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Vaccines & vaccinations guide
In 2006, a number of vaccines received FDA (Food and Drug Administration) approval for use in children and/or adults. The vaccines are now available throughout the United States.
One that has been touted in the media is the vaccination for HPV (Human Papillomavirus), a virus linked to cervical cancer. The HPV vaccine became available in June 2006 and is recommended for all girls and women who are or could possibly be sexually active.
Most doctors recommend the vaccine for girls ten and up, though the manufacturer suggests nine and older. The vaccine called Gardasil is given in a series of three injections that are spaced two months apart.
Vaccines & vaccinations guide
The Herpes Zoster virus causes shingles. The virus creates a painful, itchy rash of blisters that resembles chickenpox in appearance. Shingles is related to chickenpox, but only adults can contract the disease. The rash can range in severity from intense burning to mild soreness.
If you have never had chickenpox, you are not susceptible to Shingles. The virus is most prevalent in adults over the age of sixty who experienced chickenpox during their lifetime. Typically, a case of shingles lasts for three to five weeks.
If you have had recent organ transplant or are immunosuppressed (AIDS, HIV, cancer), Shingles can be deadly. You cannot get Shingles from someone infected with chickenpox, but if you are infected with Shingles, you can pass the Shingles on to anyone with whom you are in contact.
Vaccines & vaccinations guide
Last year, the government created a panic in many individuals when it announced that Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) could well become a pandemic in 2007. Without a tested vaccination on the market, people questioned how to protect themselves.
Avian Influenza is a strain of the flu that is prevalent in waterfowl (particularly in wild ducks). The disease is spread through the birds’ droppings. The influenza strain can then carry through soil and water to domesticated birds and then transfer to the humans that care for those birds.
Symptoms of Avian Influenza include conjunctivitis (pink eye), sneezing, muscle pain, coughing, runny nose, fever, and sore throat. If a particularly virulent strain of Bird Flu (A H5N1) is found, the symptoms can quickly worsen leading to respiratory distress and pneumonia.
Vaccines & vaccinations guide
If you have ever taken your cat to the veterinarian, you will know just how expensive routine care can be! Vaccinations really add up, and most vets recommend a wide variety of vaccines and medications. My last trip for one cat ran well over $200 in vet fees. This leads to an important question: Which vaccines are truly necessary?
Rabies is a viral disease that destroys the central nervous system. Symptoms include disorientation, dramatic appetite changes, aggression, seizures, and erratic behavior. Law in the United States requires rabies vaccinations. The disease is spread through saliva and blood.
Typically, Rabies is commonly spread by a bite from a wild animal (raccoon, fox, bat). A cat’s first rabies vaccination is good for one year. Following that, there is a booster that is given every three years. Odds are that your indoor cat will never become exposed to rabies, but vets have to administer the vaccine regardless.
Vaccines & vaccinations guide
With rising costs of gas for example, many families have to cut back on what they can and cannot afford. Can you afford costly vet bills and still pay for your heating? Sadly, this is a question that many have to consider. Not every canine vaccination is truly necessary, so you do have a little room to help you reduce your vet bill.
Law requires the rabies vaccine. This is not a vaccine you can skip. The vaccine is given early and then a booster must be given every two years. Rabies is a viral disease that destroys the central nervous system.
It spreads through saliva and blood, usually from the bite of a wild animal. Signs that your dog has rabies include aggression, unusual appetite, erratic behavior, difficulty walking (staggering), excessive foam/drool from the mouth, and more.
Distemper is a virus that affects the respiratory system. The vaccine is combined with Canine Parvovirus, Coronavirus, Canine Parainfluenza, and Adenovirus. Each virus causes vomiting, diarrhea, and dehydration.
Vaccines & vaccinations guide
Diphtheria/Tetanus/Pertussis vaccinations offer protection against three serious diseases in one shot. The three-in-one combination vaccine can help from having to give a child multiple painful injections.
Diphtheria is a deadly disease that causes a build up of bacteria in the throat. This can lead to obstructed airways and breathing difficulties.
Tetanus is an infection that can be received through a cut in the skin by contaminated dirt or rust. Tetanus causes extreme muscle inflammation and spasms. The muscles become so tight that they can affect breathing or heart function.
Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is suddenly making a comeback in some areas of the United States. The bacterial infection causes a build up of mucus in the nose and throat area that can create breathing difficulties.
Vaccines & vaccinations guide
With the rising cost of beef, chicken, pork, and milk, you may be frustrated but few stop to think about the expenses of vaccinating livestock that eventually finds its way into many kitchens through eggs, milk, cheese, or meats.
Pigs receive a number of vaccinations throughout their lives. From time of birth, vaccinations are given to prevent Leptospirosis (a viral disease that can be spread to humans through foods grown in soil where the virus is transferred by animal urine), Parvovirus (a viral infection that can kill piglets), Erysipelas (a bacterial skin infection), E Coli (a bacteria that is transferred by eating undercooked meat), and Atrophic Rhinitis (a disease that distorts bones). Rabies is often required in any animal that spends time outdoors.
Both dairy cows and cattle are vaccinated against a number of ailments and infections. Many states require all outdoor animals receive the vaccination for rabies. Beyond that requirement, any smart farmer ensures that his or her cows receive vaccinations for IBR (Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis), PI3 (Parainfluenza 3), BVD (Bovine Virus Diarrhea), and BRSV (Bovine Respiratory Syncytial Virus.)
Vaccines & vaccinations guide
There are many available vaccines that are no longer administered by doctors. The vaccines prevent diseases that used to be significant pests but were eradicated after the vaccine became available. Pharmaceutical companies keep the vaccines on hand in case of a repeated outbreak.
Many people worldwide are familiar with Lyme disease. The disease is passed from an infected deer tick to humans. Lyme disease can cause fatigue, fever, rashes, joint pain, muscle aches, stiff neck, and headache.
If Lyme disease is not caught immediately, it can cause other troubles down the road from arthritis to heart troubles (rare, but it has occurred.) In 1998, the first vaccination for Lyme disease was approved. Unfortunately, the vaccine never took off. A few years later, the vaccine was pulled from the market for lack of sales.
Vaccines & vaccinations guide
With so many vaccines on the market today, it is helpful to understand the diseases that can pose threats to people of all ages. The following glossary gives a quick breakdown of all diseases:
Anthrax – Bacillus anthracis is a bacterium that forms spores that then enter the body one of three ways: through a cut or burn, through breathing it in, or by eating it. Depending on the way Anthrax has entered the body, the symptoms can range from blisters to vomiting to bloody diarrhea. Eventually, breathing difficulties occur and can cause death.
Chickenpox (Varicella) – Chickenpox is caused by the Varicella Zoster virus. The disease is spread through coughing and sneezing or from touching a person with chickenpox or shingles blisters. Symptoms include fever, an itchy rash of blisters, headache, and loss of appetite. Usually, chickenpox lasts a week or two and leaves no lasting effects. Adults who have had chickenpox are at risk for shingles after the age of sixty.
Vaccines & vaccinations guide
On the market, there are several vaccines to protect against Hepatitis A and B. Currently, only one product protects against Hep A and B, Twinrix(r), but it is only for adults. Infants and children must receive separate shots to gain immunity to the deadly viruses.
Hepatitis A is an infection caused by the hepatitis A virus. The virus lasts approximately two months during which fever, weakness, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and jaundice are common.
Hepatitis A affects juveniles and adults more regularly than young children. The virus is spread through contaminated soil and occasionally blood. Usually, the virus is received through food grown in contaminated soil.