Vaccination protects companion animals from potentially fatal diseases. Understanding the welfare basis for vaccination helps owners make informed decisions about their pets' healthcare.
Vaccination prevents diseases that cause significant suffering — parvovirus, distemper, and panleukopenia cause intensive illness with high mortality without treatment. The welfare case for vaccination is straightforward: prevention of suffering at low risk. Modern vaccination guidelines (WSAVA) have moved toward risk-based, minimal-essential approaches rather than annual revaccination of all vaccines, reducing the welfare cost of over-vaccination while maintaining protection. Welfare-centred vaccination decisions are evidence-based: core vaccines on evidence-supported schedules, with individual assessment of non-core vaccines based on lifestyle and risk.