Lake County Veterinary Clinics
Canine Preventative Health Care Guidelines
1. ANNUAL PHYSICAL EXAMINATION:
- This is necessary to monitor any subtle changes that can indicate serious health problems as well as assess the dental disease.
o More than two-thirds of dogs over three years of age suffer from some degree of periodontal disease, making it the most common disease affecting pet dogs.
2. VACCINATION GUIDELINES:
- Vaccines protect your pet against many serious and potentially fatal canine diseases. Vaccines stimulate your pet’s immune system to produce antibodies that will help fight disease. As a puppy matures, it should receive a series of vaccinations to stimulate its immune system, and as an adult dog, your pet should have annual boosters to keep the antibodies present.
- Core Vaccinations
1. Canine Distemper Combination Series (Distemper, Parvovirus, Adenovirus-2, Parainfluenza) – Administration injectable by the (SQ) route
2. Canine Distemper Combination Series with Leptospirosis (Distemper, Parvovirus, Adenovirus-2, Parainfluenza) – Administration injectable by the (SQ) route
3. Rabies – Administration injectable by the (SQ) route
- Non-Core Vaccinations
1. Bordetella bronchiseptica + canine parainfluenza virus – Administration Intranasal (IN) Route
- Recommended – For dogs going to boarding kennels, groomers, training classes, and places where many dogs congregate. Highly recommended for all puppies
2. Bordetella bronchiseptica only (monovalent) – Administration Intraoral (Oral) verse injectable (SQ)
- Recommended – For dogs going to boarding kennels, groomers, training classes, and places where many dogs congregate. Highly recommended for all puppies
3. Leptospirosis (killed) 4-serovars (serovar canicola; serovar icterohaemorrhagiae; serovar grippotyphosa;
serovar pomona– Administration injectable by the (SQ) route
- Recommended – For dogs who may become in contact with contaminated water. Dogs may be infected through contact with urine of infected animals such as raccoons, skunks, rats, feral cats, dogs, and other animals. Often, dogs contract the disease by swimming in stagnant water or drinking contaminated water in puddles.
4. Borrelia burgdorferi (Canine Lyme Disease) – Administration injectable by the (SQ) route
- Recommended – Helps to prevent Lyme disease in dogs, a bacterial infection that’s transmitted by blacklegged (aka deer or Ixodes) ticks that tend to live in woods and tall grasses in Minnesota and other regions. This vaccine is recommended for dogs that spend more time outside or are regularly exposed to wooded areas that provide high risk for exposure.
3. DIAGNOSTICS RECOMMENDED:
- Heartworm, Lyme, Anaplasma, and Ehrlichia Test (4DX Test): This is a blood test that screens for heartworm disease and exposure to tick-borne diseases. Antibodies to these diseases take 4 weeks to reach levels that will be detected by this test.
o All dogs 6 months of age should be tested with a rapid 4DX blood test then annual tests should be repeated throughout life this is recommended by the American Heartworm Society.
- Heartworm disease is spread by mosquitoes and can lead to severe lung and heart disease.
- Tick-borne disease (Lyme, Anaplasma, and Erlichiosis) can cause illnesses including joint disease, clotting issues, lethargy and occasional kidney issues. Please ask LCVC’s if you have questions about tick-borne diseases.
- Fecal Testing: The most common test performed on feces is fecal flotation which is used to screen for parasites or their eggs. This is recommended to send out annually or any time a puppy/dog is exhibiting any GI symptoms.
o Recommend bringing in a stool sample for analysis on an annual basis and for the first puppy exam.
4. PARASITE CONTROL:
- Ectoparasites:
o Ectoparasites can live on the outside of your pet. Fleas and ticks are the most common and concerning ectoparasites!
o Fleas and ticks are not just a nuisance, they’re also a real threat to your pet’s health. Dogs and cats not treated with flea and tick medication, either in the form of a topical treatment or a flea and tick pill, can suffer everything from flea allergy dermatitis (which causes your animal to bite and scratch himself and sometimes lose his hair) to tapeworms.
o Start at spring thaw until winter freeze to reduce tick exposure
o PRODUCTS: [There are many products on the market these are carried at LCVC’s- please ask why]
1. Oral Chewable Products:
- Bravecto (fluralaner): This product is an oral flea and tick preventative which allows for 12 weeks of protection. Kills fleas and ticks within ours of administration. Decreases chances of pet owner noncompliance compared to monthly products.
i. Labeled for dogs: 6 months of age and older weight at least 4.4 lbs
- Flea coverage: Ctenocephalides felis (lasts 12 weeks)
- Tick coverage: Black-legged tick, American dog tick, Brown dog tick (lasts 12 weeks), Lone star tick (lasts 8 weeks)
- Simparica (sarolaner): This product is an oral flea and tick preventative which allows for 35 days of protection. Kills fleas within 3 hours and ticks within 8 hours. Simparica has been shown to kill >98% of existing deer tick infestations within 12 hours. Lyme disease is typically transmitted in 24-48 hours.
i. Labeled for dogs: 6 months of age and older weight 2.8 lbs
- Flea coverage: Ctenocephalides felis
- Tick coverage: Black-legged tick, American dog tick, Brown dog tick, Lone star tick, Gulf Coast tick.
