Disease Facts

What do all of those letters and numbers mean? With the variety of vaccinations available today, it can get pretty confusing. 

Here is a breakdown of the different components of both canine and feline vaccinations that we offer for your better understanding. 

Canine Vaccinations 

DA2PP

• D is for Distemper, a highly contagious and serious disease caused by a virus that attacks the respiratory, gastrointestinal, and, often, the nervous systems of puppies and dogs.
• A2 is for Adenovirus Type 2. This virus causes a form of kennel cough and the vaccine also protects against hepatitis in dogs.  
• P is for Parainfluenza, a highly contagious respiratory disease which contributes to upper respiratory infection and Infectious Tracheobronchitis.
• P is for Parvo, a virus that attacks the lining of the small intestine of all canines. Infection results in enteric disease characterized by sudden onset of vomiting and diarrhea, often with blood. This disease affects all dogs, but is especially deadly in puppies.

Corona Virus

• Corona is caused by another virus which attacks the small intestinal lining. The symptoms of the disease are very similar to Parvo, and include lethargy, anorexia, and depression. The sudden onset of vomiting occurs, in which blood can sometimes be found. 

Bordetella

• This highly contagious bacterial infection is frequently involved in kennel cough complex, and may occur simultaneously with distemper, adenovirus type 2 and other respiratory infections.

Rabies

• Of all animal diseases rabies is probably the most feared. The rabies virus attacks the brain and is always fatal. The disease can be transmitted to humans through the bite or scratch of an infected pet. This is why vaccinating dogs over 4 months old in the state of California is required by law.  Vaccination of all dogs and cats is the most effective means of control of this deadly virus.

Lyme Disease

• The clinical name of this disease is Borreliosis.  Lyme is the name of the US east coast town where the disease was first discovered.  Lyme Disease is an infection spread by the painless bite of an infected tick.  Symptoms include fever, lethargy, muscle stiffness, depression and lack of appetite.  In severe cases, lameness occurs as a result of severe musculoskeletal or arthritic type joint pain.

Rattlesnake

• When vaccinated, protective antibodies made by your dog in response to the vaccine start neutralizing venom immediately. On average, antibody levels in recently vaccinated dogs are comparable to treatment with three vials of antivenom. This means vaccinated dogs should experience less pain and a reduced risk of permanent injury from rattlesnake bite.  When injected into an unprotected dog, the toxic components of snake venom are very painful and can have serious consequences. Even if your dog survives the immediate effects of a rattlesnake bite, he/she can be permanently injured.

Giardia (this vaccination has been discontinued by the manufacturer)

• Giardia is a single-celled parasite that lives in your dog's intestine. It infects older dogs but more frequently infects puppies. Dogs become infected when they swallow Giardia that may be present in water or other substances that have been soiled with feces. The Giardia vaccination has been discontinued by the manufacturer, so the best way to prevent Giardia infection is to make sure that your dog has safe, clean drinking water. It is important not to allow dogs to drink water from areas where other animals have left their feces.  Our laboratory's microscopic examination of your pet's stool can detect Giardia; if your dog is infected, Dr. Strathman can prescribe safe, effective treatment.

Feline Vaccinations

FVRCP

• F stands for Feline
• V stands for Viral
• R is for Rhinotracheitis, a widespread respiratory disease caused by a virus.  It is most severe in young kittens, and can cause profuse discharge from the eyes and nose
• C is for Calicivirus. This virus causes a variety of symptoms comparable to oral herpes in people, including fever, excess salivation and mouth or tongue ulcers.
• P is for Panleukopenia. sometimes referred to as 'Feline Distemper'. Symptoms include severe vomiting, diarrhea and dehydration.  It is the most widespread disease of cats and causes high death loss especially among kittens.  The disease is caused by a virus and is highly contagious. 

FeLV

• Fe is for Feline
• LV is for Leukemia Virus, a virus that causes a form of cancer in cats which is usually fatal. Tumor growth can be found nearly anywhere in the body as well as a variety of other symptoms.  Infected cats are unable to resist other diseases and may die from associated infections. 

FIP

• The acronym stands for Feline Infectious Peritonitis. It is a disease caused by a coronavirus in cats. It is spread by direct cat to cat contact or by contact from contaminated surfaces.  There are 2 forms of the disease, wet and dry, both of which have various nonspecific symptoms.  It can be a difficult disease to diagnose and there is no known treatment or cure. It is considered to be always fatal.

*FIV ( this vaccination may be available by special request - please ask us for details)

• FIV is for Feline Immunodeficiency Virus, sometimes referred to as 'Kitty AIDS". This is a fatal viral infection that interferes with the immune system of the cat.  The virus lives in the bloodstream and is carried in the cat's system throughout life.  Infected cats are unable to resist other diseases and may die from associated infections.  This virus is NOT contagious to humans.