Learn about the importance of vaccinations in preventing common diseases in pets. Our team at Paws Bay Animal Hospital can help you create a customized vaccination schedule for your pet.

We follow and update our protocols per the AAHA vaccination guidelines:

AAHA vaccination guidelines

Canine Vaccines

 Canine Distemper

• Virus that affects the respiratory, gastrointestinal and central nervous systems
• Transmission: Highly contagious via airborne droplets from infected dogs
• Signs: Fever, runny nose, watery eyes, may progress to muscle twitching, paralysis, seizures
• Treatment: Fluid therapy, antibiotics for secondary bacterial infections
• Prognosis: Potentially fatal
• Vaccination: Recommended for all dogs as part of ‘Distemper’ vaccine. See below**

Infectious Canine Hepatitis (Canine Adenovirus-1)

• Virus that can damage the liver, kidneys, spleen and lungs
• Recovered dogs continue to shed virus in urine for at least 6 months
• Transmission: Ingestion of urine, feces or saliva of infected dogs
• Treatment: Fluid therapy, antibiotic for secondary bacterial infections, possible blood transfusion if needed
• Prognosis: High fatality rate in very young dogs
• Vaccination: Recommended for all dogs as part of ‘Distemper’ vaccine. See below**

Canine Parvovirus

• Disease of the gastrointestinal tract
• Puppies at highest risk but may affect any age
• Resistant to many disinfectants
• Transmission: Contact with other infected dogs or their feces
• Signs: Bloody diarrhea, fever, lethargy; may show no signs while shedding and carrying virus
• Treatment: Fluid therapy, antibiotics, supportive care
• Prognosis: If treated early, most recover with appropriate care
• Vaccination: Recommended for all dogs as part of ‘Distemper’ vaccine. See below**

The Canine Distemper vaccine includes protection for the three above disease +/- parainfluenza virus. Begin at 6-8 weeks of age, booster every 3-4 weeks until over 16 weeks old. Booster adults at one year then every 2-3 years.**

Lyme Disease

• Lyme disease bacteria (Borrelia burgdorferi) damage joints, kidneys and other tissues
• Transmission: Bite by an infected tick
• Signs: Lameness, fever, lethargy
• Treatment: Antibiotics – disease may be persistent despite treatment
• Prevention: Annual vaccination of all dogs where disease is prevalent. Also use tick control.

 Rabies

• Acute viral disease of the brain and nervous system that may infect any mammal.
• Transmission: Bite from an infected animal (most commonly raccoon, skunk or bat)
• Signs: Sudden, significant change in behaviour (irritability, aggression, fear), unexplained paralysis or neurological signs (twitching, disorientation, etc)
• Treatment: None.
• Any unvaccinated, exposed animal should be euthanized or strictly isolated per state and local laws.
• Prognosis: Always fatal once showing signs of disease.
• Vaccination: Recommended for all dogs, required by law.

Bordetella bronchiseptica & Canine Parainfluenza

• Bacteria and virus contributing to infectious tracheobronchitis (inflammation of the upper airways) commonly called kennel cough
• Transmission: Highly contagious, transmitted via airborne droplets from infected dogs
• Signs: Harsh, dry cough often with retching and gagging, may or may not produce mucus
• Treatment: Supportive care, cough suppressants
• Prognosis: May lead to fatal bronchopneumonia in puppies or chronic bronchitis in old dogs
• Vaccination: Recommended for dogs around other dogs especially in close confinement such as boarding, grooming, obedience/training, dog park, vet clinic. A mucosal vaccine is given yearly. This is mandatory for health certificates necessary for the sale of a dog.

Leptospirosis

• Bacterial disease that can cause disease in kidneys, liver and other organs
• Transmission: Contact with infected animal urine
• Signs: Early nonspecific fever, lethargy, loss of appetite, joint/muscle pain
• Treatment: Fluid therapy and antibiotics
• Prognosis: Acute renal failure occurs in 80-90% of dogs with clinically significant infection
• Vaccination: Recommended yearly for all dogs. It is now considered a core vaccine by AAHA guidelines. It is mandatory for health certificates necessary for the sale of an dog. An initial vaccine is given after 12 weeks of age, boostered 3-4 weeks later then given yearly.

Influenza H3N8 and H3N2

• Viruses that cause cough, sneeze, nasal/ocular discharge, lethargy, fever, severe cases can cause pneumonia, death
• Most commonly cough up to 21 days.
• Transmission: shed virus before clinical signs start and up to 10 - 24 days after signs resolve when infected by another dog. Can remain in environment for 48 hours.
• Prognosis: 80% exposed will be sick, up to 10% die
• Vaccination: Recommended for dogs around other dogs especially close confinement such as boarding, grooming, obedience/training, travel, attending events like dog competitions. An initial vaccine is given, boostered 3-4 weeks later then yearly.

