If you have ever wondered whether your dog or cat really needs vaccines, you are not alone. Questions about pet vaccinations have become increasingly common, and many pet owners are looking for trustworthy information to help them make informed decisions about their pet’s health. The North Carolina Veterinary Medical Association (NCVMA) is here to help by addressing common vaccine myths, explaining the difference between core and non-core vaccines, and to discuss how you and your veterinarian can work together to develop a vaccination plan that’s tailored to your pet.
First and foremost, it’s important to know that vaccines remain one of the safest and most effective ways to protect pets from serious, and often preventable, infectious diseases. The goal isn’t simply to vaccinate every pet the same way. Instead, your veterinarian recommends the right vaccines at the right time based on your pet’s individual needs, including their age, lifestyle, overall health, and risk of exposure.
At your pet’s vet visit, whether it is a kitten series (visits every 2-4 weeks initially) or your adult pet’s annual visit, don’t hesitate to have an open conversation with your veterinarian about which vaccines are recommended and why. Together, you can make informed decisions that help keep your pet healthy throughout every stage of life. To better understand the role vaccines play in protecting pets, let’s explore some common myths, misconceptions and questions.
Myth #1: “My pet never goes outside, so it doesn’t need vaccines.”
Fact #1: Indoor pets are still exposed to disease more often than many owners realize.
Indoor pets generally have a lower risk of exposure than pets that spend time outdoors, but they are not completely risk-free. One common scenario we see in veterinary practice is an exclusively indoor cat that comes in with fleas. The family is often surprised and wonders how their cat could have been exposed. After taking a thorough history, we may discover that there are dogs in the household that regularly go outside and can unintentionally bring fleas or other parasites indoors.
This is just one example of how indoor pets can still be exposed to parasites and infectious diseases. Other pets, people, or even objects brought into the home can serve as pathways for exposure. Whether you have a household of strictly indoor cats or a dog that spends most of its time outdoors or even riding along in a stroller, there are still potential risks to consider. Let’s take a closer look at those risks and how you can help protect your pets.
Exposure risks include:
- Veterinary visits
- Grooming appointments
- Pet store shopping trips
- Boarding facilities
- Dog parks or daycare (dogs)
- Visitors bringing germs into the home on clothing or shoes
- Wildlife entering garages or homes (especially bats and rodents)
- Accidental escapes outdoors
- Newly adopted pets entering the household
While the exposure risk is low with an indoor pet, it is important to briefly touch on core vs. non-core vaccines with your veterinarian each year. Core vaccines, like rabies, which is required by law, would be an important one to keep up to date. However, others like feline leukemia or canine bordetella may not be necessary each year.
For cats, please remember:
Even strictly indoor cats are still recommended to receive certain core vaccines because some diseases can spread easily, and exposure can occur in unexpected ways. Additionally, some vaccines, such as rabies, are required by law because of the risk of zoonotic transmission to humans and the fatal nature of the disease.
Takeaway:
Indoor-only doesn’t mean risk-free.
Myth #2: “Vaccines aren’t necessary because these diseases are rare.”
Fact #2: Many serious diseases are uncommon today because vaccination has been so effective.
Thanks to vaccines, many diseases are far less common today than they were decades ago. Rabies is an excellent example. In the early 1900s, rabies was widespread among dogs in the United States, killing several hundred people each year – not to mention the thousands of dogs that died from it. Beginning in the 1940s, widespread vaccination of dogs, combined with animal control measures, dramatically reduced transmission. Today, fewer than 10 people die from rabies annually in the U.S., and most cases are linked to exposure to infected wildlife (especially bats) rather than domestic dogs. In fact, the canine rabies virus variant was eliminated from the United States in 2004 because of sustained vaccination efforts. Rabies has become rare, not because the virus disappeared, but because vaccines have prevented it from spreading.
Other examples of effective disease control through vaccination:
- Canine parvovirus
- Canine distemper
- Rabies
- Feline panleukopenia
These diseases still exist and outbreaks continue to occur, particularly among unvaccinated animals. Without continued vaccination, these diseases become much more likely to spread.
Not-so-fun fact: North Carolina has one of the highest prevalence of rabies in the country, found most commonly in raccoon, skunks, rats and bats.
Myth #3: “Too many vaccines can harm my pet.”
Fact #3: Vaccines are safe and tailored to your pet’s needs
It may seem like the veterinarian is recommending a lot of vaccines for a new pet, but each of the diseases are life threatening, expensive to treat, but easily preventable with a vaccine. Puppies and kittens receive more vaccines during their first few months of life than they will as adults. This is because young animals have developing immune systems and are at a much higher risk of becoming seriously ill if they are exposed to certain infectious diseases. As pets grow and their lifestyle or risk of exposure changes, some vaccines may no longer be necessary.
