Finding A Great Veterinarian

Whether you are a parent or not, there's little doubt you've heard of the anti-vaccination movement. But did you know that this movement may be spreading to pet owners? In fact, the president of the Veterinary Medical Society in New York state says that he has seen an increase in pet owners deciding to skip vaccinating their pets.

It is crucial to understand that various types of dogs have various risks of contacting a contagious illness that could be prevented or lessened in severity with the proper vaccinations. Here are four types of dogs that should not be denied vaccinations.

Family Pet

Dogs who are welcomed into their owners' homes become a part of the family and are often referred to has four-legged children. If you are bringing a pupper home, you'll need to carefully consider what types of places you'll be taking your pet to and what activities you may enjoy with your dog.

Discuss these things with your puppy's veterinarian before it's time for vaccinations. That way, the veterinarian can recommend the right vaccinations for your puppy. For example, if you plan on taking your pet for hikes on nature trails, rabies and Lyme disease vaccines will be recommended. If your puppy will be spending time in a kennel, your veterinarian will recommend a vaccine for canine parainfluenza, which is more commonly known as kennel cough.

Show Dog

Show dogs typically need more protection against certain illnesses than family dogs. Show dogs are often around a lot of other dogs and, sometimes, travel extensively, especially if they perform well and go to the highest levels of competition. Because of this, show dogs should be protected against kennel cough and other types of bacterial respiratory illnesses, as well as leptospirosis.

If your puppy will be a show dog, it's important for you to understand the risks of leptospirosis. This is an infection that is problematic in some parts of the country and can cause lethargy, fever, vomiting, and changes in liver and kidney values. If you'll be traveling extensively with your dog to various dog shows around the nation, you'll want to have it vaccinated against leptospirosis.

Breeding Bitch

Some dog owners purchase puppies in order to breed them. Depending on the breed, some dogs can produce extremely large litters of puppies. However, just as with humans, there are risks that go along with having intercourse. Dogs can get sexually transmitted diseases, one of which is canine herpes virus, which can be harmful to puppies under a week old.

If you are bringing home a female puppy with plans of breeding her when she is older, you should strongly consider giving her the canine herpes virus vaccination. The reason for this is because, even if you are careful in choosing her mate, there's still a risk of canine herpes virus because it can be transmitted without sexual contact.

Hunting Dog

Some dogs have instincts that make them terrific hunters. Whether your puppy will grow up to point to rabbits and geese or be trained to chase larger animals, there's are several risks involved. For one, your dog will inevitably encounter ticks and, possibly, animals with rabies.

Hunting dogs should definitely get vaccinated against rabies and Lyme disease. It's important to not rely solely on tick prevention ointments and collars, especially if your dog's coat is long, or will be when they grow into their paws and ears. Lyme disease can be detrimental to your dog's health, and long coats can make it difficult for you to find ticks soon after they've taken hold of your dog from a bite.