Clarion Animal Hospital recommends annual vaccine appointments for adult dogs and cats. We also take time to create customized vaccination plans for our patients, depending on their age group, health history, past vaccinations, lifestyle, and other important factors. Whether or not your pet spends most or all of their time indoors, vaccines are key to lowering their disease risks and keeping them healthier, longer. Harmful viruses can be spread in a variety of ways, not just direct contact. Our animal hospital offers all the high-quality cat or dog vaccines your pet needs to maintain their immunity and keep them safe.
Dog Vaccines We Offer
DHAPP
DHAPP stands for canine distemper, canine hepatitis, parainfluenza, and parvovirus. This means the DHAPP vaccine gives your dog protection against all five of these diseases. We recommend starting your pet on this vaccine when they are about six to eight weeks old, and boosting the vaccine every three to four weeks until your puppy is about 16 weeks old. After that, we’ll administer the DHAPP vaccine on an annual basis.
Bordetella
Bordetella bronchiseptica is a bacterium that can cause kennel cough in dogs. Kennel cough is an upper respiratory virus that spreads quickly among dogs if they are living in close proximity. Kennels, daycare centers, dog parks, and grooming salons can all become hot beds for kennel cough if dogs aren’t properly vaccinated.
We administer the Bordetella vaccine orally and can give it as early as six to eight weeks of age. A booster is recommended three to four weeks later, and after that, we recommend the Bordetella vaccine once a year if your pet’s lifestyle requires it.
Leptospirosis
Leptospira bacteria can cause illness in dogs and humans. We recommend vaccination for this disease because without treatment, leptospirosis can potentially be fatal. Infection can also result in irreversible damage to the kidneys and/or liver.
Leptospirosis is typically spread via contact with, or accidental ingestion of water contaminated with urine from an infected animal. Raccoons, skunks, and other wildlife infected with the Leptospira bacteria will shed the bacteria in their urine. Standing bodies of water, damp soil, and wooded areas in general can be high-risk places for leptospirosis.
At Clarion Animal Hospital, we strongly encourage you to vaccinate your dog for this disease. Two initial doses are given about three weeks apart, and after that, your pet should be boosted annually.
Rabies
The rabies vaccine for dogs is required by law, and for good reason. The rabies virus, which attacks the central nervous system, is literally always fatal in dogs, and has a very high fatality rate in humans, too. Puppies should get this vaccine as early as 12 weeks of age, with a follow-up booster given a year later, and then every three years thereafter to maintain their protection.
Lyme
Lyme disease is one of the most well-known tick-borne diseases, and it can be spread to humans as well as animals. Regular tick prevention can reduce your dog’s risk for Lyme disease, but we also recommend vaccinating them against infection for good measure. Puppies can be vaccinated for Lyme as young as 10-16 weeks old, with a booster given about three weeks later. After that, your dog should get boosted for Lyme once a year.
Cat Vaccines We Offer
Rabies
All domesticated cats should be vaccinated for rabies, as it is required by law and rabies is fatal 100% of the time for cats. And if a cat is infected with rabies, they can easily pass it on to another animal or human. We recommend administering this vaccine to your kitten when they are about 12 weeks old. Following that initial vaccine, we will administer a follow-up booster given a year later, and then every three years thereafter to maintain their protection.
FVRCP
FVRCP is the feline version of the canine distemper vaccine, and it affords protection for cats against feline viral rhinotracheitis, calicivirus, and panleukopenia. All of these diseases can be life-threatening and do lasting harm to the respiratory and gastrointestinal systems. The FVRCP vaccine should be given to kittens as early as eight weeks old, with a booster every three to four weeks until your kitten is about 16 weeks of age. After that, your cat should receive the FVRCP vaccine once a year to keep them protected.
FeLV
FeLV is short for the feline leukemia virus, which can be deadly for cats. This virus attacks the immune system and opens the door to leukemia and other serious diseases. Many cats that are positive for feline leukemia may not even show signs of illness until their condition has deteriorated significantly, so they could unknowingly expose other cats to infection. We recommend vaccinating kittens for FeLV at around nine weeks old. If we deem it necessary, we can administer the FeLV booster to your cat on an annual basis. Feline leukemia is a bigger risk for cats that go outdoors, but we’ll be happy to discuss your cat’s vaccine options in more detail during their appointment.
