VACCINATIONS

Vaccinations are designed to
effectively reduce the extent and severity of infectious disease in
our pets. It is recommended that vaccination protocols are selected
for each individual animal based on risk of exposure, health
status, age, and the individual needs and lifestyle of your
pet.
Potential Risks
There is always a potential risk
for an adverse reaction to a vaccine. Although the risk is very
low, it is still there. Possible reactions include an immediate
hypersensitivity reaction, auto-immune disease from
over-vaccinating and the development of vaccine associated
sarcomas in cats.
Our Vaccination Guidelines
We tailor your pet's vaccination
program to your pet's lifestyle to reduce the risks of both
diseases and possible side effects. It is important that you
understand both the benefits and risks of the vaccination program
that we have outlined for your individual pet(s). We are happy to
discuss any questions or concerns that you may have regarding our
vaccination protocol.
We also offer Vaccination Titer
Screening
as an alternative
for immune compromised animals.
Dog Vaccines
Rabies
Rabies vaccination is required by
law for dogs. Not only is there no cure for rabies but there is
also a human health risk since humans can contract rabies from an
infected animal.
DAP
This is a combination vaccine
commonly referred to as the "Distemper" vaccine. This 3-way vaccine
protects against the core group of viral disease in dogs:
Distemper, Adenovirus and Parvovirus. All puppies and dogs
that are not immune compromised should be vaccinated with DAP to
protect them against these diseases. Our vaccine is
labeled with 3 years of protection. This vaccine provides the
protection from these diseases while eliminating the concern of
vaccinating every year.
Kennel Cough
Kennel cough is an upper
respiratory "complex" generally caused by Bordatella
bronchiseptica bacterium and parainfluenza virus. We
use an intranasal vaccine for Kennel Cough (the vaccine goes in the
nose rather than by injection). The intranasal vaccine offers
faster protection and provides immunity against these diseases both
systemically and locally (upper respiratory tract) where the
infection occurs. This vaccine is recommended and often required
for all dogs that will be exposed to other dogs (e.g. shows,
training classes, boarding facilities).
Lyme's Disease
Lyme's disease is caused by an
organism called Borrelia burgdorferi. This organism is
transmitted by infected ticks to your dog. Wisconsin is an endemic
area for Lyme's disease and we recommend vaccination for any dog
with the potential to come into contact with ticks (wooded areas,
etc.).
Leptospirosis
Leptospirosis is a bacterial
disease spread primarily by wildlife. Common carriers include
raccoons, skunk, opossum, small rodents, deer and livestock such as
cows. Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease (it can be spread to
people from animals). It is recommended that all dogs at risk be
vaccinated.
Cat Vaccines
FVRCP
This is a combination vaccine
commonly referred to as the "Feline Distemper" vaccine. This
vaccine protects against three very serious viral diseases in
cats: Panleukopenia (feline distemper), and the upper
respiratory complex - Rhinotracheitis and Calicivirus
. All kittens and cats should be vaccinated with FVRCP to protect
them against these diseases. The vaccine that we use is licensed
for 3 year protection. This allows for maximum protection while
minimizing the chance of vaccine reactions with yearly
injections.
FeLV - Feline Leukemia Virus
FeLV is a virus that attacks the
immune system and eventually causes other disease to take over the
body. A cat may be FeLV virus positive and not show any clinical
signs but continue to infect other cats that he comes into contact
with. Vaccination for FeLV is recommended for cats whose lifestyle
puts them at risk of exposure to the organism: outdoor or
indoor-outdoor cats, stray cats, open multiple cat households or
cats in a FeLV positive household. All cats should have a negative
FeLV blood test prior to vaccinating for FeLV.
Rabies
Rabies vaccination is highly
recommended for cats. Not only is there no cure for rabies but
there is also a human health risk since humans can contract rabies
from an infected animal.