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Vaccinations

Vaccinations are one of the cornerstones to preventive care. Puppies and kittens should receive vaccines every 3-4 weeks until they are at least 16 weeks of age to ensure that the puppy or kitten’s immune system has been completely stimulated. Maternal antibodies from the mother’s milk can be present in your pet’s system up to approximately 4 months of age, and can be interacting with the vaccine in place of your pet’s immune system. Consult your veterinarian for an appropriate vaccination schedule for your pet.

Dog Vaccines

  • Distemper-Adenovirus 2 (Hepatitis)-Parvovirus-Parainfluenza(or DHPP): recommended in all dogs, these viruses cause gastrointestinal, respiratory, and sometimes neurologic disease in dogs and are often fatal
  • Rabies: required in all dogs over 16 weeks of age (12 weeks in Canada), even indoor-only dogs as bats are notorious for getting inside homes
  • Lepto-4: recommended in dogs with access to the outdoors, especially those that swim or hunt
    • Leptospira is a bacteria spread by infected wildlife urine, which dogs can acquire through contact (i.e. through nose when sniffing) leading to liver and kidney disease, can be fatal
    • Dogs can give it to their human masters, leading to flu-like symptoms in humans, can also be fatal
  • Kennel Cough (Bordetella bronchiseptica): recommended in dogs with multi-dog access, i.e. those that are boarded, groomed, visit dog parks, participate in dog shows
    • Kennel cough is a syndrome which can be caused by B. bronchiseptica, canine adenovirus-2, canine parainfluenza virus, or Mycoplasma bacteria, and results in a harsh cough
    • Vaccination prevents kennel cough caused by B. bronchiseptica and reduces severity and duration of clinical illness by other causes

Cat Vaccines

  • Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis (Herpesvirus-1)-Calicivirus-Panleukopenia (or FVRCP): recommended in all cats, these viruses can be fatal and difficult or impossible to treat
    • Herpesvirus and calicivirus cause upper respiratory infections, often with eye and/or mouth involvement
    • Panleukopenia causes kittens to die with little to no warning (‘fading kittens’) and gastrointestinal disease
  • Rabies: recommended in all cats
  • Feline Leukemia Virus: recommended in all cats less than 1 year of age and all outdoor cats; this virus causes immune suppression leading to frequent infections (skin, mouth, respiratory) and is often fatal

Schedule your pet’s vaccination appointment today!