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Our pets are subject to mosquito-born diseases such as West Nile Virus and EEE, and the recommendations for pet protections are similar to people: Don’t let your pets out at dusk and dawn. Make sure you are using some kind of monthly flea and tick product that will repel mosquitoes (Yes! they do exist) and make sure to apply it on a 28 day cycle. Do not leave standing water outdoors that will attract mosquitoes. For indoor cats, don’t let them sit in a screened window. The mosquitoes will feed through the screen. Hope for an early hard frost!

Summer can be a dangerous season for your pets, so be sure to remember these tips when you and your pets are having fun — or trying to recover — from fun in the sun and warm temperatures.

Never leave a pet in a car unattended, even if it is only in the 70s. A car can quickly become 20–30 degrees hotter than outside temps. Also make sure your pets have shade and fresh water at all times. If you feel it is too hot for you to take a walk, it is too hot for your pet as well. Heat stroke happens very quickly. It’s not a good idea to drive with the windows down and pets heads hanging out the windows. Even though it seems like fun for the dog, it is a good way to get eye damage and ear infections from flying debris.

Heartworm is transmitted by mosquitoes, so it’s not hard to understand why Groton is a hot spot.

Prevention is the key, even though it is a treatable disease. It is easy to prevent with a monthly treatment, but the medicine needs to be given every month. Mosquitoes are out when the temperature is 50 degrees, so this year is a good example of why to treat in the cold months.

Cats are also susceptible to heartworm disease, but it is more often fatal to them because they are not a natural host. Any outside cat should be on heartworm prevention. Since mosquitoes get in the house, treating indoor cats is a good idea.

Most of the preventatives also treat intestinal parasites, so your pet is also protected against many potential chronic problems.

Ticks are out all year long except the brown dog tick which hibernates in cold weather. All ticks are in a feeding frenzy spring and fall. Thanks to a mild winter, this year’s cycle is starting early. All pets that go outdoors should have flea/tick preventative treatments every 28 days. Make sure the medication contacts your pet’s skin. Two consecutive treatments are needed to reach maximum efficacy. All humans, pet owners or not, should protect themselves with approved repellents when outdoors. Talk to your physician for recommendations. It is better to protect than treat. Ask your veterinarian to suggest a product for your pet.

February is Dental Health month. Dogs and cats have the same dental diseases that people do. Gingivitis, plaque and tartar are the main culprits. Bacteria can shower through your pet and cause problems with heart, kidney, liver, and other organs. Brushing is as important for our pets as ourselves and chewing kongs or rawhide is encouraged by veterinary dentists. Be careful with chew treats, though, as some can break teeth. Talk to your veterinarian about which products to use.

The New Year brings unwelcome news of an upper respiratory virus that mutated from horses to dogs. It is more serious than canine “kennel cough” (bordatella) and can actually kill dogs. It is now being reported in Massachusetts. Dogs usually have a deep, moist cough, nasal discharge, run a fever and stop eating. Many dogs seem to develop secondary bacterial pneumonia and it can cause bleeding into the respitory tract.

Dog flu is an upper respitory infection caused by the canine influenza virus (H3N8). This virus mutated from horses to dogs and originally was found in racing greyhounds in the south. It has since been seen sporadically throughout the states.
The reason it is of concern is that it causes more illness than kennel cough (bordetella) and can kill.

There is vaccine to prevent it and it is recommended that you talk to your dog’s veterinarian to decide if your dog is at risk due to its life style. You can also check www.doginfluenza.com for more information.

For the past 50 years, vaccinations have helped extend the lives of our pets by several years. However, in the past decade the veterinary community has come to realize that not all pets need all vaccines with the frequency previously thought.

In cats and dogs, we have been decreasing the vaccine load in the past several years with the goal of vaccinating only as needed/according to lifestyle.
Only after a cat or dog is 2–3 years old, do we begin their new protocols in order to ensure your pet is totally protected before we start excluding fractions.

All cats and dogs have to follow the rabies law of the state of their residence. In Massachusetts, after the initial two rabies vaccines are given (9-12 months apart), the booster vaccine is administered every three years. If there are any questionable incidents, a booster shot may need to be given at that time.

All other vaccine fractions are given according to age and lifestyle. For cats, the distemper (panleukopenia) fraction lasts for several years and so we extend that 5–6 years. The upper respiratory fractions are variable so we extend that 2–3 years according to lifestyle. Leukemia vaccine is intended for cats that go outdoors or for cats sharing residence with a leukemia-positive cat and is administered annually.

Dog distemper, parvo, hepatitis and one upper respiratory fraction, can be extended 3 years depending on age. Lepto, Lyme and Bordetella need to be given every year.

Therefore, each year will require a different combination, and if your pet needs more than 2-3 vaccinations at a time, we ask that you return a few weeks later so we do not overload its immune system.

What is the immune system? Why is it important? The immune system plays a pivotal role in maintaining your pet’s health. One of the most important functions of this highly complex system of specialized cells and molecules is to protect pets from disease and infection caused by foreign invaders—viruses, bacteria and a host of other microbes and parasites intent on assaulting the body and causing disease.

What does vaccination accomplish? Vaccines are given to prepare the body’s immune system against invasion by particular disease-causing organisms. Vaccines contain antigens which to the immune system “look” like the organism but don’t, ideally, cause disease. When the vaccine is introduced by injection or by some other means, the immune system responds by mounting a protective response. When your pet is subsequently exposed to the organism, the immune system is prepared and either prevents infection or reduces the severity of disease.

Why do young animals require a series of vaccinations? Young animals receive antibodies from colostrum (the first milk the mother produces) that is ingested during the early hours after birth. Maternal antibodies help protect against infectious disease until the youngster’s own immune system is more mature. Unfortunately, maternal antibodies also interfere with the vaccine’s ability to stimulate the youngster’s immune system. To counteract this problem, veterinarians often administer a series of vaccines, usually beginning when the youngster is around six to eight weeks of age, and then repeating the vaccination at three to four week intervals until maternal antibodies have waned, usually at around twelve to sixteen weeks of age. In some cases (e.g., rabies vaccine) the initial vaccine is not given until maternal antibodies have altogether disappeared.