Feline Vaccinations

 Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis (Feline Herpesvirus)

• Causes nearly half of all upper respiratory disease infections in cats
• Transmission: Coughing/sneezing from an infected cat or transferred by a handler
• Signs: sneezing, runny nose, watery eyes
• Treatment: No cure, supportive care with possible antibiotics for secondary bacterial infections
• Prognosis: Good except very young, old or immune compromised cats. Often recurs.
• Vaccination: Recommended for all cats, begin at 6-8weeks of age, booster every 3-4 weeks until over 16 weeks old. Booster adults at one year then every 2-3 years.**

Feline Calicivirus

• Major cause of upper respiratory infections, often with herpesvirus
• Transmission: Coughing/sneezing from an infected cat
• Signs: Oral ulcers, drooling, sneezing, fever, pneumonia
• Treatment: Supportive care with possible antibiotics for secondary bacterial infections
• Prognosis: Good except very young, old, or immune compromised cats
• Vaccination: Recommended for all cats, given as above** as part of FVRCP vaccine

Feline Panleukopenia (aka Feline parvovirus or distemper)

• Highly contagious virus that destroys cells in bone marrow, lymph tissue, intestine, brain
• Transmission: By saliva, mucus and other secretions of infected cats
• Signs: High fever, vomiting, dehydration
• Treatment: Aggressive fluid therapy and supporting care
• Prognosis: May kill kittens suddenly
• Vaccination: Recommended for all cats, given as above** as part of FVRCP vaccine

Feline Chlamydophila

• Bacteria responsible for some eye infections. May worsen viral respiratory infections.
• Transmission: By direct contact with infected animal
• Signs: Runny eyes, some sneezing and nasal discharge
• Treatment: Antibiotic often as an eye ointment
• Prognosis: Good but often recurs
• Vaccination: Recommended in all cats especially multicat housing, given as above** as part of FVRCP vaccine

Rabies

• Acute viral disease of the brain and nervous system that may infect any mammal.
• Cats are the most commonly reported domestic animal infected with rabies.
• Transmission: Almost always transmitted by a bite from an infected animal (most commonly raccoon, skunk or bat)
• Signs: Sudden, significant change in behaviour (irritability, aggression, fear), unexplained paralysis or neurological signs (twitching, disorientation, etc)
• Treatment: None.
• Any unvaccinated, exposed animal should be euthanized or strictly isolated per state and local laws.
• Prognosis: Always fatal once showing signs of disease.
• Vaccination: Recommended for all cats, required by law.

Feline Leukemia (FeLV)

• Causes malignant tumors and anemia
• Supresses immune system making cats susceptible to other disease
• Cats can appear healthy while infected
• Transmission: In saliva, often transmitted during grooming, sharing water bowls or by bite wounds. Also through placenta from infected mom to kittens.
• Signs: Early stage is rarely detected, often present with signs from a secondary disease.
• Treatment: Aimed at treating secondary diseases and avoiding exposure to potential sources of disease.
• Prognosis: Can survive for years if they do not succumb to secondary diseases or lymphoma.
• Test: In-hospital blood test should be done on all cats of unknown history/exposure especially being brought into contact with other cats. Kittens testing positive should be retested in 1-3 months to be certain it is not a false positive.
• Vaccination: Recommended for all kittens as 2 injections 4 weeks apart starting early as 8 weeks old, booster in 1 year then as instructed based on risk. Recommended in high risk (outdoor, breeding, shelter) adults.

Numerous parasites pose health risks to our beloved pets. The most concerning include fleas, mosquito-transmitted heartworms, ticks carrying multiple diseases such as Lyme, anaplasma and erhlichia, as well as intestinal parasites like whipworms, hookworms, tapeworms, roundworms, giardia and coccidia, along with various mites. These parasites are particularly prevalent in the Tampa, Florida area, making prevention especially important. By understanding these risks and consistently using effective preventative medications, you can protect your beloved pets from unnecessary suffering and potential life-threatening conditions. Your veterinarian can guide you in choosing the most appropriate preventatives for your pet's specific needs and lifestyle.

Below are links to specific information for each risk:

Pets and Parasites - Pet Owner friendly site all about parasites

Heartworm disease

Companion Animal Parasite Counsel- view maps and information about various parasite diseases

Veterinary Partner - you can look up information about specific diseases, parasites, etc and get information published by veterinary experts

 

Get insights into the importance of proper nutrition for your pets' overall health. We can provide guidance on choosing the right diet for your pet's specific needs.

Behavior concerns with our pets can cause significant distress in the household. They can deeply impact the bond between owners, pets, and fellow housemates. It's important to understand that these situations are sensitive, and we encourage you to discuss any behavior concerns with your veterinarian. Our educational approach aims to provide you with evidence-based information and supportive guidance to address these challenges effectively. We're committed to helping you understand the underlying causes of problematic behaviors that may be affecting your pet's quality of life and relationships with their family. Below, we've provided links to information about commonly misunderstood behavior issues. By gaining knowledge about why certain behaviors occur, we can supportively guide you toward solutions that will enhance your pet's daily routine and overall happiness.

Separation Anxiety

Puppy training and socilization

Common 'naughty' behaviors

Fears and Phobias

Cognitive Dysfunction (canine dymentia)

Our comprehensive dental procedures are performed under general anesthesia with complete anesthetic monitoring. This allows us to obtain full mouth radiographs, which are essential for assessing the health of each tooth from crown to root. The majority of damaging dental disease exists below the gumline and cannot be properly evaluated without examining the entire tooth structure. If teeth are cleaned without this thorough examination, undetected pockets of disease and deep infection can continue to damage the gums, surrounding bone, and adjacent teeth.

In addition to our professional dental services, at-home dental care is a crucial component of your pet's overall health. We would be happy to provide personalized tips and techniques to help you maintain your pet's dental hygiene between visits.