Vaccinations

A vaccine contains a virus or bacterium that has been killed or altered. These infectious agents cause diseases, lethal or benign. Vaccines, when administered to an animal, stimulate the immune system to form disease-fighting cells (cell-mediated immunity) and circulate proteins (known as antibodies) to protect against the disease.

All our dogs and cats, without exception, whether they go outside or not, should receive the base vaccine and the rabies vaccine. The base vaccine protects against several viral diseases attacking the respiratory and digestive systems. In cats, there are infectious rhinotracheitis and calicivirosis in the respiratory tract and panleucopenia in the digestive tract. In the dog, there are parvovirus and distemper, two highly contagious and fatal digestive diseases, as well as adenovirus and sometimes parainfluenza, two viruses affecting the respiratory system. Rabies is a disease that affects all mammals and is transmitted primarily by bite. Even an animal that lives exclusively indoors must receive this vaccine. It is not possible to eliminate the risk of the animal getting lost through an open door and coming into contact with an infected wildlife such as a raccoon, skunk or bat. There is also a legal aspect to the rabies vaccine. If your pet is not vaccinated and bitten by a wildlife animal or biting a human, the authorities may require the animal to receive a series of rabies vaccines, which he or she be quarantined or even euthanized. Rabies is a zoonotic disease ( a disease of animals that can be transmissible to humans) it is deadly in almost all cases. It is our responsibility to protect humans through the vaccination of all animals. The city of Gatineau also requests that your animals be vaccinated against rabies and contagious diseases.

Vaccines for feline leukemia, leptospirosis, Lyme disease and kennel cough are added only if the animal is at risk.

Feline leukemia is a viral disease that causes suppression of the immune system, anemia, leukopenia (decreased white blood cells) and cancer (lymphoma or leukemia). This virus is transmitted by saliva. It therefore requires close contact with a contaminated cat so that the transmission can occur. Any cat that goes outside should receive this vaccine, as well as any indoor cat that comes in contact with a cat that goes outside or of undetermined status. When getting a new cat, ideally it should be tested for feline leukemia (as well as feline immunodeficiency virus) by taking blood, whether or not you take the vaccine. A cat can be contaminated from an early age by parents or other cats. It is better to know from the beginning if the cat is carrying or free of this disease. In addition, vaccinating an already positive cat will not protect it because the virus has the property of hiding inside the cells away from the antibodies that will be formed by the vaccine. It’s not dangerous.

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease caused by a bacterium that attacks the liver or kidneys of animals. It can be quickly fatal and is transmissible to humans. In dogs, the disease contracts when the dog drinks water or eats grass contaminated with the urine of an animal carrying the bacteria (mainly raccoon and skunk) or prey hunting (mainly rats). Any dog ​​that drinks stagnant water, eats grass, hunt, bathes, walks in the woods, public parks or farms should receive this vaccine. So any dog ​​that goes out to the outdoors should receive this vaccine.
Outdoor dogs exposed to ticks are susceptible to Lyme disease. Every year, the number of infected animals increases. Humans can also catch it by a tick bite but not directly from an infected dog. The disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and spreads by the bite of an infected tick. Not all ticks carry the organism, but those feeding on deer, small mammals, and rodents are common vectors, particularly in the northeastern United States and adjacent provinces of Canada. The main tick involved in the transmission of Lyme disease is Ixodes scapularis, commonly known as the deer tick or black legged tick. Borrelia mainly affects the joints and kidneys of dogs. Although many dogs (90-95%) will not develop disease after infection, problems such as lethargy, fever, lameness, loss of appetite, and swelling of the lymph nodes may occur. Tick ​​control remains the main method of preventing tick-borne diseases. Several drugs exist for this purpose.

Kennel cough is a disease that attacks the dog’s respiratory system. This disease is often contracted when the animal is kept in a kennel, the origin of its name. It is mainly caused by two viruses that are included in the basic vaccine and by the bacterium named Bordetella bronchiseptica that is inactivated in the intranasal vaccine. Many other infectious agents may be involved in the kennel cough complex, but they are not included in the vaccines. A vaccinated dog may still catch kennel cough however, he will be less sick, and for a shorter length of time. Kennel cough can be transmitted as long as the animal encounters an infected dog. Any dog ​​that is visit’s a kennel, frequents a grooming salon, attends obedience classes, frequents a dog park, or is generally in contact with other dogs, should receive this vaccine.

It is important to understand that when you begin to vaccinate an animal, some vaccines need to be repeated once or twice a month apart depending on the age of the animal to successfully develop good immunity while others may not. After the initial vaccination, annual or 3-year boosters are required depending on the vaccine. Your veterinary team is well educated and will inform you along the way to ensure the proper vaccination protocol required for your pet.

Vaccines will continue to play a very important role in protecting pets and humans (rabies and leptospirosis). For any other questions about vaccines, do not hesitate to contact us. Our veterinary team is the best ressource to help you decide which vaccines are best suited for the lifestyle of your animal.