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Pet Paulse: What shots should my pet have?

By Robin Shroyer/Contributor

The types of vaccines that your pet might need will vary with their lifestyle and environment. There are lots of vaccines and it can be confusing when presented with so many options. The best advice is to hook up with a veterinarian you trust and go with their recommendation. If this doesn’t work for your pocketbook, there are low-cost vaccination clinics, which offer a plethora of vaccines, but you will need to know what your pet needs.

The “core” vaccines are vaccines that every pet should have. The following are recommendations published by the School of Veterinary Medicine at University of California, Davis, the American Association of Feline Practitioners and the American Animal Hospital Association. Non-core vaccines are optional and should be considered in light of the exposure risk of the animal.

For cats, the core vaccines are feline herpes virus 1, feline calicivirus, feline panleukopenia virus (FVRCP vaccine), and rabies. Many clients don’t vaccinate their indoor cats for rabies because of the low risk of contracting rabies. However, if a cat does get rabies, the outcome is death and the threat to the humans (and other animals) that live in that environment is preventable. Cats who inflict a bite on a human and are not vaccinated for rabies must be quarantined and fines will be issued.

Every dog should be vaccinated for distemper, parvovirus, adenovirus, (DHP) and rabies. Dogs that are regularly boarded, attend obedience classes or are shown should be protected with a Bordatella (kennel cough) vaccine.

Non-core vaccines for cats include feline leukemia (FeLV), feline immunodeficiency (FIV), feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), and bordatella. Vaccines for Lyme disease, Giardia, Corona virus, and leptospirosis are non-core for dogs.

Obviously, vaccinations are a medical procedure. The core vaccines prevent fatal viral infections. Most of the non-core vaccines aren’t necessary.

Veterinarian Robin Shroyer is the co-owner of Nipomo Dog & Cat Hospital, 525 Sandydale Drive. Contact the hospital at 929-2855 or visit www.nipomodogandcathospital.com.