Animal Health Center
of Salisbury

Canine Vaccinations - Animal Health Center of Salisbury - Salisbury, MA

 

By vaccinating our pets, we are ensuring that they are immune to different, possibly fatal diseases if/when they get exposed to them. It costs less to prevent diseases than it does to treat them!

 

RABIES

Rabies is a severe and often fatal disease that affects the brain and central nervous system. Massachusetts requires that both cats & dogs receive their rabies vaccination as early as 6 months of age. A second vaccine is recommended after 1 year and then boosters every three years.

 

LEPTOSPIROSIS

Lepto is a bacterial disease spread through urine of infected animals. The bacteria in Lepto can be deposited into soil, puddles, lakes, ponds, etc. Your dog can come in contact with this bacteria by drinking (or even swimming/walking in) the contaminated water. It is highly recommended if your dog has an active, outdoor lifestyle!

 

LYME

Lyme disease is a tick-borne disease that is very high in this area. The most common symptoms are lameness, swollen lymph nodes, joint swelling, fatigue, and loss of appetite. In addition, serious kidney complications have been associated with Lyme disease. It is important to consider the Lyme vaccine, but to also get a tick preventative to help repel the different kinds of ticks!

 

BORDETELLA (KENNEL COUGH)

This is similar to a human having a cold. It is contagious and can be transmitted to other dogs through the air or direct contact. Dogs can show symptoms of kennel cough 3-4 days after being exposed to a larger amount of dogs. The most common symptom is a hard "honk" like cough, but other common symptoms include sneezing, runny nose, and loss of appetite.

 

DISTEMPER/PARVOVIRUS

Canine Distemper is an incurable, often fatal disease that affects the respiratory, gastrointestinal, and central nervous systems. It is spread through urine, blood, or saliva of other infected animals. The most common transmission is through sneezing, coughing, and sharing food/water bowls. 

Canine Parvovirus is a highly contagious disease that attacks cells in the intestines and stops them from being able to absorb vital nutrients. If not treated the mortality rate is as high as 91%. It is spread from dog to dog through fecal waste of an infected dog. It is also spread when there is a large amount of dogs - dog parks, boarding/training facilities, shelters, etc. The virus can be carried on the hair of a dog's feet, contaminated cages and even shoes!