While human health has, understandably, been the topic of conversation these past few months, let’s take some time to talk about the importance of vaccines for pets health!
Keeping your pets up-to-date on vaccinations and their preventative care is one of the most effective ways to keep them healthy and happy. Many diseases are spread through contact with other animals or a contaminated environment, and vaccines provide your beloved pets with resistance to such diseases. Vaccinating your pets also reduces the spread of diseases to other pets and in some cases, humans!
Reasons to Vaccinate
There are countless other reasons to vaccinate:
- Avoiding the high cost of medical treatment for preventable diseases
- Abiding by state laws and regulations (For instance, Rabies is a required vaccine by Indiana law)
- Required for dog parks, grooming, boarding, hospitalization, day care and even some pet friendly events
- Only some vaccines are required annually – others have up to three years of coverage!
IndyHumane Michigan Road Low-Cost Vaccine Clinic
IndyHumane’s Michigan Road low-cost vaccine clinic offers microchipping, vaccines, testing, and preventatives for heartworm, fleas, ticks, and other parasites.
As we head into summer, many families are spending more time outdoors, hiking, swimming, and potentially exposing their pet to contaminated areas. Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease that can infect both humans and animals. Lepto is difficult to avoid as the bacteria is found in the urine of mammals such as raccoons, squirrels, possums, mice, chipmunks and rats. This means animals who live in city and rural environments are at risk of exposure. Your pet can be exposed if they drink or swim in puddles, rivers, lakes or streams. Contact with rodents or other dogs (dog parks, groomers, etc) also are common types of exposure.
Leptospirosis
Without treatment, Lepto can cause kidney failure and even death for an otherwise healthy pet. Lepto is also dangerous because many dogs show no symptoms, and if they do, the symptoms can be rather innocuous:
- Decreased appetite or not eating
- Increased drinking and urination
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Weakness and depression
- Muscle pain, stiffness, reluctance to move
- Conjunctivitis (red eyes)
- Difficulty breathing or coughing
- Jaundice
- Fever
To keep your pets safe from the dangers of this disease, first time patients get a two-part series of shots spaced about a month apart. From there, the Lepto vaccine is then administered annually, at the same time as other yearly vaccines.
Vaccines for Pet Health
Leptospirosis and many other life-threatening diseases can be avoided entirely with simple preventative care and vaccines. Make your pet’s health and safety a priority this summer and visit the IndyHumane low-cost vaccine clinic to get your pet back on track! Our clinic is now open, by appointment only, with additional safety procedures in place to keep our human patrons and pet patients healthy. Visit indyhumane.org/clinic to make your appointment today.
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