Dog Vaccinations at TLC for Pets
Vaccinations prevent or reduce the risk of infectious diseases that can cause severe illness or death in pets and humans. Although vaccinations carry some risks, they enhance your dog's overall health and prospects for a long life. They also contribute to a healthier community for pets and humans by limiting the spread of diseases. TLC for Pets in Reisterstown, MD, is here to explain the importance of vaccinations in protecting your dog and the greater pet community’s health.
The Benefits of Vaccination
Vaccinations introduce disabled versions of diseases into your dog's body and encourage its immune system to recognize and fight them. The result is that vaccines either prevent diseases or limit the symptoms that occur. Some diseases, like rabies and leptospirosis, can be transmitted from animals to humans, so vaccinations protect your dog, family, and the broader pet and human community. Vaccinations can ensure your dog lives a long, healthy life protected from multiple significant diseases.
Core and Non-Core Vaccines
Core vaccines are vaccinations all dogs should receive since the diseases they protect against are highly contagious and dangerous. Core vaccines for dogs include vaccinations against rabies and distemper, with Maryland law requiring dogs four months and older to get vaccinated for rabies.
While vaccinations can prevent several diseases and health complications, not all vaccinations are required. Non-core vaccines may only be necessary based on your dog’s environment and lifestyle. For example, your veterinarian near you may recommend the Bordetella vaccine if your dog frequently interacts with other dogs outside or in a boarding facility. Your veterinarian will discuss these issues with you or ask you to complete a questionnaire about your dog's lifestyle before discussing which non-core vaccines to include in your dog's preventative care routine.
Vaccination Schedule
Nature provides puppies some immunity through their mother's milk, but the immunity fades quickly. Depending on the appropriate vaccinations for your dog, we schedule an initial set of vaccines before your pet reaches six months old. Boosters and other vaccines become part of your dog's annual wellness pet care process for the next several years.
Of course, in some cases, dogs experience adverse reactions to a vaccine. When that happens, we adjust how many vaccines are administered per visit, avoid using live vaccines, or supplement the vaccines with certain pre- or post-treatments to reduce the risk of side effects. We balance those issues against your dog experiencing repeated injections.
Contact Your Veterinarian in Reisterstown, MD, to Vaccinate Your Dog Today
If you live in or near Reisterstown, MD, and are looking for a veterinarian near you, contact TLC for Pets today. Our veterinary team can recommend vaccinations to protect your dog from several significant diseases, so call us and schedule an appointment at (410) 833-1717 to protect your dog’s health and future.