Keeping your pet’s vaccinations up-to-date is a cost-effective method to help control infectious diseases’ spread. These inoculations protect your pet from contracting serious diseases, and they are a critical part of your pet’s overall health care plan. To learn the importance of keeping your pet’s vaccinations up-to-date, read our Woodinville Veterinary Hospital and Mobile Services team’s guide about the infectious diseases your four-legged friend’s vaccines help prevent. 

General pet vaccine information

Vaccines are preparations used to stimulate your pet’s immune response against diseases. These antigens are usually administered through needle injections, but some can be administered by mouth or intranasally via a spray. The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) Vaccination Task Force categorizes vaccines as follows:

  • Core vaccines — Core vaccines are those recommended for all pets despite their lifestyle, unless the pet has a specific medical condition that makes vaccination dangerous.
  • Noncore vaccines — Noncore vaccines are those recommended for some pets based on their lifestyle, geographic location, and exposure risk.

Core vaccines for dogs

Core canine vaccines are recommended for all dogs unless they have a specific medical reason to forgo vaccination. Your veterinarian will recommend your dog receive the following core vaccines:

  • Rabies — Rabies is a dangerous viral infection typically spread through an infected animal’s bite. Most mammals can carry the disease, including humans, and once signs manifest, rabies is almost always fatal. In addition to protecting your pet, most states’ laws—including Washington—require you to keep your pet’s rabies vaccination up-to-date.
  • Parvovirus — Canine parvovirus (CPV) is a highly contagious gastrointestinal (GI) disease that is spread through direct contact with contaminated objects and surfaces. If your dog contracts CPV, their signs may include lethargy, fever, vomiting, and severe, often bloody diarrhea. Puppies younger than 4 months of age have the highest CPV risk.
  • Distemper — Canine distemper is a virus that attacks a dog’s respiratory, GI, and nervous systems. Infection most commonly occurs through airborne exposure, but the virus can also be spread through contact with contaminated objects and surfaces. If your dog contracts distemper, their signs may include ocular secretions, fever, nasal discharge, coughing, lethargy, and vomiting. When this infectious disease attacks a dog’s nervous system, signs include circling, head tilt, jaw chewing movements, and seizures.
  • Infectious canine hepatitis (ICH) — ICH is caused by an adenovirus spread through an infected animal’s urine, ocular secretions, and nasal discharge. If your dog contracts ICH, their signs typically include lethargy, fever, and respiratory issues such as cough and nasal discharge. Some infected dogs develop corneal opacities in one or both eyes. In severe cases, often affecting young puppies, signs may include vomiting, diarrhea, head and neck swelling, and jaundice.
  • Parainfluenza — Parainfluenza protection is commonly included in a combination vaccine. The virus is often a component of tracheobronchitis (i.e., kennel cough). Transmission typically occurs through airborne exposure and contact with contaminated objects and surfaces. If your dog contracts parainfluenza, their signs may include lethargy, coughing, and nasal discharge.

Core vaccines for cats

The following feline vaccines are recommended for all cats unless they have a specific medical reason to forgo vaccination. Your veterinarian will recommend your cat receive the following core vaccines:

  • Rabies — Washington law requires that cats be vaccinated against rabies.
  • Feline herpesvirus (FHV) — FHV is transmitted through direct contact, airborne exposure, and contact with contaminated objects and surfaces. If your cat contracts FHV, their signs may include conjunctivitis, ocular secretions, sneezing, nasal discharge, salivation, lethargy, and fever. 
  • Feline calicivirus (FCV) — FCV is transmitted through direct contact, airborne exposure, and contact with contaminated objects and surfaces. If your cat contracts FCV, their signs may include sneezing, ocular secretions, nasal discharge, conjunctivitis, ulcerations around and inside the mouth and nose, and gingivitis.
  • Feline panleukopenia (FP) — FP is transmitted through an infected cat’s urine, feces, and nasal discharge. The virus attacks cells lining the intestinal tract, bone marrow, and lymph nodes. If your cat contracts FP, their signs may include lethargy, decreased appetite, fever, vomiting, severe diarrhea, and nasal discharge.
  • Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) — FeLV is considered a core vaccine for cats younger than 1 year of age and those who are allowed outside. An infected cat most commonly transmits the virus through prolonged social contact such as mutual grooming, and sharing food bowls and litter boxes. FeLV’s effects include immunosuppression, anemia, and DNA damage, which may cause an infected cat to develop cancer. If your cat contracts FeLV, their signs will vary, but may include fever, lethargy, weight loss, and persistent or recurrent respiratory, skin, and intestinal problems.

Noncore vaccines for dogs

Noncore vaccines recommended for dogs are based on their lifestyle, geographic location, and exposure risk. Your veterinarian may suggest your dog receive the following noncore vaccines:

  • Leptospirosis — Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease that is most commonly transmitted through contact with or ingestion of contaminated urine. If your dog contracts leptospirosis, their signs may include lethargy, fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and jaundice.
  • Lyme disease — Lyme disease is transmitted through a tick bite, and may cause signs such as fever, lethargy, joint pain, and shifting limb lameness.
  • Bordetella — Bordetella bronchiseptica is a bacterial infection that is a common component of kennel cough. Transmission occurs through airborne exposure and contact with contaminated objects and surfaces. If your dog contracts bordetella, their signs may include a loud, honking cough, nasal discharge, sneezing, and lethargy.
  • Canine influenza (CIV) — CIV is transmitted through airborne exposure and contact with contaminated objects and surfaces. If your dog contracts CIV, their signs may include fever, cough, lethargy, and nasal discharge.
  • Rattlesnake toxoid — If your dog is bitten by a certain rattlesnake species, the rattlesnake toxoid vaccine may help reduce the effects. 

Noncore vaccines for cats

A large, fluffy cat with a long, bushy tail stands on green grass, tethered by a leash. The cat has a brown and black striped coat with a white underbelly. Leafy greenery is visible in the background, as if it’s enjoying some outdoor time after a visit to the vet.

Noncore vaccines recommended for cats are based on their lifestyle, geographic location, and exposure risk. Your veterinarian may suggest your cat receive the following noncore vaccines:

  • Chlamydiosis — Chlamydophila felis is a bacterial infection that is spread through an infected cat’s ocular secretions. If your cat contracts chlamydiosis, their most common sign will be conjunctivitis. Some infected cats may also develop sneezing and nasal discharge.
  • Bordetella — Bordetella bronchiseptica can cause a cat to develop an upper respiratory infection. If your cat contracts bordetella, their signs may also include fever, sneezing, nasal discharge, and ocular secretions.

Keeping your pet’s vaccines up-to-date helps protect them against many dangerous infectious diseases. If your pet is due for their vaccines, contact our Woodinville Veterinary Hospital and Mobile Services team, so we can ensure your four-legged friend is properly immunized.