Immunizing (or vaccinating) your pet
against disease is one of the best tools of preventative medicine.
By vaccinating, we hope to increase the length and quality of your
pet’s life. We feel vaccinating is in the best interest of the
general public as well because some of the diseases can be
transmitted to humans. Ensuring that all puppies and kittens are
fully immunized against diseases and then continue to receive
annual boosters as adults are the easiest and most economical
things you can do for your pet. Each pet is vaccinated
according to its risk for disease and its lifestyle.
Puppies begin their vaccinations as early
as 6-8 weeks of age and are boostered every three to four weeks
through a series of three to four total immunizations. Puppies,
kittens and ferrets must be at least 16 weeks of age to receive the
Rabies vaccine. Dogs are commonly vaccinated against Distemper,
Hepatitis, Leptospirosis, Parainfluenza, Parvovirus, Bordetella,
Lyme, and Rabies.
Kittens can begin the vaccination series as
early as 7 weeks of age. We recommend that all cat owners have
their new feline friend tested for Feline Leukemia and Feline
Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV, also known as Feline AIDS) prior to
vaccinations and prior to introducing them to other cats. Indoor
cats are vaccinated for Feline Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus,
Panleukopenia (Feline Distemper), and Rabies. Outdoor cats receive
the same vaccines but also need to be vaccinated for Feline
Leukemia and possibly FIV.
Ferrets also need to be immunized for Distemper and Rabies.
Intestinal parasites such as roundworms, hookworms, whipworms,
tapeworms, giardia and coccidia are very commonly found in young
and outdoor pets. We recommend intestinal parasite examination
every six months on all pets and de-worming if the pet is found to
have intestinal parasites.
Heartworm disease is a particularly serious
problem in our geographic area due to the warm weather and large
number of mosquitoes. If a dog has contracted heartworm disease,
treatment is expensive and risky for the patient. There is no
treatment available for cats with the disease. Because heartworms
are potentially life threatening, we recommend dogs have a yearly
heartworm test and both dogs and cats be on heartworm preventative.
Heartworm preventatives come in a variety of forms: oral and
topical depending on the species.
Fleas and ticks not only make your pet
uncomfortable, but they are also vectors of other diseases that can
be transmitted to your dog or cat. Fleas and ticks are also common
problems in this area that can easily be avoided with topical flea
prevention.
With the use of modern preventative medicine, we hope to give you
and your pet a long and healthy life together!
