What are vaccines?
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Animals receive many vaccinations early in their life in order to build their immunity to deadly diseases. The vaccine contains a version of the infectious agent that has been altered to be unable to actually cause disease. When this is introduced into the animal's body, the immune system creates antibodies and lymphocytes. If the animal is ever exposed to this pathogen again, the immune system can quickly recognize and destroy it before it causes disease. Vaccinations have drastically decreased, and even eradicated, many infectious diseases that used to commonly be the cause of death in many pets.
Vaccine reactionsSome people are skeptical of vaccinating their pets because the risk for vaccine reactions. These reactions are an over-response by the immune system when a foreign pathogen is introduced into the body. Although vaccine reactions are not very common, the most frequently observed reaction is a local bump where the vaccine was administered, the result of the immune system's response to create swelling at the site. These generally go away on their own.
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Learn about each vaccine we administerCanine Vaccines
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Other concerns
Vaccines have allowed for the near eradication of many diseases that were fatal for pets in the past; there is no evidence of correlation to mental or behavioral problems.
Other people are concerned with the price of vaccinations. However, the bill to diagnose and treat any disease caused by a viral pathogen can easily climb to over $1,000. The $20 spent on a vaccine is much better than the alternative if a pet does contract the disease.
Other people are concerned with the price of vaccinations. However, the bill to diagnose and treat any disease caused by a viral pathogen can easily climb to over $1,000. The $20 spent on a vaccine is much better than the alternative if a pet does contract the disease.
