New puppies and kittens bring so much excitement with them. Seriously, how doesn’t love baby animals?! They’re full of beans and generally very, VERY cheeky! It’s also a time filled with lots of visits to the vet - desexing, vaccination boosters, check-ups and eating things that we maybe shouldn’t have... As time carries on, and the madness simmers down, I often get asked, “Do I really need to keep vaccinating my pet now that they’re all grown up?’
The short answer is, ‘yes, probably’.
Why is this?
There has been chatter that some of our dog vaccines might actually provide much longer protection than we currently give them credit for. But, there’s no research to say that with any real confidence.
So, we don’t risk it.
We routinely vaccinate for common diseases which are contagious, debilitating, and can be fatal. Just because you’re not seeing parvovirus, doesn’t mean that we’re not. I can tell you honestly, it sends us to bed sick at night when we’ve been battling to keep those little guys going.
So, don’t you risk it.
There is just no such thing as ‘over-vaccinating’, but ‘under-vaccinating’ and being at-risk is very real. Our vets follow a modern philosophy, and always provide the most current and valid vaccination methods for your pet. At the end of the day, it’s about maximising not only their safety, but the safety of the pet community around you both.
Still not sold on vaccinating your adult pet?
If, for whatever reason, you’re still not sold, and you’re not sure if your pet should be getting routine vaccinations now that they’re an adult, come and have a chat. We can certainly have a chat about performing a quick blood test in our clinic laboratory to check whether your pet’s vaccination is still providing immunity, or needs to be boosted.
So, vaccinate, or don’t. But if you’re not, please be damned sure your pet is still immune. Not only for their sake, but for the pet’s and their families around you.