General Canine Information 

Core Vaccines 

Rabies Vaccination:

Rabies is a fatal neurological disease; it is transmitted thru bites and saliva. We offer a 1-Year vaccine or a 3-Year vaccine. In order to receive the 3-Year rabies, an animal must have had at least ONE 1-Year vaccine in the past. It is required by law for all animals to be vaccinated for rabies. Puppies can be vaccinated at 12 weeks of age or older. 

DHPP (Distemper, Parvo, Parainfluenza, and Hepatitis) Vaccination: 

This vaccination is a combination which will cover all four diseases; it must be given in a series of booster vaccinations for puppies and then every year thereafter. The series begins at 6 weeks of age and then repeated at 9, 12, and 15 weeks of age. If a puppy comes in and is older than 12 weeks, the vaccine will need to be repeated three weeks later. The same is recommended for older dogs which have no vaccine history. 

The distemper virus is closely related to the human measles virus; it can be passed from dog to dog by coughing. It first attacks the respiratory system and then moves onto the GI tract. From there, the nervous system is effected where the neurological phase begins. Once it has reached the neurological phase mortatality rate is very high. There is no cure but symptoms can be treated. Some symptoms may be, but are not limited to: coughing, runny nose, and poor appetite. Canine distemper is not transmittable to people. 

The parvovirus invades the intestinal wall and causes inflammation; it is most common in puppies and young unvaccinated dogs. It can be contracted by the feces of an infected dog. The virus begins to shed just before clinical signs develop. Unlike other viruses parvo is stable in the environment and is resistant to heat, detergents, alcohol, and many disinfectants. Parvo has been detected on surfaces contaminated after three months at room temperature. Some clinical signs of parvo are vomiting, foul smelling diarrhea, and listlessness; if not treated parvo is potentially deadly. Parvo is not transmissible to people or cats.

Hepatitis is an adenovirus (type 1) and very contagious in canines; it infects the liver, kidneys, spleen and lungs. Symptoms may include fever, abnormal bleeding, "blue eye" (opacity of the eye), and a comprimised immune system in general. Death, chronic hepatitis and illness may occur; recovery may be gradual in nonfatal cases. It is shed in the urine and can survive outside of the host. 

Vaccines (Additional)

These vaccines are recommended if one plans to board, groom, or go to the dog park frequently. 

Kennel Cough Vaccination:

Kennel cough is a respiratory disease characterized by a harsh, hacking cough. Many dogs left in crowded conditions, shelters or boarding facilities are more prone to kennel cough. If you plan to board your pet, you will need to get the Intra-trac vaccine.  Kennel cough can be treated and is not generally transmissible to people; it is highly contagious to other dogs! We have an intra-nasal vaccine which is recommended yearly, or every 6 months if your pet is boarded/groomed frequently.  

Corona Vaccination:

The corona virus is an intestinal infection in dogs that is usually short-lived. It can cause considerable abdominal discomfort for a few days. Dogs may become infected with the virus by ingesting contaminated food or by direct contact with an infected dog. If boarding your pet most kennels will require the corona vaccine because it is more common in crowded conditions. There is no treatment for this but secondary bacteria infections can be contained with antibiotics. Corona can not be transmitted to people. Please check with your boarding facility ahead of time to see if it is required.

Lepto Vaccination:

Lepto is a bacteria that attacks the kidneys resulting in kidney damage or failure. Dogs become infected when abraded skin comes in contact with urine or ingestion of urine of an infected host. The organism travels through the bloodstream and settles in the kidneys to reproduce. Other organ failure can be seen as well. If caught early Lepto can be treated with heavy antibiotics but can be life-threatening. Some symptoms are jaundice, excessive drinking, and fever. This bacteria can be transmitted to peoplethrough breaks in the skin or mucous membranes! You should always use gloves or paper towels when cleaning up urine or feces. Always wash your hands afterwards.  This vaccine is highly recommended for dogs which are taken into woods (hunting trips or camping) or wildlife prone areas - it is frequently correlated with infected wildlife.

Lyme Vaccination: 

If your pet lives or plays around woods you may be interested in getting the Lyme vaccine. Lyme disease is transmitted by Deer Ticks. Canine lyme disease can go undetected for a long time. It is not a very serious disease but should not be overlooked nor underestimated. A major symptom of Lyme disease is joint pain, but would need to be confirmed by a blood test.  People may be infected by Lyme disease but they would need to be infected by a tick. Never use your bare hands to remove a tick from your pet. You can also contract the disease by touching an infected tick.


Heartworm tests and Heartworm Prevention:

All dogs must have a heartworm test before we will sell heartworm preventative; this is done to ensure the dog is heartworm-free and provides a safe start on a heartworm prevention regiment. Heartworm prevention is considered a prescription drug and we must have an established client-doctor relationship and adequate heartworm test results.

Then depending on the results, a technician or doctor will advise on the best type of heartworm prevention for your pet. If a dog yields positive results, we will explain treatment options for your pet. 
 

We carry the following heartworm preventatives:

- Interceptor - Sentinel - Advantage-Multi - Heartgard Plus -  Trifexis


Flea/Tick Control:

We have several different types of flea controls, both long-term and short-term. We can recommend products to individualized cases and what will work best for your pet and your household. 
 

We carry the following flea preventatives:

- Frontline - Comfortis - Capstar - Flea busters (treats the house)

 We carry the following flea control and heartworm prevention combo products:

Advantage-Multi - Sentinel- Trifexis (must have had heartworm test)


Bathing:

We do not recommend bathing your pet more than twice a month, unless it gets dirty in the meantime. Oatmeal and aloe shampoos are perfect for bathing; flea and tick shampoos are not recommended because they can contain rather harsh chemicals to which an animal may react. Instead, invest in a good-quality flea control and use the oatmeal and aloe shampoo twice a month. 

You should also have an ear cleaner on-hand; apply this after bathing, grooming, or swimming to help reduce the chances of an ear infection. It is especially recommended for dogs with heavy/floppy ears - their ears have less air circulation throughout and the ear cleaning solutions help keep the ears clean and dry. 

Spaying and Neutering: 

If you are not going to breed or are done breeding your pet we HIGHLY recommend you spay/neuter your pet. This can be done any time after 12 weeks of age; the "wait until they are at least 6 months old" suggestion no longer applies. After 12 weeks of age their livers are mature enough to handle the anesthetic procedure. It is healthier for your pet to be fixed and helps reduce the numbers of unwanted puppies in shelters or backyards! 

Male dogs can develop prostate disease and testicular cancer if they remain intact; neutering your male dog will help reduce his chances of developing these diseases. A male dog can smell a female in heat up to ONE MILE away; if he is not neutered he will try and make it to the female and may get hit by a car on the way. If you plan on breeding, neuter your dog as soon as you are done; an old un-neutered male dog will eventually develop problems, it is only a matter of time. If you do not plan on breeding your dog, you can set up an appointment anytime after 12 weeks of age to have him neutered.  

Female dogs can develop breast cancer and pyometra (an infected uterus); these are both potentially life-threatening diseases! If you plan to breed your dog, keep these diseases in mind - watch for any lumps or bumps in the mammary chains & not feeling well, in general.  If you plan to spay your dog, you should have the procedure done while she is less than 6 months of age or before her first heat cycle - this will greatly reduce the likelyhood of developing breast cancer. 

Microchipping:

Microchipping is a fabulous idea; if your pet is ever lost or stolen, it can be traced back to you! Each number is unique to the pet. All shelters are required to scan pets coming into their facilities. We carry ResQ chips which you can quickly and easily register online. 
 

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