At Solomon Veterinary Clinic,
we see all of our patients on a yearly basis for their annual physical
exam. At this examination, we take time to do a thorough physical, talk
with you about any changes in lifestyle or behavior and provide the
necessary vaccinations and medications for your pet. This time spent
together plays an important role in increasing our odds of detecting
problems early, before they become severe and costly.
During the exam, our doctors will perform the following :
- Ear and eye examination
- Cardiopulmonary (heart and lung) examination
- Abdominal palpation
- Oral/dental exam
- Dermatological exam
- Musculoskeletal evaluation
Just
like people, pets need to be vaccinated against diseases. Vaccines are
intended to trigger protective immune responses in pets in order to
protect them from future disease infections. Vaccine administration will
be based on your pet's lifestyle and/or breed.
CANINE:
Required
or core vaccines for dogs include canine distemper, canine
adenovirus-2, parvovirus and rabies. The canine distemper, canine
adenovirus-2 and parvovirus is a combination vaccine first given between
the ages of 6 to 8 weeks and is continued every three weeks until the
puppy is at least 16 weeks old. Thereafter, the vaccine is repeated
every one to three years. Rabies vaccination is first given once the
puppy is 5 months old and boostered one year later. After that, the
rabies vaccine is repeated every one to three years.
Canine
distemper is a serious, highly contagious disease. It weakens the immune
system, leaving infected dogs vulnerable to other infections. Symptoms
include fever, coughing, green nasal and eye discharge, vomiting,
diarrhea, dehydration, loss of appetite, thickened toe pads, muscle
twitching, seizures and blindness. Puppies are most susceptible.
Distemper is fatal in up to 90 percent of cases. For the dogs that
recover from the disease, most have serious permanent neurologic
problems. Fortunately, the vaccination is very effective if given prior
to the dog's exposure.
There are two forms of canine
adenovirus, CAV-1 and CAV-2. Vaccination with CAV-2 provides protection
against both. CAV-1 is the cause of infectious canine hepatitis, which
damages the liver. CAV-2 is one of several organisms that can cause
infectious canine tracheobronchitis, or kennel cough. Just as you would
expect, the main sign is a persistent cough. It is spread mainly in
places where large numbers of dogs are in close proximity, such as
kennels, shelters, grooming facilities or dog shows.
Canine
parvovirus (CPV) is a highly contagious disease affecting the digestive
system. It can also weaken the immune system and damage the heart. Signs
include fever, lethargy, vomiting, bloody diarrhea, dehydration and
loss of appetite. It can be fatal, especially in puppies born to
unvaccinated mothers. Parvovirus treatment usually requires
hospitalization.
Rabies is an incurable disease of the nervous
system that is always fatal. Worse yet, it is transmittable between
most animal species, including humans. Although rabies transmission
requires direct body fluid contact, even indoor pets can be at risk,
since sick wild and domestic animals may enter homes or yards. Regular
rabies vaccination is mandated by law in most states.
Depending
on your dog's lifestyle, additional vaccines may be recommended such as
Bordetella (kennel cough), influenza and leptospirosis. The kennel
cough complex, also known as infectious tracheobronchitis, is a
treatable respiratory illness. It can be caused by CAV-2, canine
parainfluenza, and Bordetella bronchiseptica, mycoplasma organisms and
possibly other viruses. The combination vaccine normally given to dogs
includes CAV-2 and parainfluenza. Dogs at high risk of exposure to
kennel cough can receive an additional vaccine, given as nose drops or
as an injection, that protects against Bordetella as well. This is
recommended for dogs that are boarded, groomed professionally or taken
to dog shows or dog parks.
Leptospirosis is a serious illness
that damages the kidneys and liver and can be transmitted to people.
Unfortunately, the vaccine provides only partial protection and must be
boostered annually. In the past it was believed lepto vaccines were
connected to a higher incidence of allergic reactions. Studies have now
shown that the greatest risk of allergic reactions is seen in small
breed dogs receiving multiple vaccines at once. We can help decrease the
risk of vaccine reactions by giving each vaccine a few weeks apart, so
as not to overwhelm their immune system. We see very few allergic
reactions with our vaccines and vaccination protocols.
