Pet Owners - Are Vaccinations Necessary?

You love your pet, and you would do anything you can to keep them healthy. You have probably been following the standard procedure of going to the veterinarian and having your pet get their yearly shots. That trip can not be a favorite of yours. You know the shots must hurt. How often has your pet been feeling badly the next day? It has to be from the shots given to them. I'm sure your pet doesn't relish the trip to the vet any more than you do for those dreaded vaccinations.

It doesn't take an MBA in finance to realize that vaccinations are big business. Pet owners will spend many dollars if they are told that these shots are a necessity to protect their pets from terrible diseases like distemper and rabies. It's interesting to note that some veterinarians are starting to question the wisdom and necessity of annual vaccinations.

A CBC, Canadian Broadcasting, news story had a Dr. Margie Scherk, who runs a veterinary clinic in Vancouver quoted as saying, "We have no reason to think a cat's immune system is different than a human's immune system, and we don't get vaccinated every year."

If what she says is true, why are we taking our beloved friends in to the vet to get their vaccinations? We do it because most vets suggest that's the standard procedure. You can't fault the vets for giving this advice. It's their business to be cautious when dispensing medical advice. It's also in their financial interest, and we can't blame them for that. They also need to make a living.

Pet owners also don't want to take chances with their beloved "friends". Unless and until the owners see conclusive proof that annual vaccinations aren't needed, they will also air on the side of caution and continue to protect their pets by going for their shots every year.

While I have not seen any studies that prove annual vaccinations are unnecessary, I have heard about studies that linked the rabies vaccine with an increase in tumors in cats.

It seems that until the concerns of frequent vaccinations can be researched further, veterinarians have their own opinion about them. Another CBC newscast had a Dr. Kruth say that pet owners should make decisions about the pets based on their lifestyle. The owners of hunting dogs need to be must more proactive about the dangers of the wild than an owner who keeps their pet indoors in the city. That makes sense.

What's a pet owner to do? Actually, there's a lot of information online as well as various animal associations and veterinary schools which will reflect the findings of more recent research. The view that vaccinations can be given with a three year gap is gaining popularity among animal medical professionals. Keep in mind, however, there are still some diseases that require annual shots and some disease may require shots every six months. Don't blindly decide that all shots are unnecessary. You should start asking knowledgeable people and reading what's available on the internet.