Pets are our family and it’s important to keep them healthy members of your household. One way to make sure your pet avoids getting ill is to keep them up to date on their vaccinations.  

According to Animal Humane Society Veterinarian Dr. Kate Farmer, staying up to date ensures adequate, sustained immunity against potentially deadly communicable diseases. Protecting your pet against diseases like rabies and leptospirosis also helps to protect the members of your human family.  

If you are hesitant to vaccinate your pet, Dr. Farmer says it is important to remember there are decades of research behind modern vaccines to demonstrate their safety and efficacy. Vaccine reactions are rare, and most pets will tolerate vaccinations with minimal side effects.   

Most common pet vaccines  

These are the most common vaccines that every dog and cat should be getting regularly:  

• Dog: rabies, distemper/adenovirus/parvovirus/parainfluenza (DAPP) combination 
• Cat: rabies, rhinotracheitis/calicivirus/panleukopenia (RCP) combination  

Depending on your lifestyle there are other vaccines you should consider. If your dog has regular contact with other dogs at day care, training, or at a dog park you should think about adding Bordetella and the Canine Influenza Virus vaccines.  

If your dog spends a significant amount of time outdoors, consider Leptospirosis and Lyme disease vaccinations. Leptospirosis is spread by contact with wildlife urine while Lyme is spread by tick bites. Your outdoor cat might also need an extra boost.  

Cats that go outside unsupervised are recommended to be vaccinated against FeLV. Feline leukemia is spread from cat to cat through bite wounds, casual contact, and fighting.   

Dr. Farmer adds there really is no substitute for vaccination in at-risk pets. However, if your pet lives a low-risk lifestyle not all vaccines will be necessary or recommended. For example, an indoor-only cat is at very low risk for FeLV. Your veterinarian will help to assess your pet's risk profile.