There are a variety of dangerous diseases that are easily preventable through a standard course of vaccinations.  At Sandy Animal Clinic, we are committed to providing the most current protocols, ensuring your pet is getting the best preventions available.

Your pet’s vaccination schedule starts as a puppy or kitten.  Once he or she is though the initial vaccination schedule, your pet will require booster shots to maintain immunity as he or she gets older.  We keep track of your pet’s vaccines and will give the boosters at regular wellness visits, thereby ensuring your pet is always safe and protected from avoidable diseases.

Typical vaccines for dogs and cats are considered “core” vaccines and should be given to all dogs and cats to prevent specific diseases. The remaining “non-core” vaccines are given depending on your pet’s risk status.

Core Vaccines for Dogs:

DHPP: (Distemper, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza, and Parvovirus).  All of these viruses are found in our everyday enviornment.  We can bring them in on our shoes, they can survive in carpets and overwinter, and some are airborne.  Every dog is at risk for these viruses.

Your puppy recieves the first vaccination at the intial exam, around  7 weeks of age. The vaccine is repeated every 3-4 weeks until the puppy reaches a minimum of 14-16 weeks of age.  After the initial series is completed, your puppy wiill require this vaccine every 1 to 3 years depending on age and risk status. You veterinarian will make the appropriate recomendations.

Rabies: Viral infection that is transmited through the bite of an infected animal.  This virus can be transmitted to humans and is often fatal to pets and people.  There is no known treatment for rabies.

Your puppy recieves the first Rabies vacination of 5 to 6 months of age and will be good for 1 year.  The second Rabies vaccine is good for 3 years and is given every 3 years.

Non Core Vaccines for Dogs: 

Bordatella:   Infectious bronchitis characterized by a harsh, hacking cough which can progress to pneumonia.  If your Dog visits boarding, grooming or dog park facilities then a Bordatella vaccine is needed.  An initial intranasal vaccine is given and then repeated once a year.

Leptospirosis:  A bacteria that is spread through the urine of infected animals (raccoons, skunks, squirrels, opossums, rodents, or deer) which can get into the water or soil and survive for weeks to months.  Humans and animals can become infected  where the organism quickly spreads through the blood stream where it settles in  the kidneys and can cause kidney failure.  If your dog has access to areas where wildlife roam, then a Leptospirosis vaccine is needed.  The first vaccine is given to puppies at 12 weeks of age and repeated 3 weeks later.  This vaccine needs to be given yearly for protection.

Over the past several years there has been an association with adjuvanted vaccines in cats and tumors developing at the vaccine site. Although the development of vaccine related tumors are low, they have recently developed vaccines for cats that do not contain the adjuvant mixture. These vaccines are called Recombinant Vaccines. The use of Recombinant vaccines does not guarantee that a cat will not develop a vaccine related tumor but it does drastically decrease their chances.

• Recombinant Rabies must be given yearly.
• Recombinant feline distemper purevax can be given every 3 years.
• Recombinant Feline Leukemia (needleless) must be given yearl