FELINE:
The
core vaccines we recommend for cats are panleukopenia, feline
herpesvirus-1, feline calicivirus, chlamydophila and rabies. The first
four are combined in a single injection that is given to kittens
starting at 6 to 8 weeks of age and boostered every three to four weeks
until at least 16 weeks of age. Adult cats receive two doses initially,
given three to four weeks apart. Thereafter, the combination vaccine is
repeated every one to three years. The rabies vaccination is given first
at 5 months of age and then once a year.
Feline
panleukopenia, or feline distemper, is a serious gastrointestinal
disease. Symptoms resemble parvovirus in dogs and include fever,
lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, loss of appetite, miscarriage
in pregnant cats and nervous system damage in newborns. It is highly
contagious and commonly fatal in nonvaccinated cats. Panleukopenia is
rare in properly vaccinated cats.
Feline herpesvirus-1 (feline
rhinotracheitis virus) and feline calicivirus cause respiratory
illness. Nonvaccinated cats may get severely ill or even die. These
viruses are extremely contagious. Vaccination gives incomplete
protection, but vaccinated cats get only mild symptoms if they get sick
at all.
Feline chlamydophila causes a severe eye infection.
The bacterium primarily infects the conjunctiva causing inflammation
(conjunctivitis). It is spread by direct contact and is common in places
where large numbers of cats are housed together.
Rabies is an
incurable disease of the nervous system that is always fatal. Worse
yet, it is transmittable between most animal species, including humans.
Although rabies transmission requires direct body fluid contact, even
indoor pets can be at risk, since sick wild and domestic animals may
enter homes. Regular rabies vaccination is mandated by law in many
areas.
Additional vaccination against feline leukemia (FeLV) may
also be recommended, depending on your cat's potential exposure. FeLV is
transmitted by close, direct contact between cats, so vaccination is
most important for cats that go outside or otherwise contact potentially
infected cats. Cats should be tested for FeLV before vaccination, since
the vaccine doesn't help cats that already have the virus. Two doses of
vaccine are given three to four weeks apart, as early as 8 weeks of
age. Annual revaccination is recommended.
The
annual exam includes a visual examination of your pet for evidence of
external parasites like fleas, ticks or mites. We also perform internal
parasite screens to confirm the absence of heartworms or other internal
parasites. These tests are done in our in-house laboratory, so we can
get results quickly. Our knowledgeable staff can recommend medications
to help control fleas, ticks, heartworms and intestinal parasites based
on your pet's lifestyle and screening results. Preventing parasites in
your pets also helps protect children and other family members, so let's
work together to protect your pets and family.
There was a
time when parasites like fleas, ticks and roundworms were considered
mostly a nuisance. Now we know that parasites can cause serious illness
and even death in pets. For example, ticks can transmit infections like
Lyme disease, and fleas can transmit tapeworms and Bartonella – the
bacteria that causes "cat-scratch fever" in humans. Another parasite,
called a heartworm, is transmitted by mosquitoes. Heartworms live in
your pet's heart, causing damage to the heart and lungs and sometimes
death. Intestinal parasites, like roundworms and hookworms, also
threaten pets and are transmissible to humans.
You may not
always be able to tell if your pet has parasites. Fleas can hide under
your pet's fur, and some ticks are very tiny (only the size of a
pinhead), so they are very difficult to find. Intestinal parasites like
roundworms can cause diarrhea and other problems, but some infected pets
will not show signs of illness at all.
Veterinary
examinations and parasite testing are important ways to protect your
pet's health. Let our well-informed staff provide you with a
comprehensive parasite control program based on your pet's needs. We can
recommend a schedule for parasite testing, discuss what signs of
parasites you can look for at home, review ways to control parasites in
and around your home, discuss treatment options if your pet has
parasites, and recommend ways to control and prevent parasites in the
future.
Parasites are not just a nuisance. They can carry serious
diseases that can affect you and your pet's overall health and
longevity. Let us help protect you and your pet. Call today to find out
how!
There
are many ways your pet can get lost. A collar and tag are always
recommended, but can easily come off. A microchip is a superior form of
identification just for this reason. The microchip is about the size of a
grain of rice and is implanted by injection of the chip using a needle.
It is injected under the skin between the shoulder blades. If your pet
ever gets lost and is taken to any shelter or veterinarian, the first
thing that they do is scan it for a microchip. The owner information is
linked to the microchip. We have personally reunited several families
with their lost pets, and without a microchip this may not have been
possible. We strongly encourage everyone to get a microchip for their
pet!