Vaccinations
Whenever you bring a cat or dog into your life you are making a commitment to
them. Part of this commitment is to ensure they remain healthy and free of
diseases. The best way to do this is to vaccinate your cat or dog against
diseases that are common to the species. Following are the most common forms
of cat and dog diseases and the type of situation in which these diseases tend to
be prominent. All of these diseases are preventable with the proper annual
vaccinations. When you first get a dog or cat it is a good idea to make an
appointment to see your veterinarian. This first appointment gives the doctor a
chance to look over your animal and start to keep track of any possible problems
or afflictions. This appointment also allows you to discuss vaccinations with your
doctor and, if it is the right time, have those vaccinations administered.
Dogs:
Dog vaccinations can sometimes vary depending on the age of the dog and the
type of lifestyle the dog leads. When bringing a puppy in for vaccinations it is
recommended to bring it in for first shots at 6 to 8 weeks of age. The following
vaccination is given three to four weeks from the first set and the third set is
given three to four weeks from the second set. If a dog is over 6 months of age
when receiving its first vaccines it will only need to return for one set of boosters,
which will be given three to four weeks after the first set. Due to the fact that
puppies are highly susceptible to contracting diseases, it is strongly
recommended that they are brought in for their first set at 6 to 8 weeks of age
and not to wait until they are older. This ensures that the puppy is protected
against diseases that are common to everyday life.
Coronavirus is a disease that affects the intestinal system of dogs. Infection
results in vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, and depression. When this disease
occurs in conjunction with parvovirus it can cause severe enteritis and death in
puppies. (Due to this concurrent nature of the disease, vaccination is given to
pups in their first and sometimes second sets of vaccines.)
Bordetella, also known as kennel cough or canine cough, is a disease that is
caused by bacteria and viruses. It is passed from dog to dog through either nose
to nose contact or from sneezing or coughing, which passes the disease through
the air. This disease is highly contagious and can cause small damages to the
lungs and breathing passages. These damages provide an ideal environment for
otherwise harmless strains of bacteria to grow and reproduce, causing secondary
infection. The symptoms of this disease are infections, a hacking cough and, if
left untreated, can lead to pneumonia. This disease is caused by Bordetella
bronchiseptica, Adenovirus type 2, and parainfluenza. The types of environment
that increase the chance of infection are if your dog goes to the groomer, is
boarded at a kennel, goes to training class, or goes to dog parks where they can
have lots of nose to nose contact with many other dogs. (The bordetella vaccine
is given in the second puppy set or the first adult set. The Adenovirus type 2 and
parainfluenza vaccines are included in the "basic" and are given in every set. All
three are given yearly.)
Distemper is a disease that nearly every dog is exposed to at least once in its
lifetime. It is an infection that is often fatal when it does occur. It attacks many of
the body's organs, including the nervous system. The symptoms of distemper
are listlessness, fever, discharge from the eyes and nose and in the final stages
it may cause convulsions and paralysis. Death from distemper occurs 1 to 3
weeks after infection. (The vaccine for distemper is included in the "basic" and is
given in every set of vaccinations. This vaccine is given yearly.)
Hepatitis primarily affects the liver. It is spread through urine, feces, and other
body secretions. Exposure to this disease can range anywhere from a mild
infection to death. (This vaccine is included in the "basic" and is given in every
set. This vaccine is given yearly.)
Parvovirus is a highly contagious and debilitating disease. It is passed through
infected feces and puppies are highly susceptible. Parvovirus causes high fever,
listlessness, vomiting, diarrhea and can lead to shock and death in some cases.
(This vaccine is included in the "basic" and is given in every set. This vaccine is
given yearly.)
Giardia is a microscopic parasite that can be present in contaminated water and
an infected dog's feces. It is also known as beaver fever and can affect humans
as well as dogs. The parasite affects the bowels and intestines of the infected
animal and leads to severe vomiting and diarrhea. Infection can lead to severe
gastro-intestinal disease. The parasite steals nutrients from food, leading to
weight loss, and has been associated with some allergies. A dog can be a
carrier but show no apparent signs of infection, which contributes to the spread of
the disease. Dogs can contract the disease through drinking stagnant water or
sniffing or licking the feces of an infected dog. This parasite is prominent in dog
parks with any standing pools or with a river that has standing offlets or camping
areas with standing water. If you take your dog camping or to off lease areas by
a river this vaccine should be given. (This vaccine is given in the second and
third puppy shots or the first and second adult shots. This vaccine is given
yearly.)
Lyme is a bacteria that is transmitted through ticks. It is carried in the blood and
comes from deer, mice and other mammals. This bacteria can cause
debilitation, arthritis, and major organ damage. Early detection and treatment is
very important as the disease progresses in severity and can affect the heart,
brain, and kidneys in its extreme form. Symptoms of infection are lameness,
lethargy, fever, loss of appetite, and sudden onset of severe pain. If your dog
goes into wooded areas where there might be deer, mice, or other tick carrying
animals, or if you have ever seen a tick on your dog, you should look into the
lyme vaccine. (This vaccine is given in the second and third puppy shots or the
first and second adult shots. This vaccine is given yearly.)
