All Animal Care Clinic’s Vaccination Protocols and Current Standards of Care

Our goal, as always, is to provide the very best care to our patients. Therefore, we would like to inform you of our new and improved Vaccination Protocols and of our new Standards of Care Directives.  These changes have been researched and are supported by the AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association) and AAHA (American Animal Hospital Association).

DOGS

• We vaccinate puppies for DHPP (Distemper, Hepatitis, Parvovirus, Parainfluenza) at 6 to 8, and 12 weeks of age, then again, one year from the final puppy booster.  After the first booster, we can also vaccinate for DHPP every three years.
• As we are not in an area of the country where Lyme disease or leptospirosis  are endemic, the Lyme or Lepto vaccination series is only by request. Puppies begin this series at 12 weeks of age, receive their booster shot at 16 weeks, then annually thereafter.  If vaccinating an adult dog against Lyme Disease, there is a series of two vaccines initially, three weeks apart, then annually thereafter.
• Rabies vaccinations are currently provided at 12 to 16 weeks of age, initially, then boostered 12 months later, and can then be administered as a yearly vaccine or as a three-year vaccine.
• Kennel cough (bordetella) vaccination requirements may vary per kennel situation. Intranasal vaccines are required (if possible) and provide not only the best protection from infection but also prevent environmental shedding of the disease.  The vaccine can be given annually, unless required every 6 months by the boarding facility in which your dog will be kenneled. A booster every six months is considered safe.

CATS     

• We recommend vaccinating for FVRCP (Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, and Panleukopenia) at 6 to 8, and 12 weeks of age, then again, one year from the final kitten booster.  For “low risk” patients, i.e. indoor only, the FVRCP vaccination protocol may be modified. For outdoor cats, we definitely recommend an annual booster against these viruses.
• For outdoor cats or other types of higher-risk cats, we highly recommend that you vaccinate for feline leukemia. This series starts at 8 weeks of age, gets boostered at 12 weeks, and then annually thereafter.
• Here at the AACC  we use a “killed virus” vaccine for Rabies, where the protocol is to first vaccinate no earlier than 3  months old.  The second booster must then be given 9 to 12 months later in order to be considered a three-year vaccine. The cat may then be vaccinated for Rabies every three years thereafter (excluding extra boosters if your cat sustains a wound).

We designed these vaccination guidelines to provide the very best protection for your pet..  But each pet is unique, and these guidelines will certainly be customized for the individual patient, we at  the AACC are always open to discussing this and all treatment options with each of our clients.

Standards of Care:

As we consider routine heartworm testing to be essential, we will test your dog for heartworm annually.

Though no medication or prevention is guaranteed to be 100 percent effective, we recommend administering heartworm medication to dogs and cats year-round as heartworm and intestinal parasites are prevalent year-round in Florida.
 
One other change being instituted at the AACC is a routine NSAID screen.  This blood test is strongly recommended every three to four months for all patients that are on chronic non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (dog and cat) before receiving further medication refills. This is to ensure that the anti inflammatory medications are not causing any damage to your pet’s internal organs.
 
We realize that some of our clients wish to purchase these medications for their pets through online pharmacies. Please note that when you purchase medications such as Revolution through your veterinarian, the manufacturer guarantees the product’s safety and efficacy. However the manufacturer’s guarantee is only valid if the product is purchased from a licensed veterinarian and is used precisely as directed. Moreover, our prices are often comparable to retailers such as Pet Meds. In some cases, we may be able to save you money. In addition to a product guarantee, we will give you a seventh vial of Revolution for free with the purchase of a six-pack.

With these minor changes in our vaccination and testing protocol, we aim to offer the best veterinary care possible. Don’t hesitate to call our office if you have any questions, as we are always happy to answer them!