Dog Vaccines:
There Is No “One Size Fits All. –by Dr. Timothy Jones
Your pet’s vaccine protocol should be tailored to his or her lifestyle. All dogs require rabies vaccines by law and dog owners should make sure they keep rabies up to date. This is not only for the health of the dog, but also to avoid potential legal issues. In addition to rabies, all dogs need Distemper and Parvovirus vaccines. Beyond these essential vaccines, owners should discuss their pet’s lifestyle with their veterinarian to determine the individual risk of exposure to disease, which non-essential vac- cines will benefit their pet, and the frequency of their vaccina- tions. Some non-essential vaccines your veterinarian may rec- ommend include Bordatella (kennel cough), Influenza, Leptosprosis and Lyme disease. Consider the following scenarios: a four-pound Chihuahua
that lives on the 23rd floor of a city sky scrapper uses potty pads and rarely leaves the home, versus a 65-pound Labrador Retriever that walks on the street multiple times a day, frequents dog parks and doggy day care, and goes on weekly hiking trips with its owners. These two pets have very different lifestyles and therefore very different risks of exposure to disease. Nowadays, many dogs are jet setters, traveling the world
both domestically and internationally with their owners. It is vital to share detailed information about your pet’s lifestyle with your veterinarian in order to make an accurate risk assessment. Although vaccines today are much safer than they were 20 years ago, no one wants to over-vaccinate dogs. Conversely, every pet owner would be devastated to lose their four-legged friend to a preventable disease, so it is imperative that they protect their dog from all diseases to which they are at risk. The media has been focusing on the influenza outbreak
near Chicago that prompted the closure of several dog parks in the area. What you may not be aware of is that the University of Florida School of Veterinary Medicine sent a statewide memo to all veterinary hospitals stating that they have recently seen a dramatic increase in leptospirosis diagnoses. Consult with your veterinarian today about your pet’s spe-
cific lifestyle and how to customize their vaccine protocol. It could be as simple as describing your dog’s daily and weekly routine and it could prevent a life threatening illness.
U
Dr. Jones is with Veterinary Medical Clinic, Tampa and Urgent Pet Care of South Tampa. He may be reached at 813.289.4086.
Here is something every pet owner should have on
hand for emergencies. Fortunately, it's common and cheap, and you may already have it in your kitchen cupboard. That item is corn starch. If your dog or cat is experiencing minor bleeding, you can pack the wound with corn starch to staunch the flow and soak up the blood. One word of advice from this veterinarian: This is intend-
ed to be used for minor bleeding, like from a very shallow cut, scrape, or quicked nail. More serious bleeding is life- threatening and may need stitches or other care only a vet-
erinarian can provide. ––Dr. Marty Becker.
www.TheNewBarker.com Summer/Fall ~ 2015 THE NEW BARKER 65
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