Millie Finch/Trends-n-Treats Pet Supply-Spa-Boutique
PETS
Pet Vaccination Guidelines and Recommendations
W
e have received lots of inquiries on the subject of Pet Vaccinations. Pet owners are asking when their pets should be vaccinated and which vaccines should they get! It’s always important to evaluate the benefits versus risks when deciding when and what to vaccinate your animal for. Don’t just hand your pet over to the mobile Vaccination Van trusting them to give only the vaccines that are appropriate for your pet. Dr Reiser is a Veterinarian at Hazel Ridge Vet Clinic in Fair Oaks. She shared her recommendations, which are only general, as the type and frequency of vaccinations vary depending on the lifestyle of your pet ( like Indoor versus outdoor animals, travel and boarding plans, underlying disease conditions and previous vaccine reactions.) Your pet’s lifestyle could change over time. Therefore it is important that the vaccination protocol for your pet be decided annually following a discussion with your veterinarian about lifestyle and exposures that may occur in the following year. Q. Dr. Reiser can you tell readers what are the core vaccines for dogs?” They are vaccines recommended for all puppies and dogs with an unknown vaccination history.
1. Canine Parvovirus, Distemper Virus, and Adenovirus-2 Vaccines: You should start vaccination around 8 weeks of age and continue every 3-4 weeks, with the final booster being given no sooner then 16 weeks of age. For dogs that are older then 16 weeks, two doses of vaccine given 3-4 weeks apart is sufficient. After booster at 1 year, revaccination should be considered every three years for most dogs. 2. Canine Rabies Virus Vaccines: Puppies should be given a vaccine at 16 weeks of age. A booster is required one year later, and every 3 years after that. Q. What are noncore vaccines? These vaccines should only be given to your dog if lifestyle or exposure warrants it. Canine Parainfluenza Virus and Bordetella bronchiseptica: These are associated with kennel cough in dogs. This vaccine is recommended for dogs expected to board within 6 months and should be administered at least one week prior to boarding for best protection. It is important to realize that even with this vaccine your dog may still contract the disease. Canine influenza Virus (CIV): This virus was first documented in Florida in 2003 and causes cough, nasal discharge and a low grade fever. Only a few cases of CIV have been documented in northern California and it is not clear how effective this vaccine is. At this time I don’t recommend the vaccine for dogs being kenneled in this area. Canine Leptospira Vaccines: Leptospirosis is seen in northern
32
CELEBRATING
20
YEARS
|
WWW.HEALTHFITNESS.US
California and is transmitted by livestock and wild mammals. The disease can be fatal and can be transmitted to humans and therefore, is a concern for people and their pets. If your dog has exposure to areas frequented by wild mammals (lakes, rivers, streams, fields), I recommend vaccinating your dog. Puppies should get 2 doses of the vaccine starting no earlier then 12 weeks of age and then yearly after that. I will point out that this vaccine has been associated with more severe and frequent post-vaccine reaction than other vaccines. While they can occur in any dog, the reactions seem to most commonly occur in small breed dogs. Therefore, care should be taken to thoroughly examine the exposure and risk before vaccination any dog with this vaccine. Lyme Vaccine: We do not see much Lyme disease in our dogs in this area and the use of this vaccine is controversial due to questions about effectiveness and reported post-vaccine adverse events. Therefore, I do not recommend this vaccine for dogs in our area. Instead, I recommend practicing good tick prevention with veterinarian recommended topical products and collars. Also, examining your pet thoroughly after potential exposure and removing ticks right away can help decrease the incidence of tick born disease as well. Coronavirus Vaccine: This is a mild disease seen only in dogs less than 6 weeks. I do not recommend vaccinating puppies routinely for this one. Giardia Vaccine: This vaccine does not prevent infection, but might reduce clinical signs. Most dogs respond well to treatment for giardia (which usually causes diarrhea and sometimes vomiting) and the disease is not usually life