As with all animals, there are infectious diseases that threaten our pets, some of them with a high mortality or that can leave serious sequelae. For this, veterinary medicine has developed vaccines that seek to protect our pets from being infected with these diseases.
“During their first hours of life, puppies acquire antibodies from their mother naturally through a modified milk called colostrum, which gives them immunity against some infectious diseases,” explains the academician of Veterinary Medicine of the San Sebastián University, Antonio Bizama.
But this is a short time: “After three months these antibodies begin to disappear. In addition, these maternal antibodies can interfere with vaccination processes, making it less effective, which can produce a state of susceptibility for some infectious diseases where maternal antibodies are no longer able to protect them against some diseases.”
This is why a vaccination schedule begins approximately at 45 days, where reinforcements are administered systematically and it is highly recommended not to finish it until 16 weeks, as mentioned by the expert.
Therefore, “a fundamental recommendation is to avoid going outside during the vaccination process, since pets tend to socialize with other animals and unfortunately there is a high population of unimmunized stray animals that can be a focus of risk, “he says.
Most pet vaccines come in multipurpose form, that is, they protect against various diseases. Among these are the essential or essential vaccines for dogs: canine distemper, canine parvovirus and canine hepatitis, usually associated with adenovirus type 2 and canine leptospirosis.
For cats, there are also three: feline parvovirus, feline calicivirus and feline herpesvirus type 1. In addition, in Chile the rabies vaccine is mandatory and must be administered from two months of life.
Bizama also mentions the elective use of the KC vaccine for bronchitis tracheo in dogs, which will depend on the patient’s medical history and epidemiological situation.
In the case of cats, it places emphasis on the vaccine against feline viral leukemia. “A not inconsiderable percentage of stray cats in different areas of the country are positive for feline leukemia virus or feline viral immunodeficiency virus, so if your cat lives in a mixed regimen (outdoor and indoor), consult with your veterinarian whether or not it is recommended,” he says.
All of this also goes hand in hand with the Responsible Pet Ownership Act. “If you’re an owner you’re required to have your pets with their vaccinations up to date. That’s responsible tenure. And not only vaccinated, but also dewormed and with the right food, for an animal welfare issue,” he says.
Bizama is blunt: “It is always better to perform preventive medicine, in this way you can prevent diseases that present a high mortality or that can leave dramatic sequelae”.
