Can animals have vaccines

As a veterinarian and an immunologist, I can answer your question as it pertains to animals. I cannot comment on the plant side of things.

In relation to animals, vaccinations are essential tools to protect them from many deadly diseases. A vaccination is actually a killed or weakened form of the disease organism (so it cannot cause the actual disease), with some other elements to stimulate an immune response (called adjuvants). The disease organism (either in the killed or weakened form) is termed the antigen and it stimulates antibody production by the body specific for the antigen(s) that was given in the vaccination. This antibody production is protective for the animal and is termed an immune response as it will protect it from developing the disease. There is a lag time until the antibodies are protective, but when levels are adequate, if the animal is exposed to the disease it is protected against, the body mounts a large antibody response, destroys the disease organism, which is the immunity conferred by the vaccination.

There is a variable amount of time as to how long the antibodies persist, and thus how long the immunity lasts from a vaccination. There is a discussion ongoing in the veterinary community as to how long this protection lasts and how often to vaccinate. In the past, it was automatic to vaccinate pets against rabies and distemper with yearly boosters. However, it is being demonstrated that the antibodies do persist longer and current recommendations by the American Animal Hospital Association are to vaccinate every three years for rabies and distemper. However, it is up to the discretion of each veterinarian as to how often the vaccinations should be administered.

Puppies and kittens are given a series of vaccinations from between eight and sixteen weeks to boost their immunity as this is a susceptible period when the antibodies passed to them through the colostrum (the first milk they receive when nursing and rich in antibodies) begin to wane and disappear. Thus they need the protection of a series of vaccinations every four weeks during that period to adequately protect them, as their immune system is still developing.

Vaccinations typically given to dogs are to protect them against rabies, distemper, parvovirus, parainfluenza, adenovirus, leptospirosis, Lyme disease, bordetella (kennel cough), but there are others. The vaccinations to be given depend upon the lifestyle the pet leads and the risk of exposure to these organisms, which should be discussed with your veterinarian.

Cats are typically vaccinated against rabies. feline distemper, various respiratory viruses, and outdoor cats should receive feline leukemia as well. But once again it is at the discretion of your veterinarian.

Poultry are routinely vaccinated as well as racing pigeons. A few veterinarians vaccinate pet birds, but it is not typically done, due to the low risk of exposure. Polyomavirus vaccinations in very young parrots (before they are feathered) can be life saving in an aviary setting where there is the potential for exposure to polyomavirus.

In large animals, such as horses, cows, pigs, etc. vaccinations are essential in their protection as well.

From this discussion, you can hopefully determine that animals can be protected against deadly diseases through vaccinations. Without vaccinations there would be much more disease and deaths in these animals, which is preventable through the judicious use of proper vaccinations.