Vaccinations
Vaccinations are the most important part of every cat’s and dog’s preventative care. Vaccines are designed to protect pets from contracting and spreading dangerous, highly contagious diseases. Many of the diseases that vaccines prevent are zoonotic diseases, which means they’re also transmissible to humans. So, vaccinating your pets not only keeps them safe and healthy, but it also protects your human family members, too!
How Do Pet Vaccines Work?
Pet vaccines work just like human vaccines. The vaccination safely exposes your pet’s immune system to a small amount of partial or inactive virus. The pet’s immune system generates a response and commits the experience to the immune system’s memory. Then if the pet is exposed to the virus in the future, its immune system will respond immediately to prevent infection.
Are Pet Vaccines Safe?
Like with all medications, adverse reactions to vaccines are possible, but they are extremely rare and usually mild. Following vaccination, our veterinarian will describe the signs and symptoms to look for that could indicate a reaction.
Which Vaccines Does My Pet Need?
Pet vaccinations fall into two categories: core and non-core vaccines. Core vaccinations include those that are required by law and those that are highly recommended for every pet, such as rabies and distemper.
Non-core vaccinations are elective vaccines that our veterinarian will recommend based on your pet’s lifestyle and exposure risk. Pets that might be exposed to wildlife or other pets at grooming, boarding, or daycare facilities, for example, benefit from the addition of non-core vaccines to their vaccination schedule.
Make an Appointment for Pet Vaccinations in Redondo Beach
Our veterinarian will ensure your cat or dog is up to date on all core vaccinations and discuss your pet’s exposure level to determine whether or not any elective vaccinations should be administered. We welcome you to schedule a wellness and preventative care appointment to make sure your pet is protected. Contact Pacific Animal Hospital in Redondo Beach today.
