ll cover. Some are to be expected while others are cause for concern. The side effects that are normal include discomfort and swelling at the spot where the vaccine was administered, a mild fever, and/or a temporary decrease in the animals’ activity level or eating habits. In regards to a nasal vaccine, that is a vaccine administered in a spray up the nostril rather than a needle through the skin, it is to be expected to see a runny nose, coughing, or sneezing. However, these side effects usually don’t present until between two and five days after the vaccine is administered. These are all normal effects that are not long lasting. When administering a vaccine to an animal there is potential for serious side effects. These include allergic reactions to the vaccine itself, tireless vomiting or diarrhea, swelling of the muzzle, face, or neck, collapse, severe coughing and/or difficulty breathing, or skin irritations. Any of these serious side effects can occur within minutes after receiving a vaccination or hours later, so it’s important to keep a close eye on your animal for a while after they receive any type of immunization. Another normal side effect is that the skin at the site of the vaccination will feel firm to the touch. This firm area should be small and should disappear in a matter of a few weeks, however if it last longer than three weeks or appears to be growing larger, you should bring your animal in to a veterinarian to have it checked over. Speaking from personal experience, the costs of vaccinations are far less than the cost of medical treatment. According to the American Kennel Club, the average cost of vaccines in new puppies will be between $75 and $100. They also mention that the initial costs of vaccinations are higher than recurring or supplemental vaccines needed throughout adulthood. When thinking about vaccinating a dog, it may be worth it to look into insurance plans for your animal. Most insurance plans cover routine care, including vaccines, along with any unexpected medical expenses, depending on the plan. Embrace is one pet-specific insurance company that covers vaccines. Most other insurance companies offer plans for dogs as well. Between the health benefits, lower costs, and rare serious side effects, I would recommend vaccinating pets in order to help them live long, happy lives. The ultimate decision of whether or not to vaccinate your animal is up to you. In this blog I’ve reviewed the benefits of vaccinations by talking about what they can prevent, and also the cons to vaccinations by potential side effects. In my personal opinion, it is in the best interest of both the animal and the owner to vaccinate against DHPP and Rabies, along with any region-specific non-core vaccinations that your veterinarian recommends. Not only will vaccinating keep your pet healthy, but it will also be the most cost-effective. References Writers, S. (2015, October 20). First-Year Puppy Vaccinations; A Complete Guide. Retrieved April 09, 2017, from http://www.akc.org/content/health/articles/puppy-shots-complete-guide Core & Non-Core Vaccination Differences - Nashville TN. (2015, January 15). Retrieved April 09, 2017, from https://5pointsanimalhospital.net/difference-core-non-core-vaccinations PetMD, LLC. (n.d.). Retrieved April 09, 2017, from http://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions#p-diseases Vaccinating Your Pet. (n.d.). Retrieved April 09, 2017, from https://www.americanhumane.org/fact-sheet/vaccinating-your-pet/ Vaccines. (n.d.). Retrieved April 09, 2017, from http://www.who.int/topics/vaccines/en Vaccinations: What to expect after your pet's vaccination. (n.d.). Retrieved April 09, 2017, from https://www.avma.org/public/PetCare/Pages/What-to-expect-after-your-pets-vaccination.aspx Puppy Insurance From Embrace. (n.d.). Retrieved April 17, 2017, from http://www.embracepetinsurance.com/puppy-insurance AUTHOR BIOKallie Wolseth is an undergraduate student studying Psychology at Minnesota State University, Mankato. She is passionate about the fair and humane treatment of all non-human animals and has loved them her entire life. She fosters animals who are looking for their forever families and strives to help as many as possible. More from KallieComments are closed.
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