Vaccine Information/Abbreviations

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****  DUE TO THE INCREASED RISK OF LEPTOSPIROSIS WE NOW CONSIDER LEPTOSPIROSIS AN ESSENTIAL/CORE VACCINATION INSTEAD OF

A NON-CORE/OPTIONAL/LIFESTYLE VACCINATION. ****

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Vaccines are divided into CORE (all individuals need) and NON-CORE (need is based on lifestyle). 

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For dogs the CORE vaccines are Rabies, Leptospirosis, and Distemper-Parvo-Hepatitis (DHPP)

All puppies and dogs need these vaccinations at the appropriate intervals. 

Puppies need a series of vaccinations every 3-4 weeks until they are a minimum of 16 weeks.  It is strongly recommended to get an initial fecal examination for intestinal parasites and deworming at each of the puppy vaccination visits.

For dogs/puppies the NON-CORE vaccines include:

   (1) For dogs routinely around lots of other dogs outside the home such as

        boarding, grooming, doggy daycare, dog parks, dog shows/performance

        events, therapy dogs that work in groups, etc :

             Bordetella (kennel cough)

             Canine Influenza (both the H3N2 and the H3N8 strains)

    (2) For dogs travelling or living in the northeast or midwest or that routinely

         have ticks attached:

               Lyme (note this vaccine needs to be preordered as we do not

                         routinely keep it in stock)

    (3) For dogs with a history of or an anticipated high risk of exposure to

         rattlesnakes (hunting dogs, farm dogs, etc)

               Rattlesnake Toxoid "vaccine" - note this does NOT eliminate the

                    need for emergent veterinary care if the dog is bitten it just slows

                    down the venom and gives time for veterinary care to be obtained. 

                 NOTE:  this is also a vaccine that needs to be preordered

All dogs need annual heartworm tests and we strongly recommend annual (or semi-annual) fecal examinations for intestinal parasites as we are seeing locally and reports are coming in nationwide about resistance to common dewormers especially with debilitating hookworms. 

For kittens the CORE vaccines are Rabies, FVCRP (upper respiratory complex that includes chalymida, calici, and other common respiratory infecions), and FeLV (Feline Leukemia).  It is strongly recommended to test kittens for FeLV (Feline Leukemia) and FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus aka "feline AIDS") once they are 8 weeks old.  Kittens should have an initial fecal check for intestinal parasites and regular dewormings with their vaccinations (every 3 weeks until a minimum of 13 weeks of age)

For adult cats the CORE vaccines are Rabies and FVCRP with the NON- CORE FeLV vaccine recommended for cats that go outside at any time and indoor only cats living in homes with outside cats (stray or owned) or cats that go outside.  It is recommended that adult cats be tested at least every 3 years if not annually for FeLV/FIV especially if they go outdoors or live in a household with cats that go outdoors.   

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Routine fecal checks have become very important even for indoor only cats as we are seeing resistant hookworms to routine dewormers even in indoor only cats.  The most common intestinal parasite that adult cats get are tapeworms that come from eating a bug or lizard or flea.  These worms are commonly seen in the feces (poop) or around the anus in the fur and look like inchworms or rice grains.  Because they are shed intermittently they are not consistently found on fecal examinations; thus, monitoring for them is the best detection option.  Routine deworming for other intestinal parasites is recommended when vaccinated.

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Heartworm preventative is started as early as 8 weeks of age and needs to be given consistently throughout the life of the dog (and recommended for cats too).   Heartworms are transmitted by a mosquito bite making our area very high risk for heartworm disease. The minimum age for Proheart (the 12 month heartworm prevention injection) is 1 year of age.

Flea +/- tick preventative is also started around 8 weeks of age and most pets in this area need it all year.  Fleas are active year around in our temperate climate and ticks while possible all year are most active in the fall and winter months. While Lyme disease is not common in this area other very serious tick borne diseases like Ehrlichia and Anaplasmosis are.