The Importance of Vaccinating Your Pets

One of the routine services offered at Ashworth Road Animal Hospital in West Des Moines is vaccinations. The most common pets, dogs and cats, both receive rabies and distemper vaccines that are suitable for their species. Your pet's breed and lifestyle may also call for other vaccines that promote good health throughout your pet's life.

Why Vaccines Are Needed

These vaccinations prevent illnesses that would drastically impact your pet's qualify of life or even be fatal. Furthermore, the upfront cost of the vaccinations can save pet owners hundreds or even thousands of dollars that would be spent treating these preventable illnesses. There can also be costly fines that you may incur if your community requires that your pets be vaccinated.

You cannot necessarily control which animals, whether wild or domesticated, your pet may come in contact with or what contagious illnesses that animal may carry. Many pet owners forget that illnesses can be passed between animals or even from animals to people, which is another important reason to ensure that your pet receives the necessary vaccinations in a timely manner.

Vaccination Schedules

Fortunately, vaccinations provide several benefits with few serious side effects. However, your pet will only be protected if you ensure it receives the vaccinations on time and receives all of the immunizations in the series. If your pet does not receive the full series of vaccinations, it may not be fully protected against the illness. For this reason, kittens and puppies receive vaccines more frequently than adult cats and dogs.

Young animals will typically receive several vaccinations in the first few months of life while adult pets often only need vaccinations once per year. However, there are always exceptions. Your pet's risk factors may require it to receive immunizations more frequently or to space them further apart. You can work with our veterinarians to determine the best vaccination schedule for your pet.

Pet Vaccinations in West Des Moines, IA

Pet vaccinations have protected millions of animals over the past few decades. They need to be a part of your pet’s life to keep it healthy and happy for years to come. If you are new to the area or a new pet owner, call our team at Ashworth Road Animal Hospital today at (515) 225-1807 to schedule an appointment with one of our veterinarians for vaccinations or other veterinary services.