Vaccinations are an essential preventive care for your dog. Through vaccination, dogs can now be protected from numerous disease risks, including rabies, distemper, hepatitis and several others. Some of these diseases are zoonotic (can be passed from dogs to people) and so vaccinating your pet benefits public health too.
Recently, several studies have shown that vaccines protect dogs for a longer period than previously believed. There have also been many improvements in the quality of the vaccines produced. Pet owners are now also aware and concerned that vaccination is not as harmless a procedure as once believed.
To assist veterinarians with making vaccine recommendations for their pet owners dogs, the American Animal Hospital Association has now issued a set of canine vaccine guidelines. These guidelines were developed by a group of experts and practicing veterinarians together.
A key recommendation is that all dogs are very different and therefore vaccine decisions should be tailored to the individual dog. Factors including age, breed, health status, environment, lifestyle, and travel habits of the dog should be always be considered. Infectious disease threats differ from place to place and so you should work with your veterinarian to tailor an immunization program that best protects your dog based on his her risk and lifestyle factors. » Read more: New Pet Dog Vaccination Guidelines in the USA
