Vaccination is often the only way to protect a pet from infectious diseases. Why such prevention is important not only for 
the animal itself, but also for all other family members, told veterinarian of the Soviet veterinary hospital Elena Sukhareva.
Animal in the house is not only a joy, but also a responsibility. Timely vaccination is one of the essential responsibilities of any owner. But protecting the animal from dangerous infections, the owners take care not only of their four-legged friends, but also of themselves.
Don’t be furious
Rabies can be transmitted from pets such as cats, dogs, raccoons and ferrets, as the disease is transmitted by bite through saliva or mucous membranes and broken skin if they have somehow come into contact with the saliva of an infected pet. Rabies is the most dangerous zoonotic disease. In this case, it is literally a matter of life and death. The most reliable way to prevent infection is to vaccinate your pet cats, dogs, raccoons and ferrets against rabies.
“Fortunately, cases of animal rabies in have been reduced to a minimum,” says Elena Sukhareva. — For example, only one case of infection was recorded in this year. Behind this is the huge preventive work of the State Veterinary Service. Veterinarians provide free vaccination of animals against this dangerous disease all year round. You can bring your pet for the procedure to any state veterinary clinic or to a temporary vaccination point. Also, a specialist can be called to the house.
Be careful with water
Dogs also need to be vaccinated against leptospirosis. As a rule, pets become infected if they drink contaminated water or swim in a body of stagnant water, and a person can get sick from contact with a sick animal. The disease is transmitted through the mucous membranes or skin, if they have wounds or even not very significant scratches.
The main goal of vaccination is to create active immunity that prevents the disease, and in the event of an infection in the body, the animal either does not get sick or easily transfers the infection. There are other infectious diseases against which pets should be vaccinated. The choice of vaccination depends on the type of pet, it is better to consult a veterinarian on this issue. As a rule, it is necessary to bring a pet for re-vaccination every year.
Is there a scarier animal than a cat?
Alas, not all infections that can be contracted from domestic animals are vaccinated. So among the diseases common to humans and animals is microsporia, or ringworm. This disease, unlike rabies, is much more common. At the same time, it is served therapy, although it will take a long and difficult time to be treated.
As a rule, pets become infected with microsporia from their brethren, with whom they come into contact in the summer, when their owners take them to the dacha, but since many go to the dacha all year round (and some live in country houses), this danger can lie in wait in almost any season. Therefore, it is important to monitor who your pet communicates with, as well as follow a number of additional measures. For example, you should not touch, stroke unfamiliar animals, and you should regularly carefully examine your four-legged for possible injury. The first sign of ringworm is baldness of the skin, as if the hair had been carefully cut off from it. To confirm the diagnosis and prescribe treatment, you should immediately contact your veterinarian.
Another disease that can be contracted from pets (mainly cats) is toxoplasmosis, or cat scratch disease. This infection causes a lot of panic among pregnant women, who fear that they can become infected with it from their domestic cat. A mustachioed-striped can become infected with toxoplasmosis while eating raw meat, as well as when eating mice and rats. But if you feed your purr with quality proven food or meat purchased from an official outlet and do not release it to hunt for rodents, then you can be calm, most likely your domestic cat will not develop such a disease.
