As a pet owner, you want to ensure that your furry friend remains healthy and happy for as long as possible. One of the most important things you can do to protect your pet’s health is to ensure that they are up-to-date with their vaccinations.
Vaccinations are crucial in preventing a variety of diseases that can be life-threatening to your pet.
How, do vaccines work?
Vaccines work by exposing your pet’s immune system to a small amount of the disease-causing organism, which allows their body to develop immunity to the disease.
This means that if your pet is ever exposed to the disease in the future, their immune system will be better equipped to fight it off.
Why vaccinate?
Unless properly vaccinated, your pet is at risk of contracting one of several, possibly fatal, infectious diseases. In dogs, Parvovirus and leptospirosis are the most current and widespread threats. Both may prove fatal and Leptospirosis can present a serious risk to human health as well. The routine vaccination given to puppies will also protect against hepatitis and distemper, both very dangerous diseases.
Cats are vaccinated against Enteritis and Flu; both can cause grave illness in cats.
Why are booster vaccinations required?
When your pet was vaccinated as a puppy or kitten it was provided with protection from these diseases. But this doesn’t last indefinitely and antibodies can gradually drop, leaving your pet at risk. This protection therefore needs “topping up” at regular intervals, for example, even the best vaccines for leptospirosis only protect for approximately thirteen months.
Dubai Municipality also requires that ALL cats and dogs are vaccinated for Rabies every year. Pet cats & dogs must also have a microchip in order to be registered with the Dubai Municipality and obtain their Muncipality Tag.
(NOTE: this Tag follows the vaccination, not the calendar)
I’ve never vaccinated my pet?
People who do not vaccinate are benefitting from the vast number of people that DO vaccinate their pets, keeping diseases at low levels.
Thirty years ago, pets would die on a weekly basis from Distemper or Parvovirus. Vaccination means that these diseases now occur much less frequently.
If we stopped vaccinating our pets, these diseases would once again become commonplace.
Compare this to say Small Pox in the human population which has been eradicated by a very effective and compulsory vaccination program.
Is vaccination harmful to my pet?
No medicine is benign and there are always risks however, vaccinations go through rigorous trials to become licensed.
We do sometimes see localised vaccine reactions at the vaccine site, or some pets may seem a bit lethargic/quiet the day of the vaccine.
Serious and significant reactions are thankfully extremely rare.
The risk of NOT vaccinating your pet far outweighs the risks of vaccination.
In conclusion:
… vaccinations are an essential aspect of responsible pet ownership.
They play a crucial role in protecting your pet from serious diseases, preventing the spread of disease, and promoting overall health and well-being.
By staying up-to-date with your pet’s vaccinations, you are taking an important step towards ensuring a long and happy life for your furry friend.
JOIN our ‘THE 2FEET4PAWS CLUB’ that offers Annual Membership at 3 different levels, each providing
immediate benefits without any waiting periods or exclusions. As a member, you’ll have access to discounts on preventative and routine care, including annual vaccinations, with the services increasing with each level. Additionally, you’ll have peace of mind knowing that you’ll receive support in the event of any unexpected health issues your pet may encounter.
