Vaccinations

Preventative Healthcare

Vaccinations help keep your pet healthy and happy. At Animal Care Clinic we offer full range of vaccination for your pets.

Because we are geared to care for your individual pet, we don't prescribe to the school of blanket health care. We administer vaccines based solely and completely on the needs of your pet.

As we mentioned in the section on puppies and kittens, they need to be seen as soon as possible to assess their health and to begin a preventative health care program. A complete and through physical examination for all new puppies and kittens is essential. Likewise, we recommend a "head to tail" complete physical examination be performed on all dogs and cats yearly. After seven years of age, dogs and cats should have twice yearly physical examinations.

Healthcare Tips for Dogs and Puppies:

Stool Exams:

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that 10,000 children per year are infected with roundworms. As a result, we recommend the stool of all dogs and puppies be checked for intestinal parasites. For puppies, a minimum of two stool examinations and at least a yearly stool examination for adult dogs. The CDC recommends all puppies be dewormed until 16 weeks of age. High risk adult dogs may be dewormed yearly as well. A microscopic examination for your pet's stool will be performed to check for roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, tapeworms, giardia and coccidia.

Heartworm Disease:

Heartworm is carried by mosquitoes. Mosquitoes bite the puppy or adult dog and transmit a parasite that can develop in the heart of your pet. For adult dogs, we recommend yearly heartworm testing via a blood sample. All puppies and dogs should be on a monthly heartworm prevention.

Vaccinations:

Rabies vaccine:

Rabies is considered a zoonotic disease (a disease which can be transferred to people). As a result, the State of Illinois requires all puppies (at 15-16 weeks of age) and all adult dogs receive a rabies vaccination.

Distemper/Parvovirus/Hepatitis/Parainfluenza:

For puppies, we recommend a series of a Distemper/Parvovirus/Hepatitis/Parainfluenza vaccine be administered beginning at 6-8 weeks of age. This vaccination is administered periodically until 16-18 weeks of age. It is generally administered yearly thereafter.

Leptospirosis:

This is a bacterial disease which affects the liver and kidneys. Again, people can acquire this disease.

Bordetella:

This is often referred to as kennel cough or tracheobronchitis. It is highly contagious. This vaccination is especially important for puppies and dogs that go to boarding and grooming facilities. Also, wherever there is close contact with other dogs (dog parks, puppy and obedience schools, dog clubs), this vaccine is recommended.

Lyme Disease:

This disease is carried by ticks. This disease can affect internal organs and can cause arthritis. This vaccination is recommended for puppies and dogs that visit areas of heavy tick infestations: wooded areas, hiking/camping areas, dog parks and lakes.

Spaying or Neutering:

Unless you intend to breed your pet, we recommend spaying (females) or neutering (males). Significant health risks are associated with animals that are not spayed or neutered: breast and uterine cancer, uterine infections, enlarged prostate and cancer of the prostate or testicles. These procedures are generally performed between 4-6 months of age.

Microchipping:

This involves a small "chip" that can be administered under the neck (similar to a vaccine) that will allow for rapid identification if your pet should be lost or stolen.

HealthCare Tips for Cats and Kittens:

Stool Exams:

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that 10,000 children per year are infected with roundworms. As a result, we recommend the stool of all cats and kittens be checked for intestinal parasites. For kittens, a minimum of two stool examinations and at least a yearly stool examination for adult cats. The CDC recommends all kittens be dewormed until 16 weeks of age. High risk adult cats may be dewormed yearly as well. A microscopic examination for your pet's stool will be performed to check for roundworms, tapeworms and coccidia.

Heartworm Disease:

Heartworm disease is carried by the mosquito. Most diagnosed cats affected with heartworm disease live strictly indoors! We recommend either an oral chewable or topical heartworm prevention for kittens and cats.

Vaccinations:

Rabies Vaccine:

Rabies is considered a zoonotic disease (a disease which can be transferred to people). As a result, we recommend all kittens and adult cats receive rabies immunization. Because of the concern regarding post-vaccine inflammation and sensitivity by some rabies vaccines in cats, we use only non-adjuvanted rabies vaccine in all our feline patients. This vaccine decreases the risk of injection site swelling and inflammation.

Panleukopenia/Rhino-tracheitis/Calcivirus Vaccine:

For kittens, we recommend a series of the feline "distemper" vaccine be administered beginning at 6-8 weeks of age. This vaccination is administered periodically until 16 weeks of age. It is generally administered yearly thereafter.

Feline Leukemia/Feline Immunodeficiency Virus:

Both of these viruses are highly contagious and fatal viral diseases in cats. We recommend all kittens or adult cats that have been adopted be tested for these diseases. This is a simple blood test that is performed in our clinic and takes about 5-10 minutes. We currently recommend feline leukemia vaccine for kittens and cats that are considered high risk: outdoors or exposed to cats that go outdoors.