[Aiki Tatin]
Vaccination is important for our furry friends to protect them from potentially life-threatening diseases, prevent spread of contagious illnesses, and to ensure their overall health and wellbeing.
Vaccination helps build immunity by stimulating their immune system without exposing them to the full force of a disease, offering long-term protection against future infections. It also helps to reduce the risk of pets becoming infected with contagious diseases and spreading them to other animals or even humans. By protecting pets from diseases, we also contribute to public health by reducing the risk of zoonotic diseases like rabies, or leptospirosis, which can be transmitted from animals to humans.
These days Vaccination records are also often required for pet registration in many areas and for international pet travel.
Unvaccinated pets are at risk from life threatening diseases found in wildlife such as rabies and distemper. They also become more vulnerable to other common infections. Some of the most common and important vaccines recommended are given in the table:
Deworming pets is crucial for their health and can also protect humans from certain parasites. Worms can cause a wide range of health problems in pets, such as malnutrition, severe weight loss, lethargy, vomiting, diarrhoea, anaemia, and even organ damage. Some worms are also transmissible to humans and can cause severe health issues like toxocariasis, visceral larva migrans, ocular larva migrans, toxoplasmosis etc. Regular deworming prevents these issues and reduces the risk of zoonotic diseases.
Deworming helps in removing parasites that can weaken the immune system and make pets more susceptible to other illnesses.
By deworming pets, you reduce the risk of exposure to zoonotic parasites and protect your family from potential infections.
Worms can be transmitted between pets and humans, so deworming helps to break this chain of transmission. It is very essential to deworm your pets at the right time, so please follow the given table to ensure proper deworming of your furry friends:
Check out the WSAVA (World Small Animal Veterinary Association) guidelines for more detailed information regarding vaccination schedule for other diseases.
Lastly, it is our solemn duty as pet owners to hear the cries of our voiceless companions. One must remember that owning a pet means owning the responsibilities to give them a better life. Proper vaccination and deworming is a must for any pet, but apart from this, good food, water, shelter, etc, should also be taken care of. Please consult your nearest vet in case of any confusion about vaccination and deworming schedules. (The contributor is a 3rd year BVSc student at the College of Veterinary Sciences & Animal Husbandry, Aizawl, Mizoram)
