Canine vaccinations:

• Distemper vaccine (DHPP-CV): Guards against distemper, hepatitis, parainfluenza, parvo virus  and the corona virus.  This is a 5 in 1 vaccine, which means all of the above mentioned vaccines are mixed together in the convenience of one injection. 

• Distemper is recommended for all puppies and adult dogs.

• The distemper series starts when the puppy is 6 weeks of age or older.  Boosters are given at 3-4 week intervals, until the puppy reaches 13 weeks of age.   The distemper vaccine is given annually in adult dogs.

• What is canine distemper virus?  The virus causes a highly contagious disease of dogs that is complicated by secondary bacterial infections and sometimes neurological dysfunction.

• What is canine parvo virus?  The virus that causes a severe gastroenteritis in susceptible animals.  Parvo virus is highly contagious through feces, saliva or vomit.  The disease is almost exclusively observed in dogs 2-6 months of age.

• What is canine corona virus?  This virus causes gastroenteritis in most dogs.  Symptoms of parvo and corona are very similar.  These symptoms include malodorous diarrhea, vomiting, anorexia and lethargy. 

• Rabies vaccine:  Guards against rabies.  This vaccine is recommended for all puppies and adult dogs. 

• Given to puppies 16 weeks of age or older.  A booster vaccine is necessary 1 year from the initial vaccine.   The vaccine is then given every 3 years after that.  Requirements of the rabies vaccine varies form city to city.  We routinely vaccinate every three years with adult dogs.

• Common carriers of rabies:  bats, raccoons, and skunks.

• Extremely unlikely to carry rabies:  squirrels, rats, and mice.

• Lyme vaccine:  Guards against Lyme disease that is carried by the deer tick.  This vaccine is recommended for puppies and adult dogs that live near ,or travel to heavily wooded areas where they can pick up the ticks.

• Given to puppies 12 weeks of age or older, with a booster given 2-3 weeks after the first vaccine.  We routinely vaccinate adult dogs annually. 

• What is Lyme disease?  Lyme disease is a tick transmitted spirochete infection in humans and animals that may result in skin lesions, mono- or polyarticular arthritis, or arthralgia (pain in a joint).

• If your dog is at risk for Lyme disease we would also recommend using a topical product that will kill ticks already on your dog, or prevent new ticks from attaching.

• Our clinic carries Frontline and Revolution.  Both topical treatments are a once a month application that guard against fleas and ticks.

• Revolution not only guards against fleas and ticks, it will also guard against heartworm disease.

• Uncomplicated Lyme disease is treatable with long term antibiotics.

• Bordetella vaccine:  Guards against kennel cough.  This vaccine is recommended for dogs that will be training, boarding, or being shown in dog shows.  It is also recommended if your dogs is in contact with unfamiliar dogs, or dogs with an unknown vaccine history.  

• Given at 6 weeks of age or older.. This vaccine is given annually for adult dogs.

• It is recommended that the bordetella vaccine be given 1 week before desired effect.

• Bordetella is also known as kennel cough.  Bordetella, also known as kennel cough, is an upper respiratory infection complex that is very contagious.

• This vaccination is given intranasal, which means we spray the vaccine up your animals nostrils, no needles are used.

Feline vaccinations:

• Distemper vaccine (FVRCP):  Guards against Distemper (panleukopenia), rhinotracheitis, and calicivirus. This vaccine is recommended for all kittens and all adult cats.

• Given to kittens 6 weeks of age or older.  Boostered at 3-4 week intervals until 13 weeks of age or older.  Adult cats would receive an annual vaccination.

• What is feline distemper?  Feline distemper is also called feline panleukopenia or feline infectious enteritis. It is the most common viral disease among cats. 

• What are rhinotracheitis and calicivirus?  They are both causative agents for a large majority of respiratory infections in cats.

• Rabies vaccine:  Guards against rabies.  This vaccine is recommended for all cats and kittens. 

• Given to kittens 16 weeks of age or older.  This vaccine is given annually.

• Feline Leukemia vaccine (Felv):  Guards against feline leukemia.  This vaccine is recommended for any cat allowed outdoors, or for cats that are introduced to a number of unfamiliar cats (e.g. foster homes or cat shows). 

• Given to kittens 12 weeks of age or older. Boostered 2-3 weeks after initial vaccine.  This vaccine is given annually for adult cats.

• A test for feline leukemia is highly recommended before any kitten or cat is given the initial feline leukemia vaccine.

• If you do not intend to vaccinate your cat or kitten for the feline leukemia virus we still highly recommend testing for feline leukemia.  Your cat may have been infected or born with the feline leukemia virus. Testing will insure that your cat is healthy.  This test can be done as early as 6 weeks of age.  The feline leukemia test is run in our lab and results are obtained within 15-20 minutes.

• What is feline leukemia virus?    Feline leukemia suppresses the bone marrow and immune system, much in the same way that AIDS does in humans.  This disease makes cats susceptible to leukemia and other cancers and diseases.  Feline leukemia is transmitted primarily in saliva (e.g. cat bites); close  prolonged direct contact is required to spread the disease.  This virus can also be transmitted to kittens via the placenta.  

If you have any additional questions about any of the vaccines that our clinic offers please call us at (651) 454-5684.   We would be happy to discuss any questions that you may have.