The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is reminding owners to talk to their veterinarian about vaccinations for their pets and livestock, protecting them against diseases carried by other animals and insects like mosquitoes.

“While you should always work with your veterinarian to determine what is best for the health of your animals, ensuring your animals are fully vaccinated plays a critical role in preventing numerous diseases,” said state veterinarian Dr. Nora Wineland, DVM, MS, DACVPM. “Since some diseases — like rabies — affect both animals and people, vaccinating animals works to keep everyone healthy.”

The rabies vaccine is important for dogs, cats, ferrets, horses and other animals. In fact, Michigan law requires dogs and ferrets to be vaccinated against this disease. Rabies is often fatal and carried by certain wildlife species in Michigan. Last year, within the state, there were 48 cases of rabies detected in bats. Highly safe and effective vaccines are available to protect animals against this virus.

There are other important vaccinations available for dogs and cats to help protect them from diseases common to their species. Dogs can be vaccinated against serious diseases such as parvovirus, adenovirus, parainfluenza and leptospirosis. Like rabies, leptospirosis can affect both animals and people, and it is carried by some of Michigan’s native wildlife. In 2024, 54 cases of leptospirosis were reported in dogs. Of these cases, only five animals were vaccinated and 17 died or were humanely euthanized due to the severity of their illness.

For cats, key vaccines include those for feline leukemia, panleukopenia, herpes virus and calicivirus.

Domestic rabbits can now be vaccinated against rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus type 2 (RHDV2), an extremely contagious and fatal virus that affects only rabbits and hares. Even though RHDV2 has not been detected in Michigan, cases of the virus have been found in other U.S. states and in four Canadian provinces. In 2021, a U.S.-based vaccine was developed for RHDV2, which is a vital tool for protecting Michigan’s domestic rabbits and keeping the disease out of the state.

Vaccinations are also vital to protecting the health of horses, especially from mosquito-borne diseases such as West Nile virus, Eastern equine encephalitis and Western equine encephalitis. West Nile and EEE are regularly seen in Michigan, and EEE is particularly fatal. In 2024, eight cases of West Nile and 13 cases of EEE in horses were discovered. For a majority of these detections, the animals were either unvaccinated or under-vaccinated, and many of the horses died or were euthanized due to the severity of their illness.

Horses can also be vaccinated against tetanus.

Contacting your veterinarian can help you to determine which vaccinations are best for your animals and make sure these vaccinations are up to date. One simple visit can make a big difference in protecting animal and human health.

More information on animal diseases can be found on MDARD’s website. For more resources on equine diseases, including cases in Michigan, visit the Equine Disease Communication Center’s website.

— The Daily Press, Escanaba