“I need to bring my cat to the vet because she has gotten really behind on vaccines. She seems to be fine otherwise and is about 11 years old. She is indoors only and afraid of going outside. She hates the car so I try to avoid taking her anywhere if possible. It’s been about 5 years since her last vaccine. What do you think she needs to have done?”
Is the vaccine status of this pet really the issue here? I don’t think so. Society seems to tie the definition of a “responsible pet owner” to the vaccination status of their pet. Of course, vaccines are an important consideration when the pet is young, has a compromised immune system or frequents high pet population areas, but vaccines are not or shouldn’t be the touchstone by which pet owners gauge their value/ability as a caring pet parent.
Recent studies by Bayer HealthCare and the AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association) clarify an alarming trend: the overall decline in visits to the family veterinarian. Twenty percent of cat owners and ten percent of canine owners take their pet to the vet only when they are sick. About 10% of cat owners don’t take their pet to the vet AT ALL.
One has to wonder WHY in this age of celebration of the human-animal bond, litigation to force consideration of pets as much more than property, and increased spending on pet products (like clothes, toys, treats) are seeing a decline in one of the most important things a pet parent can do for their beloved.
Is it Dr. Google? Is it misunderstanding of why a pet needs regular check ups? Is it the desire to avoid the “yowling cat in the carrier”? Maybe it is all of the above.
To be an exceptional pet parent, look past the vaccinations. After the puppy and kitten series, a number of vets are switching to a once every 3 year protocol on some of the core vaccinations. (Note: there are still bacterin vaccines that may be needed every 6 months or yearly depending on your pet’s exposure risk). This does not mean that your pet doesn’t need to continue their yearly visits to the vet. Young pets age the equivalent of 6 human years per one year of their life. So in other words, your pet’s yearly visit to the vet is like you going to your doctor once every 6 years. I consider that a minimum!
Once the initial series of vaccinations have been completed and your pet is on a three-year vaccine cycle, the pet parent focus should consist of preventative healthcare, maintenance of a healthy weight, on-going enrichment and yearly exams with your veterinarian.
Senior pets should be examined every 6 months. As our pet’s age and chronic disease conditions surface, we need to monitor these pets carefully and more frequently to aid in early identification of problems. Early identification leads to improved management of their health care and likely a longer, happier life for your pet. There are subtle changes in physical exam findings and quiet shifts in lab values that can drive important decisions regarding your pet’s care and home-life activity.
Senior pets (pets over 8 years of age) should welcome the 8th birthday with a special senior care visit to the vet. From that comprehensive exam and lab work evaluation, your pet needs to be seen every 6 months (perhaps even more often if a chronic disease condition is found). Kidney disease, heart disease, thyroid issues, and cancer all increase in frequency as pet’s age.
So remember, vets aren’t here just to vaccinate your pet and being a good pet parent doesn’t always mean that your pet is up-to-date on vaccines.
Originally published in the Zoetis Animal Health Blog
