19 Aug Why it’s so important to vaccinate your pets
Australians just love animals. According to the RSPCA, We have one of the highest pet ownership rates in the world, with pets in 62% of all Aussie homes. For many of us, our fur-friends are more than just pets. They are our companions, the most (or maybe second-most) whiskered members of our household, they’re loyal friends and treasured family members.
Part of caring for our four-legged friends is ensuring that they are fed nourishing meals, exercised, enjoy a safe lifestyle and receive proper health care.
Proper healthcare means keeping your pets protected from dangerous diseases with vaccinations.
What are vaccinations?
Keeping your pets’ vaccinations up-to-date is an integral part of protecting them against risky disease. Vaccinations provide immunity against a range of diseases that can severely impact the wellbeing of your pet.
Simply, vaccines hold a very similar agent to the bacterium that causes disease. Once introduced, the body has the opportunity to recognise it as a health threat, the immune system will fight it off and remember it, so should it be introduced to the body in the future, the animal’s system will be ready to fight it off.
Vaccines are not cures for disease, they’re prevention.
What types of vaccines are there?
The types of pet vaccines in Australia can be split into two categories –core vaccines and non-core vaccines. In short, core vaccines are those which every animal should receive, regardless of other factors like age, environment and lifestyle.
Non-core vaccines are vaccines that are only required based on other factors of your fur-friend’s life.
An example of a core vaccine for a cat is the Feline Parvovirus vaccine.
An example of a non-core vaccine for a cat is the Bordetella Bronchiseptica vaccine.
Possible side effects
Vaccines stimulate your pet’s immune system, which can sometimes cause a minor reaction. Most often, these reactions come by way of local sensitivity of the skin, allergic reactions and at times, fever. However, these symptoms generally pass in a few short days.
It’s important to remember that minor reactions to vaccinations are a drop in the ocean compared to the risks you run by not vaccinating your animal.
Here at Castelan, we are proud to support ever-important pet vaccination.
To learn more about vaccinations for your cat or dog, you can check out this handy FAQ from the RSPCA.
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