Dr. Stephanie Wolf says vaccines are typically divided into two categories, core and non-core vaccines.
Core vaccines are those vaccines intended to prevent disease or commonly found diseases in an area, those mandated by state law, easily Core vaccines are those vaccines intended to prevent disease or commonly found diseases in an area, those mandated by state law, easily transmissional diseases from animal to animal or animal to human and those that have a high fatality rate, diseases from animal to animal or animal to human and those that have a high fatality rate, in short, Dr. Wolf says they are recommended for all pets regardless of their lifestyle.
Dr. Wolf says non-core or lifestyle vaccines are very much more targeted to an animal’s lifestyle risk factors as well as their prior medical history. In short, your indoor animals will be exposed to a far different set of risk factors than your outdoor animals. She says to keep in mind in New York State, dogs, cats and ferrets are mandated to have a rabies vaccine regardless of their indoor/outdoor status.
Dr. Wolf says depending on their lifestyle, one animal in your household could have a very different set of requirements from another animal in the household. She says keep in mind vaccinations is a very simple way to prevent your animal from costly disease and from a potentially life-threatening condition.
Dr. Wolf says to talk to your veterinarian and come up with a plan for what’s best for your animal in terms of their vaccination.
For more information visit nfveterinarysociety.org
