Disease Risk Factors

Your pet's risk of contracting disease is affected by so many circumstances. Because of this, it's important for your veterinarian to conduct a risk assessment about the type of vaccination program your pet needs. The factors your veterinarian will take into consideration are many:

Where the pet lives

Certain areas of the country are geographically more prone to seeing certain diseases.

Your pet's age is important

Just like in humans, young and old animals are at higher risk of contracting many diseases because their immune systems are not fully developed or "primed" to respond or are in a weakened state.

Pets that go outdoors

Even if your pet only spends a few minutes outdoors, that still puts the animal at risk of contracting disease. Pets can come into contact with squirrels, mice, skunks, birds, raccoons, or their habitats. All these animals, along with other cats and dogs, have the potential to transmit infectious diseases. Indoor pets may also be at risk of disease if pet owners unknowingly carry disease-causing agents into the house on their hands, shoes or clothing.

Prevalence of mosquitoes and/or ticks in your area

If mosquitoes and ticks are common in the area in which you live, your pet is at higher risk of contracting disease. Both insects are known carriers of disease, such as West Nile, Lyme and others.

Taking pets on your family trips may be fun, but it only takes one exposure for your pet to get sick. So before you travel, check with your veterinarian to learn if your destination poses any threat to your pet and if any vaccinations are required.

Pets that are not spayed or neutered

"Intact" pets are more likely to roam and come into contact with other diseased animals.

Ponds, puddles and other standing pools of water pose health risks

Pets love to drink from water anywhere they find it, but doing so poses a serious risk to their health. That's because microorganisms in standing water can cause serious diseases, such as giardiasis and leptospirosis in dogs, and giardiasis in cats.

Groomers, boarding facilities, or wherever dogs and cats congregate in large numbers can house hidden dangers

If your pet goes to the groomer, stays at a kennel, or goes anywhere dogs and cats congregate in large numbers, they are at risk of contracting disease. Disease-causing agents can remain in combs, cages, towels, and other items and can be transmitted unknowingly by you or someone else to your pet.

Pets used in hunting

Wild animals, ticks and mosquitos all pose disease threats to hunting dogs. Diseases of concern for these pets include Lyme disease, leptospirosis and heartworm disease.

Heartworm preventatives

It's easy to forget to give your pet its monthly heartworm medication, but neglecting to do so can leave your dog vulnerable to deadly heartworm infection.

For more information on heartworm disease, visit www. heartwormsociety.org.