For example, parvovirus is a highly contagious disease that can be life-threatening for puppies. Treatment often requires hospitalization for several days of intensive supportive care, including intravenous fluids, medications, and around-the-clock monitoring. The cost of treatment can soar to $10,000 or more, depending on the severity of the illness and the length of hospitalization. Preventing these diseases through vaccination is not only safer for your pet but can also help avoid the emotional and financial burden of treating a serious illness.
Vaccine recommendations are based on age, species, lifestyle, location, travel, exposure risk and medical history.
Core vaccines:
These vaccines are recommended for nearly every pet because the diseases are widespread and/or pose significant health risk if a pet gets sick from it.
Examples:
- Dogs:
- Rabies – highly contagious virus; 100% fatal if contracted without vaccination; can be transmitted to family members and other animals; vaccination is mandated by state law throughout the pet’s lifetime.
- Distemper – highly contagious respiratory virus; can be fatal; can cause severe pneumonia with vomiting and bloody diarrhea, seizures, blindness and/or paralysis. Cannot infect humans.
- Adenovirus – this vaccine prevents infectious canine hepatitis, an inflammation of the liver that causes severe problems in the rest of the body; can be fatal in puppies; not transmissible to family members.
- Parvovirus – highly contagious gastrointestinal virus; can be fatal to puppies and certain breeds (Rottweilers, Doberman Pinschers, bull terrier breeds, German shepherds and English Springer Spaniels); causes vomiting and severe diarrhea; can also affect adult dogs.
- Leptospirosis – bacterial disease caused by contact with contaminated water, soil or rodents; can cause kidney damage, meningitis (inflammation of the membrane around the brain and spinal cord), liver failure, trouble breathing, and even death; Because leptospirosis can cause serious illness and is zoonotic (meaning it can also affect people), current AAHA guidelines now recommend leptospirosis vaccination as a core vaccine for dogs, Common after hurricanes or other flooding events.
- Cats:
- Rabies – highly contagious virus; 100% fatal if contracted without vaccination; can be transmitted to family members and other animals; vaccination is mandated by state law throughout the pet’s lifetime.
- FVRCP trio
- Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis – also called feline herpesvirus type 1, marked by fever, sneezing, inflamed eyes or lining of the nose or mouth sores; can last up to six weeks and cause severe weight loss; affects kittens and senior cats hardest; virus remains in the body and can flare at any point in the cat’s life; highly contagious; doesn’t affect humans, but humans can transmit it.
- Calicivirus – can cause fluid in the lungs or pneumonia; some viral strains cause joint pain and lameness; highly contagious; doesn’t affect humans.
- Panleukopenia – highly contagious; often fatal if not vaccinated; causes fever, dehydration, vomiting, sudden death in kittens; virus can survive in the environment for more than a year; doesn’t affect humans
Non-core vaccines:
These vaccines are recommended based on an individual pet’s lifestyle, environment, and risk of exposure. Some non-core vaccines are commonly given during puppyhood or kittenhood when young animals are at greater risk of certain diseases. As pets mature, these vaccines may no longer be needed if their lifestyle or exposure risk changes.
Examples:
- Bordetella – vaccine given to prevent the respiratory illness known as kennel cough; recommended for dogs who visit the groomer, boarding, doggie daycare or dog parks.
- Lyme disease – tick-borne disease that affects animals and humans; commonly causes swollen or painful joints, lameness that shifts from one leg to another, swollen lymph nodes, and lack of energy. If untreated, can damage the kidneys, nervous system, and heart. Can be fatal in dogs.
- Canine influenza – strain(s) of flu that affects dogs; highly contagious; possibly transmitted to humans; recommended for dogs who come into contact with other dogs in social or boarding settings.
- Feline leukemia – may be recommended for multi-cat households after testing, affected cats can develop anemia (a low red blood cell level), cancers, and/or suppression of the immune system; can be fatal.
How Do Veterinarians Decide Which Vaccines Your Pet Needs?
Veterinarians consider:
✔ Age
✔ Puppy or kitten vs. adult
✔ Indoor or outdoor lifestyle
✔ Boarding or daycare
✔ Socialization frequency
✔ Travel
✔ Exposure to wildlife
✔ Local disease prevalence
✔ Overall health and immune status
Every vaccine recommendation is individualized and can change over time. That’s why maintaining a strong Veterinary-Client-Patient Relationship (VCPR) is so important. Annual wellness visits allow your veterinarian to reassess your pet’s age, lifestyle, travel habits, environment, and overall health so that vaccine recommendations can be updated as your pet’s needs change.
