Essential Precautions for Cat & Dog Vaccination

Section 1: PreVaccination Precautions

1. Ensure your pet is in a calm environment to minimize stress. Upon arrival at the veterinary clinic, place your pet on the examination table. Since the focus of hospital disinfection is typically on the examination area, it's crucial to keep your pet secure to prevent them from wandering and potentially exposing themselves to pathogens.

2. Provide honest and detailed information about your pet's recent health status. If your pet has shown symptoms such as fever, coughing, vomiting, or diarrhea, it's advisable not to administer the vaccine at that time.

3. Always check the production and expiration dates of the vaccine, as well as the batch number. Note that imported vaccines may occasionally have nearexpiration dates, but they are still safe to use as long as they are within their valid period.

4. After vaccination, stay with your pet in the clinic for at least 20 minutes. This is because acute allergic reactions can occur during this time. If your pet exhibits severe vomiting, eye swelling, extreme excitement, sudden collapse, or difficulty breathing, immediately call for medical assistance.

Section 2: PostVaccination Precautions

1. A common misconception is that after each vaccine injection, your pet's immunity is immediately strengthened. It's important to understand that vaccines are essentially harmless viruses (such as weakened viruses for dogs). Initially, after injection, the vaccine stimulates the immune system, leading to a temporary decrease in immunity. Therefore, during this period, your vet may advise you to avoid bathing your pet, taking them outside, or changing their food to reduce external stimuli.

2. Keep an eye out for chronic allergic reactions that may cause discomfort. Mild drowsiness, a lack of energy, and decreased appetite are normal responses. If these symptoms persist, pay extra attention to your pet. If these symptoms last for more than 48 hours, it's advisable to bring your pet to the vet for a checkup to determine the cause.

3. After vaccination, ensure that the vet records the vaccination date in the pet's vaccination record and applies the vaccine label. This will help you keep track of when the next vaccination is due.

Section 3: Important Reminders

Just because a vaccine is administered according to the standard protocol, it does not guarantee complete protection against infectious diseases. The effectiveness of full vaccination can be influenced by various factors. The standard vaccination protocol at most clinics typically includes a combination of three vaccines and one rabies vaccine, which is suitable for most dogs and cats. However, due to factors such as the vaccine itself, the pet's immune system, or medications, some pets may not produce adequate antibodies even after vaccination. In such cases, a booster shot may be necessary, and the number of shots required will be determined by antibody test results. Therefore, it's crucial to have your pet's antibody levels tested after vaccination.