by Trisha Burke

Created on: January 25, 2009

"Is it necessary to vaccinate older pets?" is a problematic question because it is too general to be answered "yes" or "no". The question would be better phrased: "Under what, if any, circumstances might an owner consider vaccinating a senior pet?"

Factors to consider when deciding whether or not to vaccinate at all include age but also living environment or lifestyle of the pet, exposure to other like animals, overall health of the animal, financial resources of the owner, and the owner's confidence in the safety of the vaccines themselves, to name a few.

Many infectious diseases of both cats and dogs are acquired through contact with other like species. Does your dog or cat have access to other cats or dogs not living in your household? For example, do you take your dog to off-lead dog parks or boarding facilities where he or she will be around other dogs? Does your cat have free access to the outdoors where it can come into contact with another cat, feral or domestic? If the answer is no than any vaccination for a disease that is acquired through contact with other dogs or cats is likely not necessary. In the same vein, airborne infectious diseases are less likely to be a problem for a household pet with little exposure to other animals.

Other considerations are: what is the overall health of your pet? Does he or she already suffer from any auto-immune problems? Does he or she suffer from any chronic or acute disease such as diabetes, renal failure, etc? If so, vaccinations can sometimes exacerbate symptoms depending on the type of vaccine. It is important for you, the owner, to understand your pet's specific health issues and advocate for your pet when discussing options with your veterinarian. While your vet ulitmately has your pet's welfare at heart, remember that they are also trying to run a profitable business. YOU need to make the best decisions for your pet based on your thorough understanding of the pros and cons of options.

There is also the argument that any creature's physiological system, whether human, feline, or canine, is a near perfect system that contains within its makeup that which is needed to defend against illness. In this line of thinking all that is required to keep the system in good health is to support the immune function through healthful food and lifestyle choices. In human medicine, this theory is widely supported by practioners such as Chriopractors, Naturopaths, Homeopaths, etc. The theory is that when you feed and maintain a

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