Do Pets Really Need Annual Vaccinations?

One of the standard guidelines for pets is annual vaccinations to protect them from diseases, no different than human vaccinations. If you follow standard recommendations, you are actually submitting your cat or dog to a painful shot as well as putting yourself through the anxiety of having to visit the vet every year in your effort to provide your pets with the best care you can.

However, are you aware that pet vaccinations are a big business? Most pet owners will always spend what is necessary to protect their pets and possibly themselves from contacting scary and deadly diseases such as rabies or distemper, but some veterinarians and pet owners are now questioning the wisdom and necessity of annual vaccinations.

Dr. Margie Scherk who runs a veterinary clinic in Vancouver, BC says, “We have no reason to think a cat’s immune system is different than a human’s immune system. And we don’t get vaccinated every year.”

If this is true, why do vets keep warning us to have our dogs and cats vaccinated annually? Now, it’s possible some vets encourage the visits for the dollars they bring in, but it’s also become a controversial topic. In general, pet owners aren’t likely to take risks with such deadly diseases and will continue taking their pets in for shots, at least until conclusive studies are embraced by the medical field.

However, to add to the controversy, some studies have actually shown that certain vaccines, such as the rabies vaccine, may be linked to an increase in tumors in cats.

Other pet owners have had personal experiences which led them to believe that vaccines in puppies may have been responsible for a higher mortality in a healthy litter.

Until these concerns have been researched further, veterinarians will take their own stand on vaccinations. Some vets believes that owners should make decisions based on the lifestyle of their pet. For example, hunting dogs are clearly more at risk for picking up some of these diseases than a pet kept indoors in the city.

How can you, as a pet owner, make an educated decision? First, there is a lot of information available online, as well as recommendations from Associations and veterinary schools which may reflect the more recent research. However, most individuals will likely require the experience and recommendation of their family pet’s doctor or shop around to find one who seems to be implementing newer recommendations. In this case most will suggest a three year gap between most vaccinations.

There are still some diseases that may require annual shots or even six month shots, such as feline leukemia and kennel cough, but if your pet is usually in the safe environment of your home, you’re probably safe to dispense with the annual shots.

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Glenn Cutforth is a writer, eBook publisher and graphic designer.

Visit his websites at: Self-Help and Wellness.com and The Complete Cat.com

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