Copper Country Veterinary Clinic

“ Canine vaccinations start at 6 weeks of age
“ We do not vaccinate pregnant or sick animals

RABIES
“ Required by law in Michigan at four months of age;can be given as early as 3 months
“ Booster required one year after first rabies booster
“ Subsequently boostered every three years

CANINE VACCINES:
“ Initial series include 2-4 injections
“ Start vaccinations as soon as weaned (six weeks of age)
“ Annual boosters required after initial series

DHPP Vaccine (protects against Canine Distemper, Infectious Hepatitis, Parainfluenza, and Parvo Virus)
Bordetella Vaccine (required for boarding)
Lyme Disease and Giardia Vaccines (recommended for outdoor dogs)

CANINE DISTEMPER:
“ Viral disease, highly contagious to dogs
“ Signs—nasal or eye discharge, cough, no appetite
“ Takes 4-6 weeks to run its course
“ May develop nervous system signs (convulsions, twitches)
“ Treatment is not successful in late stages
“ Wait thirty days before getting another dog
“ Disinfect with Clorox (4oz/gal water)

INFECTIOUS HEPATITIS:
“ Serious viral disease that affects liver, kidneys, lymph nodes, eyes, and other organs
“ High fever, loss of appetite, tonsillitis, bloody diarrhea
“ Highly contagious
“ IV fluids are required to treat

PARAINFLUENZA:
“ Similar to “Kennel Cough”

PARVO VIRUS:
“ Viral disease, highly contagious
“ Spread through feces of infected dog
“ Signs—vomiting, diarrhea, bloody diarrhea, dehydration
“ Prognosis depends somewhat on age of dog—more severe in young puppies
“ IV fluids often required for several days to recover
“ Disinfect with Clorox (4oz/gal water)

CORONA VIRUS: (needed for younger dogs only)
“ Viral disease, highly contagious
“ Intestinal infection resulting in diarrhea, vomiting, and depression
“ Spread through feces of infected dog
“ Treatment same as Parvo Virus
“ Does not need to be boostered in older dogs

BORDETELLA (TRACHEOBRONCHITIS):
“ Often called “Kennel Cough”
“ Persistent, dry, hacking cough
“ Highly contagious among dogs
“ May last 4-6 weeks
“ Not the only cause of “Kennel Cough”

LYME DISEASE (BORRELIOSIS):
“ Tick-borne disease
“ Cannot be directly transmitted to humans or other pets
“ Severe pain, lameness, lethargy, loss of appetite, depression, arthritis
“ Also affects the heart, brain, and kidneys
“ Treated with broad-spectrum antibiotics

GIARDIA:
“ Caused by parasite often found in water
“ Diarrhea, weight loss; (severe abdominal pain and cramping in humans)
“ Possibility of transmission to humans
“ Not easily treated

· Felines start vaccines at 8-10 weeks of age

· Initial series is 2-3 injections

· Annual boosters required after initial series

· Commonly known as Feline Distemper

· Serious viral disease, highly contagious

· Severe vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration

FELINE CALICIVIRUS:

· Fever, excess salivation, mouth or tongue ulcers

FELINE RHINOTRACHEITIS:

· Viral respiratory disease

· Profuse discharge from eyes and nose

· Most severe in small kittens

FELINE PNEUMONITIS:

· Respiratory infection resembling rhinotracheitis

· Caused by Chlamydia psittaci organism

· Can by complicated by associated bacterial infections

FELINE LEUKEMIA (FeLV):

            · Caused by a virus that may lead to cancer

· Highly contagious to other cats

· Unable to resist other diseases

· Should be tested before initiating vaccination program

· Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) often tested with FeLV (Feline version of H.I.V.)

FELINE BORDETELLA

· Often called “Kennel Cough”

· Persistent, dry, hacking cough

· Highly Contagious

PARASITES:

“WORMS”:

• Advise routine fecal exam every 12 months (not critical for indoor cats)
• Pups can be born with worms or become infected from nursing
• Start deworming pups at four weeks of age
• Dogs and cats do NOT have pinworms (people do not get pinworms from pets)

ASCARIDS:

· Known as Roundworms

· Long, round, look like spaghetti, often curl up

· Seen primarily in young animals

· Can cause visceral larval migrans in people

HOOKWORMS:

· Ľ the size of the head of a pin

· Blood suckers, causing anemia

· Can cause bloody diarrhea

· Can be fatal to young pups

· Can cause rash in humans

WHIPWORMS

· Large intestinal worm

· Environmentally resistant egg

· Contract from ingesting eggs

· Causes weight loss, diarrhea, anemia

· Disinfect area where dog defecates daily

TAPEWORMS

· Short, flat segments (like rice or cucumber seeds)

· Can get from ingesting fleas

· Can get from ingesting birds, rabbits, rodents—primary cause in U.P.

· Must find segments in stool sample to diagnose

· Eggs not usually found on fecal exam

· Treatment requires special type of medication

· Transmission to people rare

HEARTWORMS

· Spread by mosquito

· Causes death from heart failure

· Coughing, weight loss, tiring on exercise

· Test once a year, even if on preventative if in epidemic area

· Can start prevention at 3-4 months of age

· Not transmittable to people

FLEAS

· 90% of life cycle is OFF the pet

· Major flea control involves treating house and yard

· Recommend Vectra for dogs and Frontline for cats for prevention and treatment

TICKS

· Recommend Vectra for dogs and Frontline for cats for prevention and treatment

· Recommend Lyme vaccine

MANGE

· Many types, must bring to clinic for skin scraping diagnosis

· Sarcoptic Mange—contagious to other animals and people

· Demodectic Mange (“Red Mange”)—can be contagious to other pets (usually not to normal adult dogs) and to humans in small amounts

SURGERY PROCEDURES

• Surgeries done Monday-Fridays on varying days.  Dentals done on specified days.
• No food after 8:00 PM the night before surgery or dental cleanings
• Do not restrict water
• Food and water should be restricted after surgery for 8-12 hours and then only small amounts at a time for the first 24 hours, to prevent nausea and vomiting
• Non-dissolvable sutures are removed in 10-14 days at no charge, unless sedation is needed or surgery was done at a different veterinary clinic

ANESTHESIA:

• Pre-anesthetic blood-work is strongly recommended.
• Always some risk involved

SPAY:

• Best to do before first estrus (“heat”)—about 5-6 months of age
• If nursing, prefer to wait 3-4 weeks after weaning pups so milk dries up
• Extra charge if “in heat” or pregnant
• Stays overnight
• Sutures out in 10-14 days, no charge
• Restrict activity for 2 weeks
• Does not cause animal to become fat or lazy

NEUTER:

• Any time after 5 months of age in both cats and dogs
• Does not cause animal to become fat or lazy
• Helps prevent later tumors and prostate problems in dogs
• Usually stops fighting, spraying, and strong urine odor in cats
• Sutures, if used, are dissolvable
• Can go home same day if surgery is done in the morning
• Has to stay overnight if animal has cryptorchid

TAIL DOCKING:

• Recommended age—3-5 days
• Will not be done after 5 days old
• Dewclaws are routinely removed at the same time
• Dewclaws can be removed on older animals, but it is considered surgery