My take on vaccinations for your dog(s)

My take on vaccinations for your cat(s)

Vaccination Case Study

Is AAHA accreditation important to you and your pet?

My take on vaccinations for your dog
One day when I was at the front desk I overheard a client ask one of the technicians “Are vaccinations really necessary?”

Vaccines were developed more than 200 hundred years ago when Edward Jenner’s created the world’s first vaccine for smallpox in the 1790s.  Yet still today there are people who reason that they, or their pets do not need vaccinated for viruses that can and do cause death.  I was even told by one gentleman that vaccinations were some kind of government conspiracy.

Not that long ago gasping breath and distinctive sounds of whooping cough, iron lungs, and braces designed for children paralyzed with polio as well as the devastating birth defects caused by rubella were commonplace in this country.  Infant mortality was a staggering twenty percent.  Why do we not have these maladies today? Why are they not prevalent today?  They are prevalent today; just not in the United States as well as other first world nations.  We have been able to contain these diseases with widespread distribution of safe, effective, and affordable vaccines.
So why is it so difficult to understand the same principles apply to our pets?  Without vaccinations your dog has no protection from viruses (or bacterial infection) such as Distemper, Hepatitis, Leptospirosis, Parainfluenza, and Parvo.

And now for the rest of the story: The client overhearing the other client asking if vaccinations were really necessary turned to them and said, “Did you ever see the movie Old Yeller? “  I think that sums it up.
And YES! The same applies for your cats.

Canine Distemper: Distemper is a highly contagious disease of dogs. It is caused by a virus that is easily spread through the air and by contaminated objects, much like the cold virus spreads in humans. Though the disease occurs more often in young dogs, those of any age may contract Distemper.  Signs range from; a mild respiratory problem (runny eyes and nose), severe diarrhea, vomiting, and seizures. Many recovered dogs are left with uncontrollable muscle or limb jerking and/or periodic convulsions. This is a serious disease that is often fatal. Currently we have no drugs to destroy the virus. Treatment is aimed at supportive care.
Leptospirosis: Leptospirosis is a serious bacterial disease that infects dogs, people, and several other types of animals. This bacteria attacks the kidney, liver, and nervous system. Recovered animals may shed the organism in their urine for up to 1 year. Infected rats are a common source of leptospirosis. Vaccination is the best prevention, and all dogs should be vaccinated yearly.
Parainfluenza: This is an airborne virus that causes infections of the respiratory tract. Symptoms range from coughing, sneezing, and runny eyes and nose. Fatalities are rare, but a secondary bacterial infection may occur and contribute to a more severe disease, with occasional deaths. Vaccination is highly recommended.
Parvo: Dogs become infected with the parvovirus through contact with the stool of an infected dog or a contaminated environment (a park, pet store, dog show, grooming facility, etc...). This virus is very hardy and remains infective in the environment for a long period of time. Puppies are most susceptible to parvovirus infections. Parvovirus causes severe and often bloody vomiting and diarrhea. Fatalities occur most often in puppies. Vaccinations and keeping the puppy or dog isolated from contact with unvaccinated puppies or dogs is the best preventative.
Bordetella: Bordetella or Kennel Cough is a contagious disease of the upper respiratory tract, which includes the trachea (windpipe) and bronchi (large air passages of the lungs). The most common sign of kennel cough is a harsh, dry cough that is often followed by gagging and coughing up foamy mucus. Otherwise, the dog appears alert and generally healthy. The disease is spread easily and rapidly from one dog to another. Vaccination is a good preventative and highly recommended for dogs being boarded, groomed, attending training classes, having a medical or surgical procedure done at a veterinarian, or if the dog comes in contact with unvaccinated dogs.
Rabies: Rabies is a fatal disease caused by a virus. All warm-blooded animals are susceptible. The disease is often spread when an infected animal bites another animal. The bitten animal will not become infected unless the saliva of the sick animal contains the rabies virus at the time of the bite. The bat, skunk, and fox are the most commonly infected wild animals. Dogs and cats are the most commonly infected domestic animals.

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My take on vaccinations for your cat

Okay, I often hear my can doesn’t need the FVRCPC vaccination because it never goes outside; it is an indoor cat.  I agree if it really lives in a bubble.  But most likely at least one animal living in the household goes outside and thus can potentially carry a virus into the cat’s environment on their shoes.  Yes it is unlikely, but it is possible.  And yes it is true that some viruses are not transmitted unless ingested, but it is always potentially possible. It just takes one occurrence.  You open the door and the cat bolts out the door even though it has never displayed the want to go outside. Now the odds are greater for the cat to acquire any of the given viruses.  All cats need the FVRCPC vaccination and prevention is always worth a pound of cure.

