Pet Vaccines
When someone makes the decision to own a pet, it is important for the family to make sure they provide their pet with routine medical care. It is almost always easier to prevent a medical problem from developing than to treat it once it arrives. That is the goal of vaccinations. At Boulevard Veterinary Hospital, a veterinarian on our veterinary team in Norfolk, VA, is here to help protect your pet against illnesses such as distemper. We will recommend that all of our patients receive their vaccines in full and on schedule. Of course, it can also be useful for everyone to know how these dog vaccines and cat vaccines work.
The Role of the Immune System
The immune system exists to protect the body from bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens that seek to harm the body. The first time the immune system is exposed to an invader, it needs to make antibodies and prime the white blood cells to fight off the illness. The second time the body sees this pathogen, the antibodies are already made and the white blood cells are ready for a fight. Therefore, it is easier for the body to fight off this invader the second time around. This is the goal of vaccines. The vaccines are meant to prime the immune system in a practice run before the real fight starts.
Vaccinations Help the Immune System
Vaccinations are made up of dead or inactivated viruses or bacteria. Therefore, vaccines will not usually make people or pets seriously sick. The vaccines are made up of proteins from illnesses that the body needs protection from. By exposing the body to these proteins, the immune system will make antibodies and white blood cells ahead of time. The immune system will develop antibodies to a disease without seeing the disease in a legitimate illness. That way, if the body ever sees this illness in the future, the antibodies are ready for the fight.
Preventative care can go along way to preserve the health of your pet. Vaccines may even be necessary if you plan on boarding your pet.
Get Dog Vaccines, Cat Vaccines, and Preventative Care from a Veterinarian on Our Veterinary Team
Vaccines are critical for the health of pets and the community as a whole. It is important for families to make sure their pets are immunized on time. To learn more about vaccines, please call Boulevard Veterinary Hospital today at (757) 461-4416 to make an appointment. We are here for all of the pet owners in the Norfolk, VA, area to help protect them for illnesses such as distemper.