Regularly scheduled shots

An indispensable part of keeping your dog healthy is to keep its vaccinations up-to-date. Conditions in your area may necessitate additional shots; ask your vet about them as they may not always be routinely included in normal shot programs. DHLPP is a combination shot: Distemper, (Canine) Hepatitis, Leptospirosis, (Canine) Parainfluenza, (Canine) Parvovirus.


Vaccinations may fail under the following conditions:

-Vaccinations that are improperly administered (should always be by or supervised by a vet)

-The dog has some innate inability to respond.

-The dog has already been exposed to the disease in question.

-The puppy is too young for the vaccination to "take".


Other vaccines

(Not an exhaustive list)

Other vaccines and preventives should also be given such as heartworm, Lyme disease, etc, when needed. Heartworm prevention should begin around 3 months, but then it depends on where you live. Those living in warmer, damper areas with higher concentration of heartworm may want to start earlier. Lyme disease vaccine instructions recommend giving it around 12 weeks; Bordatella vaccines (for Kennel cough) around 6 months or earlier depending on risk.


Up-to-date on shots?

Do you know what it means when your vet tells you your dog has ALL its shots? Chances are, your dog isn't. Stay informed and read up in some of the dog literature about what types of vaccinations your dog should have. Then make sure your vet has administered vaccines for the appropriate things -- it's up to YOU to make sure your dog has *all* its shots, not your vet.

Vaccinations for Cats

Vaccinations against cat disease should begin when it is a kitten and continue throughout a cat's life. How often cats need boosters for some of the vaccines depends in part on the cat's lifestyle. Consult your veterinarian.

Here are the basic vaccines all owners should get their cats:

Rabies, though is unlikely to strike indoor cats, is a vaccination required by law. Despite not being common, infected bats and other wild animals may get into homes and attack the cat. According to the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, rabies among wild animals is on the rise, particularly in the northeast. Since this deadly disease can be transmitted to people, it's wise to adhere to the law.

Dog owners are usually responsible about vaccinating their pets, but all too often cat owners don't bother. That's true even in households that have both dog and cat companions. As a result, more cats than dogs contract rabies.

Feline Panleukopenia (feline distemper or feline parvovirus) is a hardy virus that can wait in the environment for many months before infecting an unprotected cat. Indoor cats are prone because owners may unknowingly carry the virus on their shoes or their clothing. An all-purpose FVCP vaccine protects against the Feline Panleukopenia as well as several respiratory diseases.

Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP), the second main cause of infectious-disease death in cats, this killer infects mostly younger cats. Until 1990, there was no vaccine. Today the vaccine's efficacy is still under debate. Odds are that if you adopt an older cat into a household with no other felines, and keep the cat indoors, this vaccine may not be required. However, you should consult your veterinarian.

Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV) is a highly contagious virus, and can be passed from cat to cat by saliva, urine, feces or blood. Simply drinking from the same bowl or rubbing against an infected cat can place a healthy cat at serious risk.

Indoor cats may not require this vaccine. High-rise cats are reasonably secure, as long as they don't romp in the hallways with other cats. When an owner brings a new tabby into the house who is not tested for the virus, the established cats will be vulnerable. If there's no risk of your cat coming into contact with an infected individual, this vaccine can probably be avoided. However, check with your vet before making the decision.