tell the truth...do you vaccinate your animals

MaximumImpact

Same as most here, Boosters get done once a year but flea/worming I also do once a year and my dogs and cats have yet to have worms or fleas....the only stipulation I do have is that they have a decent wormer/flea treatment as the off the shelf stuff is rubbish!!!

Your choice but are you not going to vaccinate your children either?

Having nursed quite a few cats with Cat Flu and Feline Leukaemia and seen the horrible situation and suffering they had. I would never not vaccinate as why would I not do something to prevent such horrible illnesses.

I always find it quite strange in these arguments when people start saying their animals have been fine. That's well and good but when they get ill that's far too late

Ermmm...don't think that the OP said they didn't vaccinate their animals and yes, you're right it's their choice with both their animals and their children.

geri1965_2

Children don't need boosters every year and people don't have to pay for them.

sarabe

I wonder why we don't need our childhood vaccines boosted annually?

Perhaps it's because we don't have to pay for them.

twinklie

I hate to say it...but it does depend what exactly you are vaccinating for. For instance the flu vaccine is given every year (to people at risk) and I believe it's the same for leptospirosis in animals. The antibodies don't code for the antigens properly on their own...they need a little help in the form of a vaccine.

paulwf

stator wrote: »

Of course I do. The only reason not to vaccinate is if the animal is seriously ill. Otherwise it's just irresponsible. I don't understand why so many people fail to understand statistical risks. They are too willing to believe that just because their grandad smoked 5 packs of cigarretes a day and lived until 90 that smoking is somehow safe. The same applies to vaccinations, you may know plenty of people who don't vaccinate and their pets are fine, but that doesn't mean it's safe or the right thing to do. If your pet gets ill from a disease for which their is a vaccine how awful will you feel then?

I'm always willing to be educated. Stator would you care to enlighten us to the risks and benefits of vaccinations for pets? I do understand how statistics work and if you have stats to back up your reasoning all to the good.

I'm not trolling btw, if it's proved there is a large benefit I'll consider getting the mogs done.

spike7451

Daisy is due her booster shot's next week,even tho she's a house cat,she's going into the Cat Hotel in July when I go away so I have to anyway.She's even microchipped just in case.

chay22

Vaccinate anually and worm/flea with Advocate once a month mainly against worms especially lung worm which is a killer in dogs (have seen 2 firends dogs with these, not nice)

foreign_correspondent

twinklie wrote: »

I hate to say it...but it does depend what exactly you are vaccinating for. For instance the flu vaccine is given every year (to people at risk) and I believe it's the same for leptospirosis in animals. The antibodies don't code for the antigens properly on their own...they need a little help in the form of a vaccine.

Absolutely - some vaccines seem to be effective for life, whilst others have a shorter impact and must be repeated at intervals - tetanus is an example of a human vaccine which is given periodically, rather than as a one-off - and I believe some vaccines against tropical diseases are similar.

fleagle21

Always do the annual boosters, and worm them, but not so much with the flea & tick treatments unless they are going somewhere 'high risk' - have to be careful because one of my boys gets hotspots and skin rashes which can sometimes be aggravated by the flea liquids.

snapping_crocodile

I vaccinate my two cats every year, and then the flea and worm treatment is a bit more adhoc, though did do the flea treatment on them both last week after finding a little blighter on my foot!! :mad: