Remember to Vaccinate!

Often we hear our clients voice they only want their dog to receive the rabies vaccine. This is indeed important, but there are other vaccines that are just as crucial for your dog to remain healthy. We want to take a moment and explain to you why your dog needs vaccines. There have been constant debates about the importance of having your dogs vaccinated, and we want to set the record straight. What we are sharing with you has been backed up by multiple scientific trials and studies.

First of all, please vaccinate your puppy at six weeks and after. Puppies that are young and nursing receive immunity from their mother. When vaccines are given before six weeks, the puppy is often still nursing, and the mother's milk reacts with the vaccines, causing them to be ineffective.

What we recommend for your dog/puppy:
Bordetella
Rabies
DHPP (Distemper, Hepatitis, Parvovirus, Parainfluenza)
Leptospirosis

Bordetella (Canine Tracheobronchitis)

Bordetella is a highly contagious disease that affects the respiratory system. Often nicknamed "kennel cough," Bordetella is a bacteria that causes inflammation in the upper respiratory tract and coughing. Left untreated, it can cause even more damage to the dog. The name, kennel cough, can be misleading however. While places like boarding facilities and shelters are common places to find Bordetella, affected dogs that come in contact with healthy dogs outside or at the vet can transfer the disease. At our clinic, we take Bordetella cases seriously. If we are aware of an infected dog coming in for an appointment, we take precautions to keep other dogs safe. We immediately take them to an exam room and after its appointment, we disinfect everything--the floor, scale, exam room, etc. Yes, it is that contagious. Please get this vaccine for your dog!  

Why DHPP and Leptospirosis?
Most people are more familiar with Rabies and Bordetella vaccines than DHPP and Lepto. For a healthy dog, we recommend receiving all vaccinations.

Let's break each disease down so you can understand their importance.

Canine Distemper

This disease attacks the respiratory, gastrointestinal, and nervous systems in dogs and puppies. It is also found in wild animals. Dogs pass this contagious disease to other dogs by airbourne exposure. All dogs are at risk, but puppies younger than four months and unvaccinated dogs are more susceptible to the disease. The best way to help prevent this is vaccinate.

Hepatitis

Hepatitis means inflammation of the liver and in this case refers to a specific type of liver disease caused by an adenovirus.  It contagious from dog to dog and is often times fatal.

Parvovirus (Parvo)

This is a highly contagious disease that affects the gastrointestinal tracts. Unvaccinated dogs and puppies younger than four months have the highest risk. Although there is no drug that kills Parvo, immediate treatment can help the dog's immunity fight the illness. We have to be extremely careful with puppies that have Parvo because their immune system may not be mature enough to fight off infection.

Parainfluenza

This virus is highly contagious and is one of the many causes of the disease "kennel cough" or tracheobronchitis.  It along with Bordetella can cause cold-like symptoms including a harsh dry cough.  Occasionally, it can progress to pneumonia.

Leptospirosis

Leptospira is a bacteria commonly found in lakes, marshes, and streams.  When it infects dogs it often causes, among other things, kidney failure.  It is particularly concerning because it is a zoonotic disease, meaning it can be passed to humans, causing similar serious disease.  Vaccination of your dog is important to protect you as well a your pet.

If you have any questions about vaccinations and their importance, please feel free to speak with any of our staff or veterinarians. Comments or questions can also be posted on our Facebook page.

The Average Day at a Vet Clinic

At a vet's office, you never know what might happen on an average day. And at Parrish Creek, we have our fair share of unexpected surprises.

Our technicians start the day off by preparing for dentals, surgeries, and appointments. They care for our Double Yellow-headed Amazon, Buckwheat, who will occasionally whistle and say, "Good morning!"

A few moments later Dr. Folland will walk in, causing Buckwheat to get really excited. Dr. Folland has raised Buckwheat since she was a baby bird, and so naturally she gets happy when her "mama" is near. Our staff are all convinced she thinks Dr. Folland is her boyfriend, but we'll leave that up to your discretion.

Our days are filled with puppies needing vaccines, clients getting educated about their birds' diets, and animals with broken bones that may need X-rays or CT scans. We never know what might happen during the day.

There have been instances when we are about to start a routine spay surgery on a cat, and receive a call that a dog has been attacked by another dog and is badly wounded. When there is an emergency like this, we drop everything and attend to the fallen victim.

One time when we were about to close for the day, we received a call that a dog had been badly injured after getting hit by a car. The dog came in with severe wounds and was struggling to breathe. There were large gashes on his leg that required stitching. The technicians and veterinarian worked hard to stabilize the dog before sending him and his owner to the emergency hospital.

On several occasions we will be experiencing a routine morning and Wildlife Rehabilitation Center comes in unexpectedly with an injured eagle. We've seen some eagles that have been shot and are suffering from lead poisoning, or others that have flown into trucks on the highway and require urgent care. Dr. Folland and Dr. Echols also helped Wildlife Rehab nurse beavers affected by an oil spill near Ogden.

We care deeply about helping animals, and when the emergency arises, we give our full attention to the sick or injured animal.

Average days at PCVC are usually not so average. Each day is a new adventure and challenge. We never know what may come our way and we love it!