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Dog/Puppy Wellness Exams/Vaccinations

Vaccinations

The most common time we see our canine patients is for their annual vaccinations. These are important to ensure optimum immunity from even air-born diseases. We offer 3 vaccines here at our clinic:

DA2PP

A four way vaccine that protects against Distemper (a disease which causes chronic vomiting/diarrhea and is most often fatal), Adeno Viruses (Hepatitis), Parvo (a disease that causes chronic vomiting/diarrhea and is most often fatal), and Parainfluenza (a canine upper respiratory virus that is often the primary cause of kennel cough)

Bordetella (Kennel Cough):

The kennel cough vaccine that is often required for puppy classes and kennel visits. Bordetella helps to provide immunity against secondary infections in the lungs due to persistent parainfluenza infections. Bordetella is a natural bacteria that can be found in the respiratory tract of dogs, but can easily increase to excessive numbers if the lungs become irritated due to excessive coughing. It is always recommended to vaccinate dogs against Bordetella as it can easily lead to a very serious infection that could become difficult to treat.

Rabies:

Another disease that is passed through an affected animal (dog, cat, or wildlife) biting a dog. Unfortunately, rabies is almost always a lethal disease and is most commonly spread through bats in Alberta which puts all pets at risk.

PUPPIES:

Puppies need 3 sets of vaccinations recommended at 8weeks, 12weeks, and 16weeks of age. It is important that they receive their boosters on time for optimum immunity. During their first visit, we will usually give one dose of the DA2PP vaccine. On their second visit we administer their second dose of DA2PP and their first dose of Bordetella. Finally, on their third visit we administer their third dose of DA2PP, their second dose of Bordetella, and their first dose of Rabies. After all of these vaccinations, they are good for a full year by which time they will require their first adult boosters.

ADULT DOGS:

Adult cats require annual vaccinations to ensure that their immunity is up to date. Both the DA2PP vaccine and the Bordetella vaccine require annual boosters. The rabies vaccine only needs to be boosted every 3 years after the first adult booster.

If your dog has had a reaction to vaccinations in the past please inform us BEFORE your appointment so we can take proper measures to ensure the safety of your pet.

If you would like any additional information on the importance of vaccines, please follow the link below or call us.

Importance of Vaccinations

Wellness Exams

Just like humans, it is recommended that your dog receive yearly physical exams to ensure that they are healthy. Sometimes dogs may be asymptomatic, but actually have conditions that should be investigated to help prevent further development of the disease (such as a heart murmur which could indicate heart disease).

During the wellness exam, the doctor will examine the following:

- Eyes and nose for any discharge or redness

- Mouth to look for any retained baby teeth/dental disease or masses as well as look at their gum colour

- Listen to your pet's heart and lungs to check for abnormalities

- Check behind their jaw, in front of their shoulders and behind their back legs for pronounced lymph nodes

- Check in their ears to check for debris, redness, or masses

- Feel the abdomen to see if anything feels enlarged or abnormal

- Check the skin to look for any rashes, redness, abrasions, or lumps

- Look at the paws to see if there is any redness or other abnormalities

- Look at the scrotum and rectum to ensure everything looks normal externally

- Take your pet's temperature to check for a fever

If the doctor finds any abnormalities during the physical exam he can recommend treatments or give advice as to what to monitor for.

If you require a health certificate for travel or any other additional documents, please let us know ahead of time so we may schedule off enough time to fill out our necessary portions.