How do pet vaccinations protect dogs and cats from deadly diseases?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Chewy. Vaccines will protect him common infectious diseases common in dogs. Many of these diseases can be fatal if the dog is exposed and not vaccinated. Some of these diseases, such as rabies, present human health threats and are required by law. Vaccines will help to keep healthy. I hope this information helps!

This is definitely true. The diseases that we vaccinate against are very deadly to puppies. I've witnessed whole litters die from vaccine-preventable diseases, so it's definitely a concern. It's also very costly to get them the appropriate veterinary treatment when they get these diseases. It's important that the pup also gets a rabies vaccine when he is four months and 12 months old. Rabies will not only kill the dog, but will kill any people he bites when he is infected. I hope that helps and all is well with the pup.

Great question! Definitely definitely vaccinate. The articles you have read are an owner's opinion, and not based on any scientific evidence. The scientific evidence shows that vaccinated dogs are much healthier than dogs who are not vaccinated. This is because it keeps them from developing deadly diseases such as parvovirus, distemper, and rabies. None of these have cures, rabies is always fatal, while parvo and distemper are highly fatal. The truth is that vaccine reactions are rare, and benefits of vaccinating your dog and protecting them from deadly diseases that will cause them to suffer far outweighs anything else. A puppy or dog suffering from parvo is a ghastly sight, and it hurts my heart when I see a dog suffering from this when it could have been prevented by a vaccine. Your dog's health is so important, and that's why you should vaccinate. In my opinion, as well as 99% of veterinarians, vaccination should be done. I hope this helps answer your question :-)

The first vaccine at 6 to 8 weeks of age protects the puppy from parvo in case it has no maternal antibodies left. If it has maternal antibodies left in its system, the vaccine will not do anything, however we cannot know whether there are any left or not. So it is a "just in case" protective vaccine.

Unfortunately, the only way to vaccinate is through injections. The best thing to do in Teddy's case is to prevent exposure to possible pathogens. Rabies is relatively easy, keep him in a fenced yard and leashed when outside. Don't encourage pesky animal invaders to your property by keeping it clean and tidy. Don't go to dog parks or be around dogs whom you are not familiar with their vaccination status. Use a groomer that travels to your house rather than go to a busy grooming salon. Teddy will need to rely on "herd immunity" rather than his own immunity.

Cats do get rabies so they need to be vaccinated like dogs. Rabies is a fatal disease to people and animals. That is why we have laws requiring vaccination for cats and dogs. They can get it from raccoons and other mammals. Your photo unfortunately didn’t come through. If you have a stray cat I recommend catching it, in a trap if needed, and bringing it in for an exam, testing for infectious diseases and a rabies vaccination. Many shelters and rescue groups will help pay for this so check what assistance is available in your area. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you get answers to your veterinary questions.

This is a core vaccine that includes distemper, parvo, along with other viruses depending on the company it was bought from. These viruses are common in the US and this vaccine works really well. It is recommended to give a series of this vaccine as a puppy and then once a year after that. Some clinics do have a three year distemper/parvo vaccine so they only have to receive if every 3 years. I hope this helps.