Core vaccines are recommended for nearly all pets because they protect against diseases that are either required by law (such as rabies) or can cause severe, life-threatening illness. Maintaining strong immunity against these diseases also helps protect more vulnerable members of the pet population, including puppies, kittens, senior pets, and animals with weakened immune systems. Some vaccines also protect your family because the disease is zoonotic, or can be transmitted to humans.
Non-core vaccines, on the other hand, are recommended based on your pet’s individual risk of exposure. A good example is the canine influenza vaccine. Canine influenza is not consistently present throughout the United States, but outbreaks can occur. During outbreaks, even young, otherwise healthy dogs can become seriously ill, and some may die from complications of the disease. Dogs that are frequently around other dogs, such as those that attend daycare, boarding facilities, grooming salons, dog parks, or training classes, often benefit from annual vaccination against canine influenza. Dogs with lower exposure risk may only need this vaccine during periods of increased local activity or may not need it at all.
Because the prevalence of infectious diseases can change from year to year and varies by region, it’s important to have ongoing conversations with your veterinarian about what diseases are currently circulating in your community. Together, you can develop a vaccination plan that provides the right level of protection for your pet without administering vaccines that aren’t needed.
Are Vaccines Safe?
It’s completely understandable to have questions about vaccine safety. As pet owners, we all want to make the best decisions for our animals, and discussing concerns with your veterinarian is an important part of that process.
Vaccines used in veterinary medicine undergo extensive research and testing for safety, purity, and effectiveness before they are approved for use by the US Department of Agriculture. Even after approval, they continue to be monitored for safety so that any rare adverse events can be identified and investigated. This ongoing safety monitoring is similar to the systems used for human vaccines.
The vast majority of pets experience no significant side effects after vaccination. The most common reactions are mild and short-lived, such as soreness at the injection site, mild sleepiness, a decreased appetite, or a low-grade fever for a day or two. Serious vaccine reactions, such as facial swelling, difficulty breathing, persistent vomiting, or collapse, are uncommon, but they can occur. If your pet develops any concerning signs after vaccination, you should contact your veterinarian immediately.
When deciding whether to vaccinate, it’s important to weigh the risks and benefits. For most pets, the risk of developing a serious or life-threatening disease such as parvovirus, distemper, panleukopenia, or rabies is far greater than the risk of experiencing a significant vaccine reaction. Vaccination remains one of the safest and most effective ways to protect both individual pets and the broader community from preventable infectious diseases.
If your pet has experienced a previous vaccine reaction, be sure to let your veterinarian know. Vaccine recommendations are never “one size fits all.” Your veterinarian may recommend spacing vaccines apart, selecting specific vaccine products, pre-treating with medications when appropriate, or adjusting your pet’s vaccination schedule to provide the safest and most effective protection based on your pet’s individual medical history.
Why Vaccination Protects More Than Just Your Pet
Vaccination helps:
- Protect vulnerable puppies and kittens
- Protect senior pets
- Reduce disease outbreaks
- Help protect pets that cannot be vaccinated because of illness
- Protects your family and
- Reduces transmission within the community
Vaccinating your pet does more than provide individual protection. It helps protect the entire community. When a high percentage of pets are vaccinated, infectious diseases have fewer opportunities to spread from one animal to another. This “community protection” or “herd immunity” is especially important for puppies and kittens that are too young to be fully vaccinated, senior pets with weaker immune systems, and pets that cannot receive certain vaccines because of illness or medications that suppress the immune system. By reducing disease transmission, vaccination helps prevent outbreaks and creates a safer environment for all pets, including those that are most vulnerable. And in cases of zoonotic diseases, vaccination protects your family as well.
Questions to Ask Your Veterinarian at Your Annual Visit
- Which vaccines are considered core for my pet?
- Which vaccines depend on lifestyle?
- How often does my pet need boosters?
- Are there diseases common in our area?
- What if my pet has had a vaccine reaction before?
Key Takeaways
- Vaccines protect against serious, preventable diseases.
- Every pet receives recommendations based on individual risk.
- Indoor pets may still be exposed to infectious diseases.
- Not every pet needs every vaccine.
- Your veterinarian is your best resource for creating a personalized vaccination plan.
Vaccination is an important part of preventive healthcare for your pet. If you have questions about which vaccines are right for your dog or cat, schedule a visit to see your veterinarian. Your annual visit is a great time to discuss the why behind each vaccine and ensure lifestyle and risk are updated each year to guide decision making on core vs. non-core vaccines. This teamwork is key to keeping your pet healthy and protected. Together, you can create a vaccination plan that fits your pet’s age, lifestyle, and health needs.
Need a veterinarian? Visit www.ncvma.org/find-a-vet to find a vet near you!
