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Wellness/Vaccinations
Wellness exam
Even though your pet only needs vaccinations every 1-3 years, we believe your pet should be seen every 6 to 12 months for wellness exams. As a pet ages, yearly blood work determines how well their internal organs are functioning. Diabetes, liver failure, kidney disease, and thyroid disease are but a few of the common problems that can be detected early so treatment can be done to prolong your beloved pet's life.
If your pet is on longterm medications (Rimadyl, Metacam, thyroid medications, and heart treatments) yearly blood work is necessary to make sure the proper dose of medication is given or to assess possible complications from the medication. Most blood tests can be run in our hospital for faster results. Remember, 1 year in a pets life is like 7 human years.
Vaccines for Your Dog
Puppies: Distemper, Parvovius, Adenovirus, Parainfluenza (DA2PP) at 8,12,and 16 weeks: Rabies at 16 or 18weeks
Adult Dogs: DA2PP after one year of age: Repeated in two years and every three years thereafter. Rabies after one year of age and every three years thereafter: Leptospirosis, Bordetella and Canine Influenza should be given according to your dog's lifestyle and need to be boosted every year.
Leptospirosis: This disease occurs sporadically in the United States, usually in the summer or fall, and is caused by various strains (serovars) of a bacteria. Infected dogs often have a fever, do not eat well, may vomit, and may suffer liver and kidney damage. This disease, even when treated, can be fatal. Infected dogs shed the bacteria in their urine, and humans can become infected by contact with contaminated ground water, soil, or animal urine. Some serovars are carried by raccoons or skunks, which means the disease is becoming more problematic in suburban areas. Other serovars are harbored by farm animals, deer and mice, and are therefore more common in rural areas. Currently, the recommended vaccine contains four serovars and is boostered every year after an initial series of 2 vaccines, 2-4 weeks apart. This was often a part of the old “distemper shot”, so most adult dogs will only need to continue with this annual booster. The newer vaccine has a lower risk of side effects than previous Leptospirosis vaccines. This disease can be passed on to people (“zoonotic”) and the disease can be found sporadically in our area. However, the vaccine may not give complete protection and cannot protect against all strains. Although rare, toy breed dogs may be more likely to have an allergic reaction to this vaccine. If you have a toy breed dog, please discuss the risks with the doctor or technician to decide if we should elect not to do this vaccine. If your dog (of any size) has had a previous reaction to this vaccine, this vaccine will not be given.
Bordatella or “kennel cough” Vaccine: This vaccine helps protect dogs against some forms of contagious bronchitis, and is recommended for dogs that stay in boarding facilities, go regularly to groomers, visit dog parks, attend dog shows or obedience classes, or frequently contact large numbers of dogs. This is given every 6 months.
Vaccines for Your Cat
Adult Cats: FVRCP after one year of age: Repeat in two years and every three years thereafter. Rabies after one year of age and every three years thereafter. Leukemia virus must be given yearly to be effective. (See above)
Kittens: Panleukopenia (Distemper), Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus (FVRCP) at 8 and 12 weeks: Rabies at 12 to 16 weeks: Leukemia virus vaccine should be given to all kittens that go outdoors or are exposed to cats that go outdoors!
Risks of vaccination: in general, vaccines may cause localized pain or swelling, low grade transient fever, allergic reactions such as swelling of lips and eyelids and mild lethargy. With any vaccine, anaphylaxis (a potentially fatal hypersensitivity reaction) may occur. In cats, this is generally seen as severe vomiting and diarrhea or wheezing, usually within half an hour of receiving the vaccine. If this occurs, let us know immediately.
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About Feline Leukemia Testing: All cats should be tested at least once in their lives for FeLV (feline leukemia) and FIV (feline AIDs). This is commonly referred to as the “combo test”. Both viruses are contagious to other cats, and if we know that your cat is positive we can make recommendations for his/her health as well as recommendations to reduce the risk of infection to other cats around him/her. It can take 3-4 months from the time of exposure before the infection will be detected by the test, so in general, cats coming from unknown backgrounds should be tested prior to bringing them into a household. If they will be housed indoors and not vaccinated, they should be retested 3-4 months later. Kittens should have an initial test, then retested when they are over 6 months old.
The feline leukemia vaccine is recommended for cats and kittens who will go outdoors, potentially contacting other cats who may be infected. It is also recommended for cats in multiple-cat households where the introduction of new cats is common, and for cats living with an FeLV-infected cat. All cats should be tested for FeLV prior to vaccination, since the vaccine will not provide protection if your cat has already been exposed. All new cats should be tested prior to bringing them into your household. If you have a kitten and are not sure it will be kept indoors, you should have the vaccine until you know for sure. The vaccine is given as a series of 2 shots, 3-4 weeks apart, and then an annual booster.
Core Vaccines are those vaccines which every cat should receive, regardless of exposure to other cats. These include distemper (feline panleukopenia), calicivirus and herpesvirus (feline viral rhinotracheitis). These are combined in the “feline distemper shot”, given as a series of vaccinations as a kitten then an “adult booster” a year later. Although this vaccine is labeled to be given every year, evidence supports that the protection lasts longer. The current recommendation for adult cats is a distemper booster every 3 years after the first adult booster. Rabies is also given to every cat. Kittens get one dose, then a booster a year later. Depending on the rabies vaccination used, the rabies booster is given every 1 to 3 years as an adult. (See the discussion about the Purevax rabies vaccine below.)
Feline Leukemia (FeLV) is a deadly virus that infects cats worldwide. It causes a variety of symptoms including cancers, anemia, and immunosuppression, leading to infections with other diseases. Early in the course of the disease, cats can have no symptoms for months to years, but can be infective to other cats. It cannot be transmitted to people and has no relation to leukemias that happen in people. However, cats that are immunosuppressed with the feline leukemia virus that develop secondary infections can sometimes pass those other infections onto people. Cats pick up the virus from direct contact with another infected cat, usually through grooming, biting, or sharing food or water dishes. It can also be passed from a mother cat to her kittens. Although young cats and kittens are most susceptible to the virus, adult cats can be infected as well.
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- Risks of vaccination: in general, vaccines may cause localized pain or swelling, low grade transient fever, allergic reactions such as swelling of lips and eyelids, and mild lethargy. With any vaccine, anaphylaxis (a potentially fatal hypersensitivity reaction) may occur. While there is no direct cause and effect relationship between vaccinations and certain immune-mediated diseases, this continues to be investigated. Overall, the risk of any reaction is quite small compared to the risk of the diseases the vaccines protect against.