Pet Wellness Services
The Village Veterinary Clinic of Hamburg offers wellness services including exams and vaccinations to the pets of Hamburg, NY.
Pet Wellness Services
The services we offer at the Village Veterinary Clinic of Hamburg are available for your pet during times of wellness or ill-health. We do not ascribe to any “one size fits all” doctrine of veterinary medicine and realize there is a correct, customized path for each animal patient.
Once we meet you (the owner) and your pet (the pet) we can plot together a course to help correct, manage, or diagnose any number or condition or ailments.
Physical Exams
We thoroughly encourage annual wellness visits. Our professional team will evaluate the needs, risks, and rewards of each pet individually when recommending vaccination protocols, de-worming regimens, appropriate diets, and other important concerns.
Yearly physical exams are important for every dog and cat. Most pets are very very good at hiding their illnesses. This means they may not show physical signs that something is wrong. And it is always easier on your pet to start preventative or early care. This is where physical exams come into play. We want to make sure that your pets are not gaining or losing too much weight, their heart sounds are normal, take a look at eyes/ears/teeth, make sure all organs feel normal, and make sure we are not finding any lumps or bumps.
Vaccinations
Vaccinations are an important component of our office visits. Vaccines help keep away bad diseases. There are a few vaccines that we label as “core vaccines”. The other vaccinations are given based on your pet’s exposure to the diseases.
We follow the American Animal Hospital Association and the American Veterinary Medical Association vaccination protocols. We tailor these protocols to each individual animal, knowing each patient is unique.
Dog Vaccines
Information About Dog Vaccinations
Rabies:
- Required by New York State law.
- Rabies is a deadly disease caused by a virus that attacks the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord). Rabies virus can be transmitted to humans and other mammals. Rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms appear.
Canine Distemper (DA2P2 and DA2P2+CV) (Distemper, Adenovirus (type 2), Hepatitis, Parainfluenza, Parvo+ Coronavirus):
- Canine parvovirus is highly contagious and potentially fatal. It attacks the gastrointestinal tract of puppies and dogs.
- Adenoviruses are spread directly from dog to dog through infected respiratory secretions or by contact with contaminated feces or urine. It can cause infectious tracheobronchitis.
- Distemper is a highly contagious, often fatal disease caused by a virus that attacks the respiratory, gastrointestinal, and nervous systems.
- Parainfluenza virus is a highly contagious respiratory virus.
Bordatella (Kennel Cough):
- Vaccinate if boarding, grooming, training, dog park.
- Kennel cough is caused by numerous pathogens (bacterial, viral; typically Bordatella, parainfluenza or adenovirus type 2). It spreads through direct contact (example: licking), or through the air (coughing or sneezing). Pets are most susceptible in these situations: pets that come from shelters, rescues, breeding kennels, pet stores, dog boarding, dog daycares, grooming facilities.
Leptospirosis:
- Leptospirosis is caused by a bacteria that is spread through the urine of infected animals (usually spread by smaller animals and rodents), which can get into water or soil and can survive there for weeks to months. Humans and animals can become infected! The bacteria can enter the body through the skin or mucous membranes (eyes, nose, or mouth), especially if the skin is broken from a cut or scratch. Drinking contaminated water can also cause infection.
Lyme:
- Blacklegged ticks that carry Lyme disease are highly prevalent in Erie County, NY.
- Why is it important to vaccinate for Lyme along with prevention?
- You forgot to give your prevention, now you are 3 days late…
- You gave your dog a bath in dish soap after applying topical prevention…
- You didn’t give your Bravecto with food…
- You are giving prevention “seasonally” (remember ticks are year-round!)
- More important to keep ticks off the dog with oral or topical preventatives (Nexgard, Bravecto, Frontline Gold, Advantix)
- Lyme is a tick-borne disease caused by a spirochete (Borrelia burgdorferi) (which is a type of bacterium). Once in the bloodstream, it moves throughout the body. The most serious long-term potential issues are kidney dysfunction or failure.
Cat Vaccines
Information About Cat Vaccinations
Rabies:
- Required by New York State law.
- Rabies is a deadly disease caused by a virus that attacks the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord). Rabies virus can be transmitted to humans and other mammals. Rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms appear.
Feline Distemper (FVRCP) Vaccine (Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis (FVR), Feline Calicivirus (FCV), Feline Panleukopenia Virus (FPV):
- Feline Rhinotracheitis and Feline Calicivirus are both upper respiratory viruses of cats. Feline panleukopenia virus invades the digestive and nervous systems.
Leukemia (FeLV) Vaccine:
- Vaccinate if the cat goes outdoors or is exposed to other cats that have not been FeLV/FIV tested.