Disease Prevention & Vaccinations

Keeping your pet’s vaccinations up to date is important in order for your pet to remain in good health. While the number of diseases for which we recommend vaccinating your pet for is actually fairly small, these diseases often can result in severe illness or even death. It is vital to make your pet’s vaccinations a priority.

Vaccinations for Dogs

Canine vaccinations include:

• DA2PPv (distemper, adenovirus, parainfluenza, and parvovirus)
• Rabies
• Leptospirosis
• Bordetella (kennel cough) for dogs who often visit boarding facilities, groomers, or dog parks.

Rabies virus is a zoonotic disease, meaning it can be transmitted from animals to humans, that causes rapid severe neurologic disease that is always fatal in our domestic animals. Vaccination is mandated by state authorities.

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic bacterial organism that can infect almost any mammal, including humans. It usually causes kidney and liver damage but can be a treatable disease. The disease is typically spread from drinking water contaminated with an infected animal’s urine.

DA2PPv – combination vaccine that targets multiple viruses

• Canine Distemper Virus is a highly contagious and often fatal disease that attacks many of the body systems including the respiratory, gastrointestinal, nervous, and immune systems. It is usually spread through airborne exposure and, shared food/water bowls, but can be spread in utero from mother to puppies.
• Infectious Hepatitis (Canine Adenovirus) is a transmissible disease that causes liver damage in dogs. It is spread by exposure to infected fluids such as saliva, urine, and feces. The virus can be infectious for up to 9 months in positive animals.
• Parainfluenza Virus is one of the viruses known to cause “kennel cough”. It is highly contagious and the most common clinical sign is coughing, sneezing, and discharge from the nose and/or eyes. Severe illness is less common, but Parainfluenza can cause fever, lethargy, decreased appetite, and can progress to pneumonia.
• Parvovirus (often shortened to “parvo”) is a common infection that causes severe vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration and potentially sepsis, especially in young unvaccinated puppies. The virus can live in the environment for months to years and is very difficult to decontaminate.

Bordetella is another common organism known to cause kennel cough that is extremely contagious. It is spread in aerosolized droplets and is similar to the common cold in people but can progress to more severe respiratory illness such as pneumonia.

Vaccinations for Cats

Feline vaccinations include:

• FVRCP (feline viral rhinotracheitis, calicivirus, and panleukopenia)
• PureVax® Rabies vaccine
• PureVax® Feline leukemia vaccine (FeLV), suggested for all kittens and some adult cats, particularly those who spend any time outdoors.

PureVax® vaccines are adjuvant free and may help reduce the risk of Feline Injection Site Sarcoma.

If you recently adopted a cat or kitten from a shelter and are unsure of their medical history, we offer screenings for feline leukemia virus (FeLV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV). Knowing what your cat or kitten has been exposed to not only helps us care for them, but protects other cats and kittens in your household who would be susceptible.

FVRCP – Combination vaccine that targets multiple viruses

• Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis is a type of feline specific Hermes virus that is a common cause of upper respiratory and ocular disease in cats. It can be a source of chronic issues for many cats and is most prevalent among sheltered animals. Calicivirus is another prevalent cause of upper respiratory disease in cats that is often self-limiting, but very contagious. Some infected cats are able to eliminate the virus, but some become life-long carriers of disease.
• Panleukopenia virus is a serious disease very similar to Parvovirus in dogs that is highly transmissible via many routes. It causes severe vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia, blood abnormalities (low white blood cell counts and clotting abnormalities), and sometimes can cause neurologic symptoms.

Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV) is a highly transmissible disease, especially in kittens, that is usually spread via salivary excretions (sharing water bowls, grooming, etc.), but can also be spread in blood, urine, feces, and mothers milk. FeLV causes a host of possible disease manifestations including cancers, immune-mediated disorders, and blood abnormalities.

If you have any questions or concerns about our vaccination recommendations, please feel free to discuss your questions and concerns with us talk to us about that during your pet’s appointment.