Rabies Vaccination
Rabies is a 100% fatal disease of mammals. Because there is no effective treatment and the disease can also infect humans, vaccination against the rabies virus is required by Virginia law.
Canine DA2PP Vaccination
D = Canine distemper virus. Infection with this virus is serious, with a death rate approaching 50 percent in untreated dogs. The virus attacks the respiratory, digestive, and brain/nervous systems of dogs.
Distemper vaccination is recommended for all dogs due to ease of transmission, presence in native wildlife reservoir, and high death rate.
A2 = Canine adenovirus-2. Because this vaccine protects against canine adenovirus-2 and canine adenovirus-1, it is often referred to as A2. Canine adenovirus-1 causes canine infectious hepatitis, a serious disease that affects the liver. Canine adenovirus-2 causes respiratory disease and is one of the infectious agents commonly associated with tracheobronchitis, causing cough.
Adenovirus vaccination is recommended for all dogs due to ease of transmission.
P = Parvovirus. Infection with this virus is highly contagious and serious, with a death rate approaching 90 percent in untreated dogs. The virus attacks the digestive and immune systems of unvaccinated animals, causing debilitating diarrhea, vomiting and immunocompromised.
Parvovirus vaccination is recommended for all dogs due to ease of transmission, prevelence in dog population, and high death rate.
P = Parainfluenza. This virus causes a mild respiratory disease in dogs.
Parainfluenza vaccination is recommended for all dogs due to ease of transmission.
Bordetella Vaccination
B = Bordetella. Bordetella bronchiseptica is a bacterium that causes respiratory disease in dogs. It is one of the most common bacterial causes of canine infectious tracheobronchitis, which is also sometimes called kennel cough. Bordetella is highly contagious, easily transmitted through direct contact or the air, and resistant to destruction in the environment.
Bordetella vaccine is recommended for dogs that are boarded, that visit grooming parlors or visit dog parks.
Leptospira Bacterin Vaccination
L = Leptospirosis. This potentially serious bacterial disease, spread in deer urine, attacks the kidneys and liver of infected dogs and can be transmitted to humans.
Leptospirosis vaccination is recommended for dogs in our area.
Lyme Disease Vaccination
Lyme disease is transmitted through the bite of an infected tick. Clinical signs of Lyme disease are not always obvious, so periodic testing can identify dogs that have been infected. Even dogs that receive year-round tick control products and don’t spend a lot of time outside may be at risk for exposure to tick-borne diseases.
Lyme vaccination is recommended for dogs in our area.
Heartworm Testing
Heartworm disease is a serious and potentially fatal condition that affects dogs, cats, and up to 30 other species of animals. It is caused by parasitic worms (heartworms) living in the major blood vessels of the lungs and, occasionally, in the heart. These worms are transmitted (as microscopic larvae) through the bite of an infected mosquito.
Heartworm testing is performed annually to confirm efficacy of preventative treatments.
Fecal Parasite Testing & Appropriate Deworming
Roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, and other intestinal parasites are relatively common in pets. They can cause mild to serious illness.
Accurate diagnosis, including identification of the parasite(s) present, is important to determine the best treatment and help ensure a full recovery.