(lasts 12 weeks) - Other coverage – (extra-label): Demodex canis, Sarcoptes scabiei, Otodectes cynotis
2. Topical products: Recommended for patients with seizures or neurologic disease
- Vectra 3D: This product repels and kills ticks; it prevents the attachment by acting directly on the dog’s coat without any need to infiltrate the blood. It kills adult fleas (within 2 hours) and protects for a full month. Control of fleas in the environment lasts for 2 months after application. This product also repels and kills mosquitoes that may transmit dirofilariasis (heartworm). It also repels and kills stable flies.
i. This product is recommended once a month throughout the season
ii. Labeled for puppies/dogs: over 7 weeks of age and at least 2.5 lbs
- Intestinal Parasites:
o Parasites: Dogs should receive these preventatives monthly all year around. Intestinal parasites such as roundworms, whipworms, hookworms, tapeworms may cause gastrointestinal symptoms in dogs such as reluctance to eat, vomiting, or diarrhea. Some of the intestinal parasites, such as roundworms and hookworms, are “zoonotic.” This means that people can become infected through the ingestion of fecal contamination. These worms can then wreak havoc in the human body.
o RECOMMENDATIONS:
- Sentinel Spectrum: This is a palatable once-a-month prescription tablet that prevents heartworm disease and flea populations in dogs and puppies. It also for the prevention and controls flea populatios, adult hookworms, adult roundworms, whipworm, and tapeworm infections in dogs and puppies. May be used as early as 6 weeks of age.
Establishing a good parasite control program is just as important for all puppies and dogs. Please discuss any questions or concerns you may have with the staff at LCVC’s to help keep your cherished pet, as well as your family, safe from parasites.
- Nutrition:
o There are many different types of foods on the market to choose from, but some foods are of higher quality than others. The price of the food is not linked to quality.
1. Inexpensive brand foods are made cheaply in order for the manufactures to sell them cheaply. They are difficult to digest, contain filler aka bi-products and additives and are poorly balanced nutritionally.
2. Mid-quality foods such as those foods found in grocery stores do provide the nutrition your pet needs, but you have to feed your pet large amounts for them to receive the nutritional benefits.
3. High-quality foods such as foods provided by veterinary clinics provide all the nutrition your pet needs without excesses. Premium pet foods are technically balanced and researched by both feeding trials and laboratory tests. In addition, your dog eats less to receive proper nutrition, making these foods quite cost-effective.
Please ask LCVC’s doctors and staff regarding appropriate food recommendations that will fit the need you’re your furry friend
and keep them healthy long term.
- Weight:
o Studies show that more than 33 million dogs and cats in the United States are overweight or obese and if left untreated, obesity can lead to many health problems, including but not limited to:
1. Heart disease and breathing problems, arthritis and joint problems, diabetes mellitus.
- Adult dogs should be fed a measured amount of food twice daily. If you want to give your pet treats but are trying to keep their weights down, use healthy snacks such as green beans, carrots, broccoli. Avoid feeding your pet table scraps.
2. Avoid the following toxic/harmful foods:
- Onions, garlic, grapes, raisins, chocolate, caffeine, apple seeds, apricot pits, avocados, peach pits, walnuts, any false sugar additive which may contain xylitol.
- Spaying and Neutering Guidelines: There have been many changes to previous guidelines on the timing of spaying and neutering dogs. These changes have only come to benefit the patient throughout life, and it is important to discuss the timing of this procedure with your veterinarian at LCVC’s.
o There are millions of dogs euthanized every year simply due to lack of homes. It is not only important to reduce the population but also reduce unnecessary health disease with spaying and neutering.
o Having your pet spayed or neutered can help reduce the chance of unwanted pregnancy, uterine infections, mammary cancer, and behavioral urine marking.
o Please ask the veterinarian and veterinary staff at LCVC’s when the proper timing for your pet is.
- These recommended times are based on breed, age, likelihood of joint conditions, behavior, etc.
