Posts from August, 2014

Vaccinating your cat is a cornerstone of preventing disease and protecting their health. There are many different vaccinations available today.

For more information on a particular vaccine, please click on its link.

• Rabies vaccine – Rabies is a fatal disease which can infect both pets and people. Because of the serious nature of rabies, our community has implemented laws requiring rabies vaccines for all dogs and cats.
• HCP vaccine (herpesvirus, calicivirus, panleukopenia virus) – also known as “RCP”
  • Feline panleukopenia, feline herpesvirus (rhinotracheitis) and feline calicivirus are all diseases commonly found in the environment. For this reason, almost all cats are at risk for these diseases, and these vaccines are considered core vaccines.
  • At Blue Ravine Animal Hospital, HCP vaccination is given to kittens as a pair of two injection 3-4 weeks apart. This injection is then good for 3 years. Adult cats who have been previously vaccinated receive a single injection which is good for 3 years.
• Leukemia vaccine (FeLV vaccine) – Leukemia is a deadly virus of cats, transmitted by contact with other cats (usually through shared areas or cat bites). Leukemia is not considered a “core” vaccine; rather it is given to cats based on their risk of infection. Cats with exposure to unvaccinated cats, or exposure to areas that are visited by unvaccinated cats (e.g. cats that go outdoors), should be vaccinated for leukemia.

Click for information on canine vaccines.

Vaccinating your dog is a cornerstone of preventing disease and protecting their health. There are many different vaccinations available today. Which vaccines are recommended to your particular dog depends on many factors, such as age, medical history, environment, travel habits, and lifestyle.

Our goal is to keep you well informed of which vaccinations are available and to help you determine which vaccinations are most appropriate to your pet. Vaccinations are currently divided into two categories: Core and non-core vaccinations.

For more information on a particular disease, please click on its link.

Core Canine Vaccinations

Core canine vaccinations are those that are considered to be important to all dogs. These include:

• Rabies vaccine – Rabies is a fatal disease which can infect both pets and people. Because of the serious nature of rabies, our community has implemented laws requiring rabies vaccines for all dogs and cats.

• DAP vaccine (distemper, adenovirus, parvovirus)
  • Canine distemper, adenovirus and parvovirus are all diseases which are or have been quite common. They are easily transmitted and quite serious once acquired. Many times these diseases are fatal. For these reasons, vaccinations against these diseases are considered core vaccines and are important for all dogs.
  • Distemper, adenovirus, and parvovirus vaccine are given together as a combination vaccination.
  • At Blue Ravine Animal Hospital, DAP vaccination is given to puppies as a pair of two injections 3-4 weeks apart. This injection is then good for 3 years. Adult dogs who have been previously vaccinated receive a single injection which is good for 3 years.

Non-core vaccinations are those that are typically given based on a patient’s risk of exposure. These include:

• Leptospirosis vaccine – Leptospirosis is a serious disease which is transmitted in the urine of wild animals. This disease is contagious to people as well as dogs. For this reason, leptospirosis vaccination is recommended for dogs that have some exposure to areas inhabited by wildlife (e.g. they will go to the river or the lake, or they have a yard visited by animals such as raccoons or skunks).
• Lyme vaccine – Lyme disease is a serious disease carried by ticks, and dogs which are prone to tick exposure are candidates for the Lyme disease vaccine. Lyme disease is contagious to humans as well (transmitted through the bite of a contagious tick).
• Bordetella vaccine – Bordetella is a common component of “kennel cough.” This vaccination is recommended (and sometimes required) for dogs that frequent the dog park, the groomer, or boarding facilities.
• Rattlesnake vaccine – Rattlesnake vaccine is recommended for all dogs with significant risk of rattlesnake bite. Protection from this vaccine lasts for between 6-12 months.

Click for information on feline vaccines.