Your pets are more than just animals. They are your furry family members. At North Hills Animal Hospital serving Sherwood, AR, we understand how important your pets’ health is to you. The better educated you are about your pets’ health, the better choices you will be able to make for them. Your pets depend on you for their health care needs. This includes preventative care like vaccinations. Keep reading to find out what you need to know about vaccinations and how they can affect your pets’ health.
What Are Vaccinations?
Animal vaccines are medical products designed to trigger the body into creating an immune response to a specific pathogen. Once the body is acquainted with a pathogen, it can begin to develop antibodies to fight it off. This way, if the animal comes into contact with the pathogen in a natural setting, the body can fight it off and the animal is less likely to get sick.
Animal vaccinations in the last century have been crucial to the decrease, and in some cases, elimination of certain illnesses among domesticated animals. Not only do vaccines protect your pets and keep them healthy, but they are also crucial in keeping you and your family healthy in cases where a virus or disease could pass from animal to human.
Reasons You Should Vaccinate Your Pet
The number one and most obvious reason to vaccinate your pet is because it helps to prevent illnesses. In time, preventative care will also save you money. Treatments for many preventable illnesses can get very expensive. In the long run, it is much more cost effective to vaccinate than to treat disease. Vaccines cause less stress to your pets as well.
Another important reason to consider vaccinations is because they help to contribute to the health of all animals in your community. The healthier the community your animal lives in, the healthier your animal will be as well.
Pet owners should also consider that in many states and cities it is required by law that your pets stay up to date on their vaccinations. Ignoring these mandates can wind up costing you in fines. Be sure to check the laws of your community to make sure that you are in legal compliance concerning your pets’ vaccinations.
What about Risks?
If you are concerned about the risks of vaccinations, we encourage you to talk to our veterinarian about them.
If you would like to learn more about vaccinations or you are searching for a "veterinarian near me," contact our staff today at North Hills Animal Hospital serving Sherwood, AR. Our number is (501) 835-3577.