When a new pet joins the family, our responsibility is not only to make sure our little companion feels comfortable and that we bond as quickly as possible. In the case of puppies, puppy kindergarten can be a great help in this process, but we must not forget about our pet’s health either. Prevention is the most important factor.
During the first year of a puppy’s or kitten’s life, we lay the foundations for long-term, stable protection against infectious diseases.
The vaccination program has two main goals:
1. Rabies vaccination
One of the primary goals is vaccination against rabies, which protects against a virus that is also dangerous to humans. The virus is transmitted through saliva, causes severe neurological symptoms, and ultimately leads to death. Rabies is fatal for humans as well.
Thanks to strict veterinary public health regulations and consistent vaccination programs, rabies in dogs today occurs almost exclusively abroad; within Hungary, only one or two cases are reported among foxes. To prevent the spread of the disease, wild carnivores are also periodically vaccinated using oral vaccines hidden in bait.
It is strongly recommended to vaccinate our pets—dogs, cats, and ferrets—against rabies. Annual rabies vaccination is mandatory for dogs.
This strict regulation made it possible to bring this feared disease under control in Hungary as early as the beginning of the 1900s. The same regulatory model has since been adopted worldwide, from Europe to America, to create safer conditions in other countries as well.
2. Vaccines against species-specific infectious diseases
The second major group of vaccines protects against diseases that are specifically dangerous to the given species.
In dogs, excellent and long-lasting protection can be achieved against canine parvovirus enteritis, distemper, and infectious hepatitis, provided that vaccinations are administered at the correct times. Slightly shorter-term protection can be achieved against Leptospira infections, Lyme borreliosis, and kennel cough.
Vaccination-based prevention is also available against Lyme disease and babesiosis, which are transmitted by ticks; however, the limitations of these vaccines must be taken into account.
In cats, the effectiveness of vaccines against various feline respiratory viruses (cat flu), panleukopenia virus, chlamydia, FeLV, FIV, and FIP has long been well established. As with dogs, repeated vaccinations are recommended during the first year of life, as proper immunity is achieved through booster doses.
The choice of vaccines depends on whether the cat will live exclusively indoors or will also have outdoor access.
After the intensive vaccination program, starting from the second year of life, one booster vaccination per year is required to ensure continuous protection.
In addition to vaccinations, regular treatment against external and internal parasites—as discussed in detail earlier—is recommended on a monthly basis.
