Vaccines contain viruses, bacteria or other disease-causing organisms that have been killed or altered so that they can no longer cause disease. When given to an animal, vaccines will stimulate the body's immune system to form disease fighting cells and proteins (known as antibodies) to protect against the disease. Although the protection afforded by vaccines can be reduced by poor health and poor nutrition, most vaccinated animals will be resistant to the disease for which they are vaccinated. Most veterinarians agree that all dogs and cats should be vaccinated against those diseases that are widespread, cause serious illness, and/or are highly contagious (core vaccines). In addition, other vaccines may be recommended based on the risk they pose to individual cats or dogs (non-core vaccines). Most vaccines are given by injection, either into the fat under the skin, or into the muscle. Some vaccines may be administered as drops into the nose.
Although some
vaccines are generally recommended for all dogs and cats, Dr. Golbeck
can assist you in selecting vaccines for your pet based on the unique
set of risks faced by your pet. Some factors to be considered include
the number of pets in the household, exposure to pets or wild animals, age and health status of your pet, and travel and
kennelling considerations.
Core vaccines for dogs:
Canine Distemper - This disease
causes respiratory, gastrointestinal, and neurological signs in affected
dogs and can be fatal. Recovered dogs may have permanent damage to their
nervous systems. Unvaccinated dogs are at high risk of contracting this
highly contagious disease which is spread by discharges from the nose
and eyes of infected dogs.
Infectious Hepatitis -
This virus is caused by a viral agent, the canine adenovirus, and is
spread through infected urine. The virus may cause liver failure, eye
damage and respiratory problems which can be fatal. Commonly encountered
clinical signs are vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and occasionally
coughing.
Canine Parvovirus - The disease
caused by parvovirus is both serious and widespread in dogs. Signs,
which include severe vomiting and diarrhea with blood, result from the
virus damaging the gastrointestinal tract. The disease is spread through
infected feces and can lead to death in 48 to 72 hours. Parvovirus
infection may also cause bone marrow and heart disease in dogs.
Canine Parainfluenza Virus - One of
the causes of canine cough, this respiratory disease is most commonly
caused by a virus. Characteristic features of canine cough are a hacking
cough, discharge from the nose, and occasional fever.
Non-core vaccines for dogs:
Vaccines are also available to protect individual dogs deemed to be at
risk of developing Bordetellosis, another cause of canine cough, Leptospirosis, Lyme disease, Giardiasis, and Coronavirus infection.
Currently we recommend twice annual vaccination with canine cough (Bordetella) vaccine if your dog frequents high risk areas such as day cares, boarding facilities, grooming parlours and off-leash areas, as there is a higher than usual level of incidence in Calgary this spring and we are seeing some dogs getting sick that were previously vaccinated.
The Giardia vaccine currently used does not necessarily prevent infection, but rather reduces shedding and clinical illness, which in itself is good to prevent further contamination of the environment.
Rabies vaccination in dogs and cats:
Rabies - All mammals, including humans, are at risk of contracting rabies, which is invariably fatal once neurological signs of disease are evident. Rabid pets may display a "dumb" form which is characterized by listlessness, weakness and paralysis, or the "furious" form of rabies characterized by abnormal aggression. The virus is carried in the saliva and enters the body after a bite wound. Because Rabies virus is carried by bats, the only known animal resistant to it's deadly effects, Rabies can infect anyone, exposed to bats, which are fairly ubiquitous and have been reported to fly into open windows of high rise apartments. For this reason, Rabies is considered a CORE VACCINE here and in some parts of Canada, where risk is very high, vaccination of dogs and cats is mandatory.
Core vaccines
for cats:
Feline Panleukopenia - Panleukopenia
is a potentially fatal viral disease that causes vomiting, diarrhea,
severe dehydration and fever, and sudden death. Kittens born to infected
queens may suffer permanent brain damage. This disease is easily
prevented through vaccination.
Feline Rhinotracheitis and Calicivirus -
These organisms infect the airways of cats, causing runny eyes and nose,
sneezing, mouth ulcers and sometimes poor appetite. Although vaccines
may not prevent infection altogether, they often greatly reduce the
severity of the disease.
Non-core vaccines for cats:
Feline Leukemia Virus - This virus causes a
multitude of disorders from tumours such as leukemia, to bone marrow
suppression, although some infected cats may not show any clinical signs
for several years. The virus is found in the bodily fluids of infected
carriers and the normal route of transmission is through bite wounds, so
outdoor cats are at a much higher risk than indoors cats, who only have
problems if they escape outside.
Individual cats deemed to be at risk may also be vaccinated for Chlamydia
and Feline Infectious Peritonitis Virus.
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