FVR C P C Vaccine: What Does It Stand For

FVR stands for Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis. The virus is airborne and very contagious in susceptible animals.  It is most sever in very young cats and very old cats. 

C stands for Calicivirus infection.  The virus can survive up to ten days in the environment.  The disease may be transmitted by direct contact with an infected cat.  It can also be transmitted from an object (bowl, cage, brush, blanket, etc.) that harbors the virus.

P stands for Panleukopenia and is commonly referred to feline distemper.  It is a highly contagious disease with a high mortality rate.  It is very resilient and can live in the environment up to one year.  This disease is caused by the parvovirus similar to the parvovirus seen in dogs.   Mortality rate is approximately 90%.  The vaccine is very effective in preventing the virus.

C stands for Chlamydia Psittaci. Chlamydia organisms are very delicate and cannot survive in the environment.  Infection occurs from direct contact. The disease is common where large groups of cats are kept together, such as multi-cat households, breeding catteries and shelters. The vaccination will help prevent severe clinical disease.

FeLV [Feline leukemia virus] / FeLV Vaccine

FeLV is one of the most dangerous diseases for cats today.  It is a retrovirus that causes suppression in the cat’s immune system impairing the cat’s ability to fight off infections. This disease may lead to some forms of cancer and may cause anemia. Cats at risk for developing feline leukemia include indoor cats that sometimes go outside, cats that live outside, cats living in multiple cat households and cats that interact with other cats.

Prior to vaccinating for feline leukemia, your cat should be tested for the virus. FeLV is easily diagnosed by a simple blood test. Once a cat tests negative, the vaccine can be administered.
The purpose of the vaccine is to create immunity in the attempt to prevent infection with the virus.
The FeLV vaccine will not cause a positive test result.

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Laboratory case study on dogs and cats:
Ten cats and 10 dogs are not given vaccinations
Twenty-one cats and 21 dogs are vaccinated
One hundred percent (100%) of the UNVACCINATED animals (dog & cats) after being exposed to a virus died from the virus they were exposed to. All of the unvaccinated dogs and unvaccinated cats died.
One hundred percent (100%) of the vaccinated animals (dog & cats) after being exposed to a virus did NOT acquire the virus.  One case study did display mild symptoms but got well over time. All of the vaccinated dogs and cats lived.

Bottom line: Living good; not living bad

Are vaccinations necessary?  I would say definitely!

If your pet is not vaccinated, please get them vaccinated as soon as possible.

Best Wishes
Tim

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Is AAHA accreditation important to you and your pet?
I guess the answer depends on you and your view of animals. Some animal hospitals or animal clinics provide minimal service. To cut cost they may have opted not purchase and maintain diagnostic equipment such as X-ray or ultrasound needed for comprehensive medical analysis. Their facilities may also lack an in house pharmacy, or if they have one it is incomplete. Also to cut overhead, they may not have a fully equipped in house laboratory. I have heard some people refer to these places as band-aid clinics. Some veterinarians even practice medicine out of their vehicle without a building to accommodate even the basic required necessities to provide minimal care for animals. Yes, their overhead is dramatically less, a very small portion of their savings is passed along to you and yes the price is cheaper, but at what cost to your pet? 
However, there are many people that do not price shop. I am not saying that cost is not a concern; in today's economy; price is definitely a concern to all of us. Instead they compare service and seek quality care for themselves and their pets. It is this type of consumer that realizes that purchasing quality ultimately saves them money.
My observation is that our prices for service and products are competitive and often less than that our competitors. I feel this is the case because of multiple factors. (1) Our prices are based on a fee schedule provided from the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA); in fact we are still using the 2006 fee schedule. (2) Also being an AAHA accredited animal hospital means we work more efficiently, thus lowering our overhead costs. (3) We hire staff that is educated in their field of service; this reduces labor cost and most definitely provides better care for your pet. Also being an accredited hospital, AAHA works with us to help us reduce our costs and yes we do pass the savings to our customers. We are not about price, cost, being cheap, etc…. 
Our primary concern is doing whatever is in the best interest of your pet’s health and wellbeing. We hope that is your primary concern as well. 

Thanks for reading & Best Wishes
T.I.M.
t.i.m@windstream.net

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