Vaccination Programs

We do believe in the importance of vaccines. Vaccination has, without a doubt, been the cornerstone of all preventative medicine in humans and animals.

There are many diseases that your pet will be exposed to that can cause serious illness and even death. These diseases can be spread to your dog or cat by contact with other pets, sniffing the grass where other animals have been or drinking contaminated water. You can even bring the diseases home on your hands, clothes or shoes thereby putting animals that spend most of their time indoors at risk.

Because the protection provided by a vaccine gradually declines over time, regular booster vaccinations are needed to ensure ongoing immunity from these infections.

Vaccines are designed to stimulate an immune response from the body. By boostering vaccines, we actually create Memory Cells and antibodies that are stored in the lymph nodes. Later, when the body meets the offending virus, the Memory Cells and the antibodies will quickly mount a protective defense and prevent the virus or bacteria from causing serious disease.

Because vaccines are most effective in a healthy body, a complete physical examination should be performed before every vaccination. Click to learn more about what is involved in a complete physical examination.

During your pet’s annual physical examination, we will review your pet’s lifestyle and the likeliness of exposure to various contagious diseases. Together with you, we will select only those vaccines we believe necessary to keep your pet healthy and fit. It is our goal to individualize your pet’s vaccination program to his or her unique lifestyle and needs.

About the Diseases

Vaccines are divided into Core and Non-core vaccines. Core vaccines are recommended for every dog or cat based on the seriousness of the disease and the high likelihood of exposure to the virus or bacteria. Non-core vaccines are generally less serious and exposure is more lifestyle based.

DOGS

WHAT ARE THE CORE VACCINES THAT MY DOG NEEDS?

Every dog should be vaccinated for the following core vaccines:
• DHPP (Distemper, Hepatitis, Parvovirus, Parainfluenza)
• Rabies
• Leptospirosis – considered a core vaccine in Ontario

Canine Distemper

Distemper is a serious viral disease affecting primarily young, unvaccinated dogs. It can also affect foxes, wolves, raccoons, minks and ferrets. It is a highly contagious disease and can be spread through saliva, eye and nose discharge, vomit, urine, diarrhea, in the air and on inanimate objects such as clothing or food bowls. Clinical signs of this disease may include a yellowish/greenish discharge from the eyes and nose, coughing, difficulty breathing, fever, weight loss, vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia, twitching, seizures and hardening of the foot pads. Distemper is often fatal. Dogs that survive this disease often have permanent damage to their nervous systems and senses of smell, hearing and sight.

Hepatitis

Infectious canine hepatitis is caused by an adenovirus. It is spread through the urine of infected dogs and can cause kidney and liver failure, respiratory tract disease and edema of the eye (blue eye). Dogs may show signs of coughing, nasal and ocular discharge, fever, depression, anorexia, vomiting, change in urinating and drinking behavior and jaundice. Although dogs may survive with aggressive treatment, many will have chronic illness.

Parvovirus

Parvovirus was first seen in the late 1970’s in epidemic proportions in the United States and Canada; large numbers of dogs died from the disease. The virus is extremely hardy in the environment and can withstand extreme temperatures and most disinfectants. Dogs contract the disease by exposure to other infected dogs or infected stool. The virus attacks the gastrointestinal and nervous systems. Affected dogs become anorexic, lethargic, and they vomit, have watery diarrhea (often with blood), stomach pain and fever. Parvovirus is fatal without aggressive and early treatment.

Parainfluenza

Canine parainfluenza virus is a highly contagious respiratory tract disease. The virus becomes airborne when infected dogs cough and sneeze. Affected dogs will have a non-productive cough, be lethargic, lose their appetite, have nasal discharge and difficulty breathing. Although most dogs will recover from this disease with supportive care, very young, older or otherwise weaker dogs may develop pneumonia.

Leptospirosis

Leptospirosis is a serious and sometimes fatal disease that can afflict dogs of all ages. Dogs most commonly become infected by drinking from rivers, streams, puddles or ponds that have become contaminated by the urine of other infected animals (raccoons, rats, opossums and skunks). They can also become infected from contact with the urine of other infected dogs or wildlife while out on walks in the neighborhood or even in their own back yard. Since the disease-causing agent prefers warm damp weather, our dogs are most at risk during the spring and fall months. Leptospirosis tends to attack the liver and kidneys causing a variety of symptoms including fever, nausea, lethargy, abdominal pain and increased urination. Many dogs afflicted with Leptospirosis will die from it. Since the symptoms are similar to those of many other illnesses and there are multiple challenges with the testing procedures, diagnosis can be difficult. Treatment involves early detection, hospitalization, fluid therapy and antibiotics. Leptospirosis is also contagious to humans. Families with infected dogs need to seek medical attention.

Rabies

Rabies is a deadly disease that affects the nervous system of all mammals, including humans. It is most commonly seen in foxes, skunks, raccoons and bats. The virus that causes rabies is found in the saliva of infected animals and is spread most commonly through bite wounds. Rabid animals may display one of two forms of the disease, ‘dumb rabies’ or ‘furious’ rabies. Dumb rabies causes animals to show signs of listlessness, weakness and paralysis. With the furious form, affected animals may become uncharacteristically aggressive. All pets should be vaccinated for rabies. In fact, because of the human health risk, rabies vaccination is required by municipal law.

If you plan on traveling with your pet outside of Canada, Rabies vaccination is strictly required. Even a day late in your pet’s rabies vaccination may disqualify your dog or cat from entering into certain countries. Pets also have to be microchipped before their rabies vaccination, if you plan to take them across any boarders. To learn more about traveling with pets, follow this link to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency site.

