Vaccinating your Cat and Dog 

 

Getting your cat and dog vaccinated is as important as getting your own shots against things like the flu and COVID. Even though cat flu doesn’t follow a specific season like human flu, don’t forget about keeping your furry pals protected! 

And if you heard about the shortage of feline vaccines that caused chaos for summer travel plans, fret not! The shortage is over, and all kitties are welcome to get their annual or overdue boosters now. 

For cats, there are three main viruses covered in the vaccine: 

  • Cat flu, which shields against severe symptoms from feline calicivirus and herpesvirus. These can be dangerous, especially for kittens. Herpesvirus can stick around for life and show up during stressful times, causing respiratory and eye problems like ulcers and pneumonia. 
  • Feline panleukopenia is a nasty virus for kittens, particularly in places like shelters, but can be deadly for any unvaccinated cat. It attacks rapidly dividing cells, like those in the intestines and white blood cells, leading to severe diarrhea and often fatal secondary bacterial infections. 

Dogs, on the other hand, get protection against: 

  • Kennel cough, which is highly contagious and can range from mild to severe, sometimes causing pneumonia. 
  • Parvovirus, akin to feline panleukopenia, wreaks havoc on a dog’s intestines and white blood cells, often leading to death from secondary infections in unvaccinated pets. 
  • Distemper virus, which has been nearly eradicated but made a surprise appearance recently. It attacks the respiratory, nervous, and gastrointestinal systems and can affect various mammals. 
  • Canine adenovirus, also known as canine hepatitis, can cause symptoms from a slight fever and congestion to severe depression, liver failure, and death. 

Remember, vaccines are there to reduce the severity of illness if your pet does get sick. While they won’t make your pet invincible, they significantly decrease the chances of serious illness. So, don’t skip those shots—your furry friend’s comfort and life depend on it!