All About Vaccines

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All About Vaccines

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We all know the feeling. You get the annual reminder card from us telling you “Spot” is due for vaccinations; many of them include a bunch of weird names that say nothing to describe the diseases they protect against. To help you understand what you are being reminded of, here’s a brief explanation of the common canine vaccinations:

RV: RABIES

An incurable and nearly always fatal viral disease of mammals, Rabies is transmitted through saliva and targets the central nervous system. Because it is spread from animals to people, the public health implications have led to a legal requirement for all cats and dogs in nearly every state.

DHLPV:  DISTEMPER, HEPATITIS, LEPTOSPIROSIS, PARVOVIRUS

This combination of vaccines is considered a “core” vaccine and is greatly recommended for all dogs.

  • DISTEMPER VIRUS (in the same class as measles) is highly infectious and spread by respiratory droplets. It targets the lungs, gastrointestinal tract(lack of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea), and even the brain in some cases.
  • CANINE ADENOVIRUS / HEPATITIS is transmitted through bodily secretions and causes respiratory symptoms followed by hepatitis (liver damage) and/or ocular damage. 
  • LEPTOSPIROSIS is a disease caused by infection with Leptospira bacteria found worldwide in soil and water from wildlife’s urine -causing fever, shivering, muscle tenderness, reluctance to move, increased thirst, changes in the frequency or amount of urination, dehydration, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, lethargy, jaundice, or painful inflammation within the eyes. Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease, which can spread from animals to people.
  • CANINE PARVOVIRUS is an extremely contagious and very serious virus that causes gastrointestinal issues, sometimes severe and even fatal. It is spread by feces and is very hardy -it is found everywhere in the environment. Puppies and unvaccinated dogs are highly susceptible.
  • Additionally, our DHLPV vaccine vaccinates against the parainfluenza virus (upper respiratory disease).

CGV:  BORDETELLA

Another cause of “kennel cough”, Bordetella bronchiseptia is a highly contagious bacterium transmitted through respiratory secretions. It causes inflammation of large airways, causing a honking cough. In young or immune-compromised dogs, it can become pneumonia.

HW:  HEARTWORM TEST:  blood tests to check a dog for heartworms(internal parasites spread by mosquitoes that reside in the heart causing damage to the dog’s lungs, heart, and surrounding tissue).

FE:  INTESTINAL PARASITE SCREEN:  used to determine if your dog or cat has intestinal parasites such as hookworms, roundworms, whipworms, tapeworms, and protozoal organisms such as giardia and coccidia

FELINE VACCINATIONS

RV:  RABIES

An incurable and nearly always fatal viral disease of mammals. Rabies is transmitted through saliva and targets the central nervous system. Because it is spread from animals to people, the public health implications have led to a legal requirement for all cats and dogs in nearly every state.

FVRCP

Combination vaccines that help ensure cats receive as much protection as possible without the inconvenience—and cost—of individual separate vaccinations. All three of these feline illnesses have the potential to be painful or fatal, but they’re all highly preventable with the proper vaccines.

FELINE VIRALRHINOTRACHEITIS: a feline herpes virus that can affect a cat’s upper respiratory system. Signs of this virus can include cold or flu-like symptoms such as sneezing, congestion, a runny nose, swollen or drippy eyes and fever.

FELINE CALICIVIRUS: a potentially fatal upper respiratory virus.

FELINE PANLEUKOPENIA(also known as distemper):  highly contagious and potentially deadly virus affecting cat’s bone marrow and lymph nodes, leading to decreased white and red blood cells production and severely lowered immunity. Symptoms can include fever, vomiting, loss of appetite, severe diarrhea that may be bloody, dehydration and exhaustion.

LEUK:  LEUKOCELL

A multiple viral antigen vaccination fo healthy cats 9 weeks of age or older as an aid in preventing persistent viremia, lymphoid tumors caused by Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV), and diseases associated with FeLV infection. FeLV is second only to trauma as the leading cause of death in cats, killing 85% of persistently infected felines within three years of diagnosis. The virus commonly causes anemia or lymphoma, but it can also predispose cats to deadly infections because it suppresses the immune system.