Vaccinations

We recommend the following vaccines for all dogs:

• Rabies: This vaccine is the only vaccine required by law in Ohio. This protects your pet from the unlikely event of encountering a rabid animal. The vaccine works quite well and is very safe. The initial vaccine is administered from 3 to 6 months of age and that will provide immunity for 1 year. The following year we administered the same vaccine and its duration of immunity should last 3 years.
• Distemper/Parvo/Adenovirus/Parainfluenza: These diseases are the most deadly and common in dogs. The vaccines work well and are safe. We start the vaccines as early as 6 weeks of age and continue every 2 to 4 weeks until 2 doses past 12 weeks of age. If the interval between injections is longer than 4 weeks, then we often times have to administer additional doses. After the initial series of vaccines, we will booster the vaccine again in 1 year and then every 3 years.
• Leptospirosis: This is a bacterium that is spread through animal urine. In Ohio, the most common source are raccoons. This disease mimics other diseases and can be difficult to diagnose. It can also be spread to people, which is one of the main reasons it is considered core for almost all dogs. This vaccine used to cause reactions at a higher rate than other vaccines, but our vaccines do not cause any higher rate of reaction than any of our other vaccines.

We also recommend the following based on lifestyle:

• Bordetella: This is commonly called kennel cough. It is one of the most common and more dangerous causes of canine respiratory disease complex. This is considered core for any pet that is social or comes in contact with other dogs. We recommend this for any dog who goes to dog parks, lodging, daycare, grooming, or other social occasions.
• Influenza: This is commonly called flu. Influenza in dogs is relatively new. The first cases were in 2007 and most dogs you have come in contact with have never had the flu. It affects dogs much stronger than people. Here are the stats: 80% of dogs exposed to the disease will contract the disease. 80% of dogs that have symptoms have a nasty cough, fever, and decreased appetite for about 2 weeks. Unfortunately, about 20% of dogs that get the disease will have lung hemorrhage and will require hospitalization. Somewhere between 1 and 5% can die from this disease. Thankfully, the vaccine works quite well. Unlike people, dogs only have 2 strains, and our vaccine gives dogs a strong immune response to both strains. Also unlike people there is not a set flu season for dogs which cases happening year round. We recommend this for any dog who goes to dog parks, lodging, daycare, grooming, or other social occasions.
• Lyme: This is a disease spread through ticks that has become much more common in our area over the last several years. We recommend this vaccine if your pet has a higher risk of tick exposure. This is typically from activities like hiking or living in an area where you see deer (the deer tick caries the disease). Lyme is spread in Ohio most commonly from November to February.
• Titers: For those who do not want to vaccinate their pets as frequently, we offer titers, which allow us to see if your pet still has a good immune response to the previous vaccines. This allows us to still protect your pet, but not do the vaccines as often.