Heartworms are worms that reside in a dog's heart in the adult form. They are
passed from an infected dog to a healthy dog via mosquitoes. The best form of
heartworm defense is a preventative program that is in effect from the beginning
of the mosquito season (around May) and continues for 6 months until the
mosquito season is finished. The preventative medication kills the larval forms of
the worm that are injected into the dog by the mosquito. In the case of an adult
infestation, a very extensive and debilitating treatment program is put into effect.
Due to the extreme nature of the adult treatment, not all dogs survive this
treatment. It is therefore best to use the preventative medication that kills the
young rather than risking maturation into the adult form. (This vaccine is given in
May of every year and is continued for 6 months. It can be given to puppies and
has a deworming aspect for intestinal worms as well as the heartworm
protection.)
Cats:
Cat vaccines are not as extensive or numerous as dog vaccines but they are still
equally important. Some people are under the impression that indoor cats do not
need to be vaccinated because they are never around other cats. This is untrue
due to the fact that you can carry various diseases on your clothes from other
people's cats or stray cats outside. Also, if you leave a window open the cats
can pass diseases through the screen and if your cat ever escapes outside lack
of vaccination can result in infection by serious diseases. Cat vaccines are given
either at 6 to 8 weeks of age or whenever the cat is first seeing the veterinarian.
The first set is given and then a booster is given three to four weeks after the first
set. This double vaccination program is used for both adult cats and kittens.
Leukemia is a highly contagious disease passed from cat to cat through
mucous, meaning they can get it from nose to nose contact. This disease
attacks the immune system, leaving the infected cat vulnerable to secondary
infections. It may also cause certain types of cancer. Death usually occurs
within 3 years of infection. If your cat goes outside, if you have numerous cats
and one of them goes outside, or if you leave the window open and your cat
interacts with a cat through the screen, you should consider getting the leukemia
vaccine. (This vaccine is given with the first and second set for kittens and
adults. This is a yearly vaccine.)
Panleukopenia is also known as feline distemper. It is a widespread disease
and is often fatal. The symptoms of this disease are fever, depression, loss of
appetite, vomiting, and diarrhea. (This vaccine is part of the “basic” and is given
in the first and second sets. This is a yearly vaccine.)
Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis is the most severe and widespread upper
respiratory infection that affects cats. The symptoms are fever, loss of appetite,
sneezing, tearing, discharge from eyes or nose, mouth breathing, and coughing.
Infection can lead to the cat having a lifelong carrier state with reappearance of
the disease when stressed. This disease is passed through nose to nose contact
or through an infected cat coughing or sneezing in the same area as a healthy
cat, and thereby passing the virus. (This vaccine is part of the “basic” and is
given in the first and second set. This is a yearly vaccine.)
Calicivirus is an upper respiratory infection and accounts for approximately 40%
of all respiratory diseases in cats. The severity of this disease may vary per case
with symptoms being fever, ulcers, and blisters on the tongue. Infected cats are
chronic viral carriers and once infected can show lifelong clinical signs of
sneezing and runny eyes. (This vaccine is part of the “basic” and is given in the
first and second set. This is a yearly vaccine.)
Chlamydiosis is a mild upper respiratory infection that particularly affects the
mucous membranes of the eyes. The symptoms include tearing, sometimes
sneezing, and nasal discharge. (This vaccine is part of the “basic” and is given in
the first and second set of vaccines. This is a yearly vaccine.)
Cats and Dogs:
Some diseases affect both cats and dogs and are transferable between cats,
dogs and often other animals, such as humans.
Rabies is a disease that can be spread to all mammals. It attacks the nervous
system and is fatal in all cases. It is passed through saliva and blood from an
infected individual to a healthy one. Dogs and cats can contract this disease
from many wild animals, such as raccoons, bats, rodents, and other small
animals that they typically chase and hunt. It is very important to vaccinate your
pet against this disease in order to protect your own pet as well as yourself and
those around you. (This vaccine is given in the first or second cat set. For dogs
it is given either in the third puppy set or the first adult set. It is given two years in
a row and then is administered every other year for both cats and dogs.)
Intestinal parasites are various worms that your dog or cat can pick up from the
soil, rodents and birds that are eaten, or infected feces. These worms affect the
intestines and are zoonotic, meaning they can pass to humans and other
animals. In severe cases the worms will start to come out of the animal when it
defecates, but in the early stages there is no obvious sign of infection.
Depending on the type of worm present, infection can lead to various problems
such as anemia, weight loss, vomiting, and diarrhea. The best way to prevent
worm infections is to deworm your pet at least once a year and increase that if
your cat or dog tends to eat animals that could carry worms. Worm eggs can
also be carried on the bottoms of your shoes and on your hands if you have been
handling dirt. This means that even if your animal never has contact with other
animals or is a strictly indoor pet it is still important to do a yearly deworming.
(This vaccine is given in the first set of vaccinations for all cats and dogs and a
second dose is repeated at home 12 to 14 days after the first dose. This is a
yearly vaccine.)