Annual vaccination in cats and dogs is the new controversial topic among veterinarians. If you asked ten veterinarians their opinion, you would get ten different answers! It used to be commonplace to vaccinate our pets every year for every possible disease. Now with the possibility of vaccine reactions, immune-mediated diseases (that can be aggravated by vaccines), and in cats vaccine related fibrosarcomas (cancer), many owners are skeptical about their pet’s shots.

Although it varies by state, all pets are usually required by law to be vaccinated against Rabies. In the state of Georgia, your dog or cat can be vaccinated with a yearly or a three-year Rabies vaccine. In contrast, the state of Alabama requires the Rabies vaccine every year. It is best to check with your veterinarian on the law in your home state.

The newest trend in veterinary medicine is rotating vaccines every one to three years. Most vets only recommend this in adult dogs and still give puppies the full course of vaccines every three weeks until 16 weeks of age. In my opinion, not every pet needs every vaccine. For example, if I see an adult cat that has never and will never go outside, I will not vaccinate that pet for Feline Leukemia Virus because I feel the risk of vaccination outweighs the risk of the pet getting that disease. Another example would be a toy breed dog that lives in a penthouse apartment and rarely ever goes outside. I would most likely not vaccinate this pet for Lyme Disease (transmitted by the deer tick). The best way to properly vaccinate your cat or dog is to consult with your veterinarian and tailor-make a protocol that best suits your pet’s lifestyle.

Dr. Lindsey H. McCraney