Pet Vaccination Controversy

    The controversy over pet vaccines is a newly growing concern in the veterinary community. Owners that are in favor of vaccinating their pets believe that vaccines are a vital aspect in the prevention of disease. Pet owners that are against vaccines are worried that their pets are receiving too many vaccinations, their pets will have bad reactions to the vaccines, and that there will be bad long-term side effects as a result of being vaccinated. In this post, we are going to take a deeper look into the arguments of both sides to see if pet vaccination is worth the risk.  

Cat Receiving a Vaccine: https://cats.lovetoknow.com/Rabies_Vaccine_Side_Effects_in_Cats 

What do Vaccines Actually do for Your Pet?

    The American Veterinary Medical Association states that vaccines are "products designed to trigger protective immune responses and prepare the immune system to fight future infections from disease-causing agents." AVMA says that vaccines stimulate the immune system's production of antibodies, therefore they provide immunity against certain diseases and can lessen their severity, or even prevent them altogether. Pet vaccination is needed to prevent the contraction of life-threatening diseases for your pet. 

What Vaccines Should My Pet Receive?

    In order to keep your pet safe and healthy, it is recommended that they receive their core vaccines. Core vaccines are considered to be vital to all pets. Non-core vaccines are not considered necessary, but if exposure to disease is expected they should be administered. Geographical location and lifestyle are both key factors that determine what non-core vaccines your pet should receive ("We don't vaccinate our kids or ourselves annually, so why Vaccinate our dogs every year?"). The amount and type of vaccinations that your pets are receiving will be determined by your veterinarian. For example, if you live in an area where animals are prone to contracting leptospirosis, it would be in your best interest that you get your pet vaccinated for it because they are likely to contract it they aren't protected. If you don't live in an area where your pet is at high risk for contracting leptospirosis, you don't necessarily need to have your animal vaccinated for it. That decision is yours to make based on how far you would like to go and how much of a risk you are willing to take. 

Leptospirosis Hotspots

Map Showing Lepto "Hot Spots": https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S109002331730059X

Possible Vaccine Reactions

   Reactions to a vaccine can occur when an animal is sensitive or even allergic to the vaccine. Minor side-effects to vaccines are fairly common and most are mild and do not require medical attention. Although they are not as common, some side-effects may be more serious, and a veterinarian should be notified immediately to treat them. 

    A few minor reactions to the vaccine that your pet may experience are tenderness at the injection site, fatigue, loss of appetite, and a low-grade fever ("Care for Your Pet After Vaccination"). 

    Serious side effects that your pet could experience are fainting, difficulty breathing, hives, swollen face, and persistent vomiting or diarrhea ("Care for Your Pet After Vaccination"). 

  

Facial Swelling on Dog After Vaccine:https://fredericksburg.com/lifestyles/pettips-are-you-prepared-if-your-pet-has-a-vaccine-reaction/article_d8e1f8aa-fe62-11e4-a36d-4b01c6f0f4a6.html

Hives on Dog After Vaccine:https://www.petmd.com/dog/care/evr_dg_vaccination_reactions

    These reactions do not always occur, and when they do take place, they are predominately mild and do not require medical attention. The risks of these side-effects do not outweigh the risk of contracting a serious and deadly disease due to not being protected via vaccination.

Long-term Effects of Using Vaccines

    Overvaccination is suspected of causing disadvantageous long-term effects in pets. Vaccinating an animal too frequently can cause chronic diseases and even cancer. A few of the possible long-term disorders and diseases that can occur are lupus, pemphigus, rheumatoid arthritis, skin and ear allergies, hyperthyroidism, and inflammatory bowel disease ("Symptoms of Vaccine Side Effects in Dogs & Cats").

Dog Receiving a Vaccine: https://www.thesprucepets.com/what-is-a-vaccine-reaction-2804983

Should I Vaccinate My Pet?

    Vaccines are an extremely important aspect in the control of disease in the pet community. Without them, pets would be very susceptible to disease and spreading it throughout their population. As long as vaccines are chosen based on a pet's lifestyle and geographic location, they are safe and provide valuable benefits. Animals shouldn't receive any vaccines that arent necessary in order to lower their risk of long-term effects. Pet vaccination is completely safe when used correctly! 

Works Cited:

Curtis, Carole. "We don't vaccinate our kids or ourselves annually, so why Vaccinate our dogs every year?" Carole's Doggie World, Carole Curtis, n.d., https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/general-pet-care/vaccinations-your-pet#:~:text=Core%20vaccines%20are%20considered%20vital,disease%20or%20transmissibility%20to%20humans.&text=For%20Dogs%3A%20Vaccines%20for%20canine,on%20the%20dog's%20exposure%20risk.

"Symptoms of Vaccine Side Effects in Dogs & Cats." 1-800-PetMeds, 1-800-PetMeds, n.d., https://www.1800petmeds.com/education/symptoms-vaccine-side-effects-dog-cat-45.html#:~:text=Immune%20suppression%20that%20may%20last,and%20red%20blood%20cell%20disorders.

"Vaccinations." American Veterinary Medical Association, AMDA, n.d., https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/pet-owners/petcare/vaccinations#:~:text=Vaccinations%20prevent%20many%20pet%20illnesses,distemper%2C%20can%20infect%20unvaccinated%20pets. 

"Vaccinations for Your Pet." American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, ASPCA, n.d., https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/general-pet-care/vaccinations-your-pet#:~:text=Core%20vaccines%20are%20considered%20vital,disease%20or%20transmissibility%20to%20humans.&text=For%20Dogs%3A%20Vaccines%20for%20canine,on%20the%20dog's%20exposure%20risk.

Ward, Ernest. "Care for Your Pet After Vaccination." Veterinary Centers of America, VCA, n.d., https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/care-for-your-pet-after-vaccination.