Wellness Care and Immunizations
Wellness Care and Immunizations
Northern Animal Clinic recommends Annual Wellness Examinations for all our patients. Wellness examinations will help your pet attain optimal health and excellent quality of life. With preventive health care, we can potentially catch a disease or health concern before it becomes a serious issue for your pet.As new research emerges and vaccine protocols change, our doctors will advise the safest and most effective vaccine protocol for each patient, depending on their lifestyle. All patients receive a Wellness Examination prior to receiving any vaccinations, this is so that we may insure your pet is in good health and their immune system can tolerate the immunizations they are going to receive.
Why is vaccination important?
All pets are at risk of exposure to various infectious diseases, some of which are life-threatening while others, like Rabies, also pose a public health risk. Vaccination to prevent common infectious diseases supports the first goal of medicine, disease prevention. Prevention of infectious disease is more beneficial to your pet than treating disease once it occurs. The animal’s natural immune system helps eliminate viral and bacterial disease infections. Thus, preventative vaccination is one of the most reliable and cost effective methods of health care to a pet owner.How often should my pet be vaccinated?
Immunity to most infectious disease gradually declines, so periodic revaccination are generally necessary. Frequency of vaccination is dependent on your pet’s lifestyle, age and risk of disease exposure. NAC tailors vaccination recommendations to each of our patients. We take a detailed medical history to understand each patient’s individual needs.
What about potential risk of vaccination?
The benefits of vaccination are usually considered to far outweigh the relatively small risk of vaccine-related adverse effects. Allergic reactions to vaccination and local, injection-site irritation are uncommon, but they do occur. NAC advises our clients of the possible risks associated with vaccination and the steps to take if vaccine-related reactions should occur.The doctors at NAC have researched many vaccine brands and have come to believe that Merial Feline PureVax and Canine Recombitek vaccines are the safest for our patients. We have chosen these vaccines because they do not contain adjuvants. Adjuvants are substances added to a vaccine to increase the body’s immune response to immunization. Unfortunately adjuvants have been known to cause anaphylactic vaccine reactions, and significantly increase the risk of vaccine associated sarcomas (cancer at vaccine sites) which can occur in felines.
Common Infectious Diseases of Cats & Dogs
Feline Respiratory Disease: The great majority of feline respiratory disease results from two easily transmitted infections …
Infectious Canine Hepatitis: A worldwide disease effecting dogs which infects a wide range of tissues…
Canine Respiratory Disease: A troublesome problem in dogs because it is easily transmitted in the air or by direct contact…
Leptospirosis: A bacterial disease that can be found in most animals, including livestock and wildlife…
Lyme Disease: A tick-borne disease…
Lyme Disease: A tick-borne disease…
Veterinarians are required by federal law to perform an annual examination of your pet prior to refilling a medical prescription.
Annual examination of a pet is, by law, a federal requirement prior to refilling a medical prescription for Extra-Label Drug Use (ELDU). The Animal Medical Drug Use Clarification Act [AMDUCA] defines validation of the relationship as the Standard of Practice under the Veterinarian-Client-Patient Relationship which is a prerequisite for all ELDU. Annual examination is our policy and is considered good medical practice. It is also recommended by the American Veterinary Medical Association and the Michigan Veterinary Medical Association.
“Providing the Quality Care Your Pet Deserves”
