August is National Immunization Month
Veterinarians and other animal health professionals work very hard to educate you, the owner.
Some people are simply unaware of many aspects of animal care. We want to be sure you
know what vaccinations are available and which vaccinations are recommended for your
individual situation. These recommendations vary greatly between states, counties, and
veterinarians. Provided below are brief synopses of common diseases we can prevent by
immunizing our patients. Every patient is individual and there are many factors to consider
when establishing a pet's vaccination plan. We will be happy to discuss a vaccination protocol
for your pet. If you have any concerns or questions, please call us or email us at
COMMON CANINE IMMUNIZATIONS
Parvovirus (CPV) is a highly contagious and very serious disease. It
was diagnosed for the first time in dogs in 1978. Puppies and young
dogs become infected through contaminated feces and environments.
CPV is very stable in the environment and is resistant to the effects of
heat, detergents, alcohol, and many disinfectants. Dogs who have been
exposed will usually develop symptoms in 7-10 days. Symptoms may
vary from a little ill to fatal vomiting and diarrhea. CPV can be diagnosed
easily from a stool sample. There is no cure for parvovirus and the virus
itself cannot be killed; however, parvovirus infection can be treated with
supportive care and prevention of septicemia.
Canine Distemper Virus is highly contagious and serious disease
caused by a virus that attacks the respiratory, gastrointestinal, and
nervous systems of puppies and dogs. It also infects wild canids such as
foxes, wolves, and coyotes. It is spread through airborne exposure and
direct contact with secretions. The first sign is usually eye discharge
and may develop into fever, nasal discharge, coughing, lethargy,
vomiting, diarrhea, and even seizures.
There is no cure for canine distemper virus, but the disease process can
be treated by preventing secondary infections and controlling symptoms
such as dehydration, vomiting, and hypothermia.
Canine Parainfluenza and Adenovirus 2 are both highly contagious
viral infections causing damage to the respiratory tract. Prevention is
very simple with routine vaccinations. Infection can result in severe
coughing, sloughing the cells in the upper respiratory tract, and even
Leptospirosis is a bacteria that is very common in this area. It can
cause kidney failure, inflammation/toxicity of the liver (hepatitis),
inflammation of the blood vessels (vasculitis) causing hemorrhage,
inflammation of muscle tissue (myositis and myalgia), inflammation in the
eye (uveitis) causing blindness, inflammation in the nervous system
(meningitis), abortion in food animals and immune mediated illness with
chronic disease. As you can see, the symptoms for this infection can be
very different and this makes diagnosis more difficult. Leptospirosis is
contagious to humans also. Vaccination is the easiest form of
prevention. The bacteria is carried in the urine of rodents and thus
almost impossible to eliminate from the environment.
Bordetella bronchiseptica is a vaccine available to help prevent
contagious tracheobronchitis (commonly known as kennel cough). The
most common sign of kennel cough is a harsh, dry cough that is often
followed by gagging and coughing up foamy mucus. Otherwise, the
patient appears alert and generally healthy. The disease is contagious
among dogs, but it does not affect people. We highly recommend
vaccinating dogs who are boarded, groomed, or go to puppy classes
and /or dog parks. We can prevent this disease most of the time with an
intranasal vaccination every 6 months.
|If you are interested in health insurance for your loved one, the American Veterinary Medical Association
recommends Veterinary Pet Insurance. You can also call 800-USA-PETS.
|We offer an on-line pharmacy for all your needs. If you have trouble getting to the hospital during our
regular hours, you can buy your prescription on-line and have it shipped to your home!
Animal Hospital of Fate
1001 North W.E.Crawford
(Highway 66 in Fate)
Rockwall, Texas 75087
|Immunizations trigger protective immune responses in pets and
prepare them to fight future infections from disease-causing
agents. It is very important to vaccinate and protect your pet from
many highly contagious and deadly diseases. Vaccinations are
extremely effective in preventing future disease. Occasionally, a
vaccinated pet may not develop adequate immunity and, although
rare, it is possible for these pets to become ill. This is the reason
a series of puppy and kitten vaccinations are required. The
very young are more susceptible to disease because their
immune systems are not fully mature. While nursing, the babies
receive antibodies (special proteins) that provide some immunity
to disease; however, this immunity doesn't last long and there may
be gaps in coverage. Vaccinating your pet early is very important
to prevent these gaps and prevent unnecessary risks.
Antibody titers are blood tests that measure the amount of
generates antibodies that help to destroy the organism and
prevent or minimize illness if the body is exposed to the same
organism again. Antibody titers do not replace vaccination
programs, but can be used to help us determine if your pet has a
reasonable expectation of protection against disease. However,
interpreting antibody titers can be difficult and do not always
equate to coverage for a particular disease.
| COMMON FELINE VACCINATIONS
Feline Panleukopenia is caused by the feline parvovirus. This
virus can remain contagious in cages, litter boxes, and bowls for
months to years. Cats are infected with this virus after ingesting
the virus orally, usually from where another cat has defecated.
The only way to protect against a virus is to vaccinate. Recently,
studies have shown that canine parvovirus can also be contagious
to cats, but can be protected against with the current feline
vaccines. The vaccines available for protection against feline
panleukopenia are excellent and offer almost total immunity to the
virus. Clinical signs include fever, loss of appetite, vomiting,
diarrhea, weakness, and even death.
Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis is the cause of over 50% of upper
respiratory infections in cats. This disease is highly contagious
and can be fatal for the young kittens by causing pneumonia.
There is no cure for herpes infections (which are what cause
rhinotracheitis), but at least we can prevent this one. Please
have your kitten vaccinated early.
Feline Calicivirus is also a very important cause of upper
respiratory infection in cats worldwide. Common symptoms are
fever, conjunctivitis, nasal discharge, sneezing, and ulceration of
the mouth (stomatitis). Pneumonia may develop with secondary
bacterial infections. Some cats may also develop a polyarthritis.
Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV) is one of the most common and
destructive of all cat viruses. It is highly contagious from cat to
cat. This disease cannot be transmitted to people or to other
animals, other than cats. This disease is similar to the human
AIDS virus in that it suppresses the immune system, decreasing
the resistance of the cat to other diseases. Feline leukemia virus
is one of the MAJOR causes of death in cats today. If your cat has
an exposure, then we recommend vaccinating to prevent infection.
There is no treatment for FeLV.
In honor of
National Immunization Month,
we will be offering 10% off all
vaccinations in the
month of August! Call today
to schedule your appointment!
Animal Hospital of Fate
1001 North W.E.Crawford (Highway 66 in Fate)
Rockwall, Texas 75087