Today’s topic is going over some common misunderstandings of how vaccines work, how long they last, and side effects.
As we have previously covered, vaccines are designed to help the body recognize and fight infections. To be effective the animal has to be exposed to the vaccine prior to the animal contracting the disease. After being vaccinated the revaccination schedule generally depends on the animal. There are general guidelines for how often to vaccinate pets, but each individual will have a tailored plan for them based on their health status and lifestyle.
In general the rabies and distemper/parvo/adenovirus-A vaccines can be done either yearly or every 3 years depending on the product. The leptospirosis, Bordetella, and flu vaccines are done every year. The following is the general AAHA vaccine website we base our vaccine schedule on: https://www.aaha.org/guidelines/canine_vaccination_guidelines/practice_vaccination.aspx
Rabies is the only vaccination that is required by law, but keep in mind that all boarding, grooming, and daycare facilities have their own vaccine requirements.
Now that we have gone over how often and why vaccines are given, let’s talk about one major reason the scheduling of vaccinations may change for your pet: vaccine reactions.
In most cases, pets take their vaccines well, with little to no side effects. If there is a reaction, generally they include soreness, mild fever, and tiredness. There are select few animals, however, that have a more severe reactions to some (usually not all) vaccines. Some of these severe reactions can be life threatening such as swelling of the muzzle, face, neck, difficulty breathing, or collapse. If your pet experiences any of these signs or persistent vomiting and/or diarrhea, call your veterinarian or nearest emergency clinic.
The main concern we have clients ask about is possible sarcomas developing from vaccination sites. This, again, is not common. A small swelling under the skin is normal as the body reacts to the vaccine, but this area should disappear within 1-2 weeks. If the swelling is still there or getting larger for more than 3 weeks, contact your veterinarian
If pets have had reactions in the past then most veterinarians will evaluate the possible exposure to each disease and either chooses not to vaccinate again in the future, spread vaccines out over several weeks, or pre medicate before the vaccines with an antihistamine.
There are no clear cut answers to vaccines or vaccine reactions because all animals are different and have different lifestyles. The best way to know which vaccines or how often they should be administered is a conversation to have with your veterinarian after they have been able to evaluate your pet and their needs.