State Veterinarian Don Hoenig has put out a call to pet owners: Vaccinate your pets. As the state’s top dog on animal health matters, Hoenig felt it necessary to spread the word that most pets in Maine are not protected against debilitating and sometimes deadly diseases.

We’d like to join him in encouraging people to vaccinate their pets ”“ particularly dogs, many of which regularly come into contact with other dogs, humans outside of their own household, and even wild animals.

Dogs need rabies vaccinations at the very least, as it allows owners to complete the legal requirement of registering their dog in their city or town. It’s also a good idea to have dogs and cats treated with a product such as Frontline to ward off ticks and fleas, and be vaccinated against Lyme disease, as well as take an anti-heartworm medication. A variety of other vaccinations are available, such as those that ward off kennel cough and leptospirosis (a bacterial infection spread by wild animals) for those who want added measures of safety for their pet.

Rabies is certainly the priority, however, as it is nearly always fatal in animals and can only be definitively diagnosed after death. Consider the alternative to vaccination: A beloved pet contracts rabies from the bite of an infected bat or skunk during a backyard tussle and has to be euthanized because they were not protected against the infection. Meanwhile, the child living with the dog contracts rabies from it and has to undergo painful treatments.

It’s a heartbreaking but preventable scenario.

It’s disturbing that people who claim to love their animals ”“ these furry companions who shadow us throughout the day, get us out for exercise, and share our meals and often our beds ”“ would choose not to protect them from easily preventable sicknesses.

Hoenig said that some people don’t vaccinate because they are concerned about adverse effects on the animal, but such cases are rare. The main reason that most people don’t vaccinate is undoubtedly cost, as a single trip to the veterinarian never seems to run less than $100. The vaccines themselves aren’t prohibitively expensive, but the office visits rack up the bills.

The costs of pet ownership often aren’t thought about when a new animal is welcomed into a household, but they should be a first concern. Spaying or neutering is a must unless the pet is intended to be bred, as it calms male dogs and prevents the messes of females regularly going into heat, while also preventing unintended pregnancies that can produce unwanted pets. The anesthesia and the expertise needed to perform such surgery doesn’t come cheaply, though there is also assistance available for those surgeries.

And then there are the grooming costs, from trims to nail clippings, depending on the breed, and the hefty price of food, which can be in the range of $50 per month for a single dog. Count in treats, leashes and harnesses, crates, beds and other accessories and the bills can add up quickly.

The fact is that when you own an animal, you have a responsibility to care for it properly because it is completely dependent on you. Getting a new puppy or kitten can seem like it’s all cuddles and giggles at first, but new owners quickly learn about the burdens, too. Proper training, from learning how to ask to go out to staying off the kitchen counters, is a must for young animals, and owners quickly learn that they will have to let pups out in the middle of the night, and they will have items destroyed in the throws of teething or clawing. The health of the animal is another of these realities that needs to be addressed ”“ and it isn’t cheap.

There is help out there, however, for those who have trouble affording veterinary expenses. Locally, the Animal Welfare Society website, animalwelfaresociety.org, has a lengthy list of organizations under “info links” that can help with pets’ health care costs. There are health care funds for dogs, cats and other animals, some breed specific, and many veterinary hospitals also offer payment plans. Pet insurance is another option for those who prefer to pay a small amount regularly rather than take the chance of being hit with a hefty vet bill.

The programs that help those who are struggling with veterinary costs are meant to be short term, however, people fallen on hard times often want to keep their pets at home and continue to care for them properly. By contrast, those who know they will not be able to afford proper care for a pet on a long-term basis should be responsible enough not to get one.

There’s no reason to leave our animals, who love and depend on us, without the best health care protections we can give them.

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Today’s editorial was written by Managing Editor Kristen Schulze Muszynski, representing the majority opinion of the Journal Tribune Editorial Board. Questions? Comments? Contact Kristen by calling 282-1535, Ext. 322, or via email at kristenm@journaltribune.com.