Canine Wellness Information

Our philosophy is to provide compassionate, comprehensive care for your pets.  We are here to help you make informed choices for your dog’s health and well-being.  We know that all dogs are different, and their risk to certain diseases varies.  Please review our basic services and choose which of these is appropriate for your four-legged family member.  We also list prices so you can keep your budget in mind. 

Core Vaccinations: Recommended for all dogs

Many serious pet diseases can be prevented by vaccinations.  Even if they rarely leave your yard, your dog can be exposed to viruses carried in the air, dust, grass, or on clothing.  Vaccinations provide inexpensive protection against costly treatment or premature death of your dog.

• Rabies: an incurable, fatal infection of the nervous system that attacks all animals including humans. Vaccination is your pet’s only protection. Because it is transmissible to humans, it is required by law that all cats, dogs and ferrets be vaccinated.

• Canine Distemper/Parvo:  Distemper is deadly to dogs.  It starts as a severe respiratory infection, and then moves to the brain causing seizures, then death. Parvo causes life threatening severe bloody diarrhea and vomiting.

Important Optional Vaccines: Is your dog at risk?     

• Canine Bordetella (Kennel Cough) is a highly contagious respiratory infection that causes bronchitis with a gagging, hacking cough that may last weeks or months. Recommended for: all dogs that are groomed, boarded, participate in shows or classes, or frequent parks where a lot of dogs congregate.  Needs initial vax, 4-week booster, and then every 6 months.

• Canine Leptospirosis: a disease carried by wild mammals that infects dogs and then can be passed to humans.  It lives primarily in water sources in contact with wildlife.  Recommended if: your dog drinks or runs through puddles, streams, ponds and lakes, especially Chatfield Dog Park.  We also recommend it for dogs in contact with small children. Needs initial vax, 4-week booster, then annually. 

• Rattlesnake (RS) vaccine protects against RS venom.  It produces antibodies in the dog that block the effect of the venom.  To date, it is proving effective, though all dogs that are bitten by a rattlesnake should be taken to a veterinarian immediately.  Recommended for: all dogs in areas where rattlesnakes live, especially if your dog hikes with you!  Needs initial vax, booster 4 weeks later, then annually in the spring.

• Giardia is a parasite in all unfiltered water sources in Colorado.  Most dogs develop their own immunity to it; however, the vaccine reduces shedding of the parasitic cysts in the stool.  Recommended for: dogs in contact with young children, or dogs with chronic diarrhea due to giardia.  Needs initial vax, 4-week booster and annual vaccination.

• Canine Influenza is an emerging disease similar to the human flu.  It can be mild, but in 10% of cases, it causes a life-threatening pneumonia (50% mortality).  A new vaccine is available, and preliminary studies show a high degree of safety and effectiveness.  Your dog will need an initial vax, 2-3 week booster and then yearly thereafter. Strongly Recommended for: all dogs that are groomed, boarded, participate in shows or classes, or frequent parks where a lot of dogs congregate.  If you are boarding your dog, it is most effective if started a month prior.

                       
PREVENTIVE HEALTH CARE IS MUCH MORE THAN JUST VACCINATIONS!

• Comprehensive Physical Exams help detect pet health problems in early stages.  Dogs age 5-7 times faster than humans.  Exams detect a multitude of health problems (i.e. when was the last time you examined your dogs back teeth?).  Remember, animals often hide pain and illness!!!

• Heartworms are carried by mosquitoes and are life-threatening to dogs.  Heartworm preventative (we use Heartgard) should be started at 8 weeks of age.  Dogs over 6 months need to be tested and annual testing is required thereafter.  Heartgard also protects against intestinal parasites.  You may give it when the insects are active (May to October) or year-round. If you give it year-round, you can test every two years.  If you have children, we especially recommend year-round preventative to help protect them from intestinal parasites that can be transmitted by your dog.

• Senior pet wellness screening  (For dogs 7 years and older) Older dogs should have yearly blood and urine tests.  Early discovery of the diseases of aging such as kidney, liver, thyroid, diabetes, and anemia often makes treatment less expensive, and will give your pet the best quality of life for the longest time possible. Urine tests are important because 20% of healthy pets are shown to have urinary tract infections with no outward symptoms!  If left untreated, they can lead to kidney infections, which are much more serious.

• Arthritis/Pain Relief:  Most dogs over seven years of age have some degree of arthritis and we offer a variety of medications for chronic pain to make your pet more comfortable in later years.  Please discuss options with us that make sense for you budget and your dog’s well being.  We also have medications to help prevent painful arthritis in younger dogs at risk.

• Intestinal Parasites threaten your dog’s health and can be transmitted to humans. Keep in mind that worms lay eggs intermittently, so the doctor may recommend deworming even though the test is negative if she feels your pet is at risk.  Annual testing of all dogs is recommended, especially if they hike, camp, board, go to dog parks, doggie daycare or other places where dogs congregate. 

• Dental Health Care is one of the most neglected of pet health needs.  It is not just bad breath. The tartar on their teeth is an infection that seeds bacteria into inflamed gums, travels to the liver, kidneys, and heart and damages these organs.  Dental disease is also painful, despite their instinct to keep eating.  Regular exams, professional cleanings, and proper dental home care are necessary for good health.  We hope you understand their importance to your dog’s overall health and comfort and we will be happy to discuss this with you during our exam.

• Microchips:  More important than you’ll ever know (unless you’ve lost a beloved pet).  Dogs escape and get lost more often than you realize, and can get injured and found by strangers.  Also--collars come off!  All vet clinics and shelters have scanners to check for microchips.   These devices are the only insurance you have that your dog will be returned to you if they are found.  They also bring peace of mind that you have done all you can to bring your dog home safely when they become lost or injured.  It is a simple procedure using a needle to implant the microchip and can be done during any exam.  We provide the online registration for you.

• Pet Insurance:  Recommended for all dogs, especially puppies for their first two years, and dogs over the age of five.  There are many common problems such as allergies, lacerations, orthopedic injuries, arthritis etc. that can be very costly and preexisting conditions are not covered.  We recommend Pet’s Best Insurance, but you should check the website www.petinsurancereview.com to see what is best for your needs and budget.

 Food:  Basically, you get what you pay for. Because food manufacturers change their ingredients often, we do not recommend one specific brand.  We ask that you examine the ingredients and ensure that the first ingredient is meat (not meat by-product) and that it contains minimal corn. Some pet foods even contain beaks, hooves and feathers.   Buyers beware…

SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS

General Recommendations:

• Core Vaccines
• Heartworm Testing and Preventative
• Annual Fecal (Stool) Exam
• Rattlesnake Vaccine if snakes live in your neighborhood
• Microchip
• Pet Insurance

If you have young children:

• General Recommendations (see above)
• Lepto Vaccine
• Giardia Vaccine if your dog is at risk for contracting the parasite

If you hike with your dog, visit dog parks or other places where dogs congregate:

• General recommendations (see above)
• Lepto Vaccine if they drink out of streams, puddles or lakes          
• Rattlesnake Vaccine if at risk
• Bordetella Vaccine                                                       

If you board or take your dog to the groomers or doggie daycare:

• General Recommendations (see above)
• Bordetella Vaccination
• Influenza Vaccination

Older dogs 7 years and older:

• General Recommendations (see above)
• Senior Bloodwork
• Discuss Arthritis if indicated

Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.  We want to make sure that we have a mutual understanding and work together to ensure your dog’s optimal health and wellbeing within the financial constraints of your budget.

Thank you---the staff of CVAH!