Vaccinations
Your dog counts on you for protection. One of the very best things you can do to give your dog a long and healthy life is to ensure that he or she is vaccinated against common canine diseases. Vaccines contain small quantities of altered or “killed” viruses, bacteria or other disease-causing organisms. When administered, they stimulate your dog’s immune system to produce disease-fighting cells and proteins – or antibodies – to protect against disease. Many contagious diseases are airborne or can persist in the environment thus exposing pets who have limited contact with other animals.
What types of vaccinations do you offer for adult dogs?
At Centennial Animal Hospital, our vaccines are now being divided into two classes. ‘Core’ vaccines for dogs are those that should be given to every dog. ‘Non-core’ vaccines are recommended only for certain dogs. Whether to vaccinate with non-core vaccines depends upon a number of things including the age, breed, and health status of the dog, the dog’s risk of exposure to the disease based on travel, contact with other dogs or wildlife, or risk of ticks.
Our core vaccines include distemper, canine adenovirus-2 (hepatitis and respiratory disease), parainfluenza, canine parvovirus and rabies.
We also have the following non-core vaccines available to our patients: Bordetella (kennel cough), Lyme, and leptospirosis. If you would like more information on any of our vaccines, please consult one of our team members.
Is there a schedule for how often to vaccinate a dog?
The most crucial is to vaccinate puppies with a series of three to four shots ending at about 16 weeks (to ensure maternal antibody interference has waned). 1 year from the completion of the puppy series vaccination, we would do a booster vaccine of the core vaccines and then we rotate the vaccines on a 3-year protocol. Our veterinarians may recommend slightly different schedules and vaccines according to the specific dog’s risk factors. We also offer vaccine titres to evaluate if and when an individual dog requires boosters as different dogs may develop more or less robust immunity. Bordetella, Lyme and leptospirosis vaccines all require yearly boosters.
Why is it important to vaccinate your dog?
One of the most important things you can do to give your dog a long and healthy life is to ensure that they are vaccinated against common canine diseases. An annual examination by our veterinarian is still essential to keep your dog healthy and happy. Keep in mind that an annual check-up is the equivalent of a human only heading to the doctor’s office every five to seven years. A lot can happen during this time, which is why it is so important for our vets to take a look at your dog regularly. Early detection of problems can mean more effective treatment options and a healthier pet overall. For some dogs, a test can be done to determine whether a particular vaccination is necessary. These tests are called titer tests, and they measure the number of antibodies your dog has against various diseases. If you are concerned about giving your dog a particular vaccination, you can ask us about a titer test.
How much do dog vaccinations cost?
Please call our hospital at 204-269-8162 to speak to one of our team members and discuss pricing.
