Vaccine resistance in the United States isn’t limited to people. Alongside skepticism toward routine childhood and some adult vaccines, veterinarians are seeing the same hesitation spread to pets. What was once a routine part of preventive care has become a fraught interaction — and the implications extend well beyond animal health.

The American Animal Hospital Association and the Feline Veterinary Medical Association issue the nation’s standard vaccination guidelines. “Core” vaccines — rabies, distemper and parvovirus for dogs; rabies and feline leukemia for cats — are recommended for nearly all animals. “Non-core” vaccines depend on a pet’s lifestyle and geography.

These recommendations evolve as data and experience accumulate. The vaccine for leptospirosis, a potentially fatal bacteri

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