WHAT ARE THE NON-CORE VACCINES THAT MY DOG MAY NEED?

Bordetella bronchiseptica

Bordetella bronchiseptica, better known as Kennel Cough, is a bacterial infection that causes tracheobronchitis. Affected dogs will exhibit a characteristic dry, harsh, hacking cough that can last up to 3 weeks. Dogs are most commonly infected in kennels, grooming salons, pet stores, exhibitions and off leash parks where they are in close contact with other dogs. Although most dogs require only supportive care to recover, young, older or otherwise weaker dogs can develop a serious bronchopneumonia that may require them to be hospitalized. Prevention is possible by avoiding situations where your dog will be in close contact with other dogs. Vaccination is recommended for dogs going to boarding kennels, grooming salons, puppy classes or off leash parks.

Lyme disease

Lyme disease is caused by the spirochete organism Borrelia burgdorferi. This organism is spread to dogs and people by the deer tick. Historically, the deer tick was uncommon in Southern Ontario except for the Lake Erie area but that is changing as the tick population spreads. It is a serious disease in humans. Infection occurs when an infected deer tick bites to take a blood meal. Clinical signs in dogs may include lameness, joint swelling, fever, anorexia and lethargy. The heart, brain and kidneys may also be affected. Fortunately, most infected dogs never become sick at all. Diagnosis of the disease is based on detecting antibodies to the Borrelia burgdorferi organism in dogs suspected to have the disease. Currently, vaccination for Lyme disease is considered optional by most veterinarians and is recommended only for dogs traveling to wooded areas in the United States and high-risk areas in Canada. However, this recommendation may change as ticks and Lyme disease becomes more prevalent.

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CATS

WHAT ARE THE CORE VACCINES THAT MY CAT NEEDS?

Every cat should be vaccinated for the following core vaccines:
• FVRCP (Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, Panleukopenia)
• Rabies

Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis (Feline Herpes virus)

Although the disease usually affects young kittens, cats of any age can be infected. The clinical signs may include sneezing, nasal and eye discharge, lethargy, poor appetite and congestion. Some cats with rhinotracheitis may cough and even develop a severe ulcerative keratitis (ulcer on the surface of the eye).

Calicivirus

Cats with the calicivirus can develop painful ulcers in the mouth, pneumonia, diarrhea and joint disease.

With either virus, most cats will recover in 2 to 4 weeks with supportive care, some will develop chronic infections that reappear periodically throughout their lives. It is not uncommon for even healthy cats to be carriers of these viruses, spreading the disease to other susceptible cats (asymptomatic carriers). Because these viruses are so contagious, many kittens are already infected by the time you purchase them, particularly from animal shelters and pet stores. These viruses can also be carried home on our hands and clothes, so it is important to vaccinate strictly indoor cats as well.

Panleukopenia

Feline panleukopenia is a potentially fatal viral disease that causes vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, fever and sudden death. It most commonly occurs in unvaccinated kittens from 3 to 5 months of age. The virus is very hardy in the environment, surviving up to a year. Kittens are exposed to this virus by direct contact with other infected kittens, or contaminated objects like food and water bowls. Kittens born to infected mothers may have brain damage.

Rabies

Rabies is a deadly disease that affects the nervous system of all mammals, including humans. It is most commonly seen in foxes, skunks, raccoons and bats. The virus that causes rabies is found in the saliva of infected animals and is spread most commonly through bite wounds. Rabid animals may display one of two forms of the disease, ‘dumb rabies’ or ‘furious’ rabies. Dumb rabies causes animals to show signs of listlessness, weakness and paralysis. With the furious form, affected animals may become uncharacteristically aggressive. All pets should be vaccinated for rabies. In fact, because of the human health risk, rabies vaccination is required by municipal law.

If you plan on traveling with your pet outside of Canada, Rabies vaccination is strictly required. Even a day late in your pet’s Rabies vaccination may disqualify your dog or cat from entering into certain countries. Pets also have to be microchipped before their Rabies vaccination if you plan to take them across any boarders. To learn more about traveling with pets, follow this link to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency site.

WHAT ARE THE NON-CORE VACCINES THAT MY CAT MAY NEED?

Feline Leukemia virus (FeLV)

Feline Leukemia virus can affect any cat but is most commonly seen in outdoor cats or multi-cat households. Because it is a relatively weak virus, it requires close contact between infected cats to spread, and it does so through infective saliva, blood, urine or feces. Once infected, cats live many months before showing signs of disease, though most will die within 3 years. The leukemia virus can cause various forms of cancer (most commonly lymphosarcoma) and immune suppression leaving the cat susceptible to a number of other diseases, including chronic oral, respiratory or bladder infections. Cats showing signs of vomiting, diarrhea, respiratory distress, and chronic fever should be tested for the leukemia virus. Some pet owners, particularly breeders choose to test new cats coming into the household to avoid infecting their other cats. It is important to remember that not all cats that test positive for the virus will succumb to the disease; some cats are able to mount an immune response. Vaccination for FeLV is recommended for all cats for the first two years of their lives, outdoor cats and multi-cat households where the disease status is unknown.

Chlamydia

Feline Chlamydia infection is a bacterial disease that also causes upper respiratory tract symptoms. Most commonly it causes chronic conjunctivitis (swelling of the tissues of the eye), but can also cause a severe form of lung disease. Chlamydia tends to be a particular problem in colonies of cats. Vaccination for Chlamydia is usually recommended for shelter cats or breeders.

At Mountainview Animal Hospital we know that the prevention of disease and the well-being of your pet is important to you. If you have any questions about the vaccinations your pet should receive or parasite prevention, please do not hesitate to ask us.

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