General Information
Many diseases that were once considered fatal to dogs and cats are now under control due to the use of modern vaccines.  Vaccinating your pets is a simple procedure that is routinely done by all veterinarians. Vaccinations are safe, effective and very important for your pet’s health.  When administered into the body, vaccinations stimulate the immune system.  This allows it to quickly respond with the production of antibodies to neutralize the virus when the pet is exposed later in life.

Young pets are usually given their first set of vaccinations around six to eight weeks of age.  Booster vaccinations are given every three to four weeks until the pet is fully immunized.  Thereafter, vaccinations are typically boostered each one to three years depending on the type of vaccine.  The yearly vaccination visit provides a good opportunity for a complete physical exam for the pet.  This medical examination is important for assessing general health and detecting emerging medical problems

A few pets will have reactions the vaccinations. These reactions are usually very mild and last for a short period. Muscle aches, slight fever, lethargy and lack of appetite are the most common side effects.  It is rare for a pet to have a more severe reaction, and if it does, the most common signs are vomiting, swelling of the face, and hives. If a a reaction to the vaccination occurs, a veterinarian should be contacted.

Canine Inoculations

DA2PP (Distemper, Adenovirus type 2, Parainfluenza, Parvo)

  • Distemper is a highly contagious, airborne viral disease that affects the respiratory and nervous system.  It often proves fatal.  Dogs that survive often have seizures as an adult.
  • Adenovirus exists in two forms, type 1 and type 2.  Type 1 causes infectious hepatitis and may lead to severe kidney damage.  Type 2 causes respiratory symptoms.  Vaccination with type 2 provides protection against both types.
  • Parainfluenza is a viral respiratory disease that can cause severe infection in puppies.
  • Parvovirus is a contagious viral disease that causes severe diarrhea and vomiting.  Without expensive treatment many puppies will die from dehydration or secondary bacterial infection.  Parvovirus, on rare occasions, can cause heart disease.

Rabies

  • Rabies is a viral disease that attacks the brain and is with rare exception always fatal.  The virus is transmittable to people through the bite or scratch of an infected animal.  The main carriers of rabies are raccoons, skunks, foxes, and bats.  Strict laws have been passed requiring the rabies vaccine in all dogs and cats.

Bordetella (Kennel Cough)

  • Bordetella bronchiseptica is a bacterial organism frequently implicated as a cause of tracheobronchitis (kennel cough complex).  Other organisms, such as adenovirus, staph, and strep have been implicated as well.

Corona Virus

  • Coronavirus is a contagious virus that can cause mild diarrhea and vomiting.  Symptoms are less severe than parvo and rarely, if ever, fatal.  Coronavirus can, however, significantly exacerbate the symptoms of parvo when occurring simultaneously with parvo.

Lyme Disease

  • Borrelia bergdorfori, the bacterial organism that causes Lyme Disease, is spread by the bite of an infected Deer Tick.  The Deer Tick remains the main carrier although  Borrelia has crossed over into other tick populations.  Canine symptoms include fever, lethargy, muscle stiffness, and lameness as a result of muscle and joint pain.  Lyme Disease is not prevalent in northeast Kansas.  Hunting dogs and dogs that travel to endemic states should be vaccinated.

Leptospirosis

  • Leptospirosis (Lepto) is a bacterial disease usually carried by wild animals.  It can cause debilitating kidney disease.  Fortunately, disease incidence is very low.  The Lepto vaccine component has been associated with vaccine reactions.  These reactions are usually not fatal but we prefer to avoid its use unless necessary.

Canine Giardia

  • Giardia is a protozoan parasite that can cause diarrhea.  Giardia cysts are excreted in feces.  Giardia is contracted by ingesting the organism, usually by drinking contaminated water.

Feline Inoculations

Rabies

  • Rabies is a viral disease that attacks the brain and is with rare exception always fatal.  The virus is transmittable to people through the bite or scratch of an infected animal.  The main carriers of rabies are raccoons, skunks, foxes, and bats.  Strict laws have been passed requiring the rabies vaccine in all dogs and cats.

FVRCP (Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, Panleukopenia)

  • Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis (FVR), a herpes virus, affects the upper air passages and lungs.  Most cats survive but become chronic carriers.  Symptoms include fever, sneezing, coughing, appetite loss, eye discharge, and nasal discharge.
  • Calicivirus causes upper respiratory symptoms mainly involving the lungs and oral cavity.  It often occurs concurrently with FVR.
  • Panleukopenia (Feline Distemper) is caused by a parvovirus closely related to the canine parvovirus.  It causes fever, depression, anorxia, vomiting, and diarrhea.  Panleukopenia has a high mortality rate.

Feline Leukemia (FeLV)

  • Feline Leukemia is caused by an oncornavirus.  The virus is shed in body excretions, primarily saliva.  Cats can carry the disease for many years.  Death can occur from anemia, infectious disease from the virus’ immunosuppressive effects, or from lymphoma – a cancer which can be induced by the virus.

Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV)

  • Feline Immunodeficiency Virus is an oncornavirus shed in body excretions, primarily saliva.  The virus can cause severe immunosuppression.  Death can occur due from inability to combat opportunistic infections.

Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP)

  • FIP is caused by a coronavirus which causes vasculitis (inflammation of blood vessels).  The disease manifests in two forms: wet and dry, depending on which blood vessels are affected. Symptoms of the wet form include fluid accumulation in the chest or abdomen.  The dry form affects the kidneys, lymph nodes, eyes, and central nervous system.  Treatment is difficult and cats with clinical signs invariably succumb to the disease.

Pneumonitis (Chlamydia)

  • Primarily causes conjunctivitis and ocular discharge.  It can cause mild lethargy, sneezing, nasal discharge, and pneumonia.  It can cause conjunctivitis in humans.