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Vaccination for dogs and cats. Vaccination is an important part of annual preventive health care, takes only a few seconds and can be life-saving. It not only protects your pet from disease, but also helps to eradicate infectious agents. For example, Germany is currently considered free of rabies, which is transmitted by foxes and other wild animals (except bats).
In this article we have compiled what you should know about vaccinations for dogs and cats.
Why is vaccination important?
Vaccination is one of the most important and simplest preventive measures against dangerous infectious diseases. The immune system is confronted with a weakened pathogen or parts of it. In this way, it can practice for the worst and form specific defence cells and antibodies. The body's fighting units are trained, so to speak, and the appropriate "fighting strategy" is stored for later. The antibodies produced by the immune cells can then eliminate the infectious agents more quickly and effectively in the event of a real infection. This precautionary measure can prevent the outbreak of a serious disease in your four-legged friend.
There are different types of vaccines that induce different immune responses. Live-attenuated vaccines contain small amounts of the respective infectious agent that have been weakened by certain procedures. They can no longer harm a healthy body, but still elicit a comprehensive immune response. With killed vaccines - as the name suggests - the pathogens are killed and then vaccinated. Inactivated vaccines elicit a somewhat weaker immune response than live vaccines, but can be safely used in immunocompromised animals such as puppies. They are also used in the fight against very dangerous animal diseases, which may also not break out in a weakened form. With subunit vaccines, only small parts of the pathogens are presented to the immune system. They have fewer side effects, but train the immune system less effectively than other vaccines.
Who specifies what is vaccinated against and how often?
The Standing Committee on Vaccination in Veterinary Medicine (StIKo Vet) is a veterinary committee that evaluates the use of vaccines in veterinary medicine. It makes recommendations against which infectious agents domestic and farm animals should be vaccinated and what needs to be taken into account when vaccinating, for example from what age and at what intervals it should be carried out. The vaccination guidelines of the StIKo Vet form the basis for our recommendations and advice on the subject of vaccination.
The difference between core and non-core vaccinations
Veterinarians distinguish between core and non-core vaccinations. Core vaccinations are vaccinations against infectious agents that are common and cause life-threatening diseases in animals. Your pet should be protected against these infectious agents at all times. Non-core vaccinations protect against diseases that only occur in certain areas or are less dramatic. They are only recommended for animals that are exposed to an increased risk of infection, for example through travel, boarding or shelter stays and for outdoor cats. The decisive factor here is whether your pet has a lot of contact with other animals.
The core vaccinations for dogs include vaccination against distemper, parvovirosis and leptospirosis. Since 2021, rabies is no longer counted among the core vaccinations, as Germany has been considered rabies-free since 2008. However, rabies vaccination is almost always mandatory if you want to travel abroad with your four-legged friend, as it is still widespread worldwide.
The core vaccinations of the cat include the vaccination against cat epidemic and cat cold. For the rabies vaccination, the same applies as for the dog.
If you want to know more about the individual vaccines, you can read about them in these detailed articles:
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How often to vaccinate?
At this point we would like to dispel the myth of annual vaccination. With medical progress, the duration of action of vaccines has also been extended in some cases. Depending on the manufacturer and the pathogen, vaccination intervals of up to three years are even possible. You can find the information on each vaccine in the vaccine leaflet, which can be viewed online.
The only vaccination that needs to be refreshed every year is the one against leptospirosis in dogs. The induced immune response against the bacterium does not last long term and needs to be boosted annually. In addition, the prevailing subtypes change, to which the vaccines must be adapted again and again.
And there is also a special feature with the rabies vaccination: when travelling, the law decides when full rabies protection applies and how often the vaccination must be refreshed. Therefore, always find out about the legal situation in the holiday country before travelling with your dog or cat.
Do vaccinations have side effects?
Like almost every medical preparation, a vaccination can also cause side effects. In most cases, these are harmless and disappear quickly on their own. For example, a small bump may form at the injection site. This is usually harmless. The body's immune system reacts to the shot, which can cause a small inflammation and swelling. It usually goes away after a few days.
As with humans, your pet may feel a little dull and tired the day after vaccination. But you don't have to worry about that. The immune system is working at full speed to produce defence cells and antibodies.
Side effects that are not quite so harmless include allergic reactions to additives, some of which are also in the inoculating solution. However, these intolerances are rare. However, if you notice that your dog scratches more often after vaccination, or that the vaccination site or other parts of the body swell up, you should contact a vet immediately. This could be due to a life-threatening allergic reaction.
The confidu magazine is written by our veterinarians according to current scientific standards. The articles do not replace a veterinary diagnosis, but are intended to provide you with initial information on many topics related to your animal. If you have specific questions about your pet, our vets will be happy to advise you via the confidu app.