At VHRC, our ultimate goal is to keep your pets healthy and living longer happier lives. In an effort to achieve that goal, preventive medicine is a key component of our patient treatment plan. We analyze all aspects of your pet's life, including your pet's breed, lifestyle, and environment and develop a plan specific for his/her needs. By evaluating your pet at a young age, this allows us to help "mold" your pet's immune system and avoid any unnecessary stresses on your pet's body during the developmental stages. Initiating a "whole-istic" program at a young age can help to prevent cancer and other immune-mediated diseases, and result in a longer, healthier life for your pet. Our Wellness Exams are designed for healthy puppies, kittens, adult dogs, adult cats, and birds whose guardians are seeking ways to keep their companion healthy.

Wellness Exams for Puppies and Adult Dogs

During these consultations, we may discuss puppy vaccinations; vaccination boosters versus titers; natural diets for growing and adult dogs; raw foods versus home-cooked versus commercial pet foods; exercise and weight management; proper collars and leads; health benefits of early spaying and neutering; natural flea and tick prevention; avoiding household toxins; breed-specific medical conditions; how to prevent dental disease; and more.

Wellness Exams for Kittens and Adult Cats

During these consultations, we may discuss kitten vaccinations; vaccination boosters versus titers; natural diets for growing and adult cats; raw foods versus home-cooked versus commercial pet foods; health benefits of early spaying and neutering; exercise and weight management; breed-specific medical conditions; how to live with a clawed cat; declaw versus tendonectomy surgeries; natural flea and tick prevention; how to trim your cat's nails; avoiding household toxins; how to prevent dental disease; how to manage upper respiratory infections and prevent recurrence; and more.

Wellness Exams for Birds

During these consultations, we may discuss natural organic diets--the health benefits of a pelleted diet; pros and cons of clipped versus flighted birds; cages versus indoor/outdoor aviaries; socialization; mental stimulation; the importance of blood testing and annual examinations; zoonotic diseases; nail and beak trimming; avoiding household toxins; exercise and weight management; "normal" bird behavior; the importance of UV light; and more.

Vaccination

Vaccinating is an essential part of your pet's preventive health care plan, and protects your pet from acquiring a potentially life threatening infectious disease. However, over-vaccinating can also pose significant health risks, including over-stimulation of the immune system resulting in allergies, skin and ear infections; immune mediated diseases (immune mediated thrombocytopenia, immune mediated hemolytic anemia); and cancer.

"What to vaccinate for" and "how often to vaccinate" remains a controversial topic amongst veterinarians. Many veterinarians are now changing their protocols based upon clinical studies that show that many vaccines that were once given annually, now actually provide protection for a longer period of time. Pharmaceutical companies are now making vaccines that last up to 3 years.

At VHRC, we do everything we can to reduce the side effects of vaccinations. These include:

• Individualized vaccine protocols based upon your pet's risk of exposure, age, lifestyle (indoor versus outdoor; family pet versus show pet), and health.
• Using thimerosol (mercury) free vaccines. (Thimerosol is used as a preservative in many animal and human vaccines and is thought to be associated with autism in children).
• Administering vaccines at different visits to reduce the stress on your pet's immune system.
• Using adjuvant free vaccines in cats to reduce the risk of vaccine-associated sarcomas (cancer).
• Using 3 year vaccines when available.
• Checking antibody levels (titers) annually and only vaccinating when levels are low.
• Supporting your pet's immune system using diet, vitamins, homeopathics, and/or herbs.

Our beliefs:

• Puppy and kitten core vaccines are essential.
• Vaccinating for rabies is the law and is given every 3 years.
• Lyme, leptospirosis, bordetella, and leukemia vaccines are given on an individualized basis dependent upon specific criteria and your pet's risk.
• We do not vaccinate for FIV as there is no test that differentiates a vaccinated cat from an infected cat. This would increase the euthanasia rate of homeless cats arriving at shelters due to positive FIV tests in vaccinated cats.
• In most circumstances, we do not vaccinate pets when they are sick, as this could result in worsening of their current condition or simply make them feel ill when they are already not up to par.
• We do not vaccinate for the canine corona virus because studies show that many dogs that are exposed to the virus do not develop any evidence of disease (enteritis, diarrhea), and many infected animals have very mild clinical signs that are self-limiting and resolve on their own.

VHRC's vaccine protocols are based upon the American Animal Hospital's (AAHA) 2006 Canine Vaccine Guidelines. For more information on AAHA's Vaccine Guidelines, visit http://www.aahanet.org/About_aaha/About_Guidelines_Canine06.html

Vaccine Titers

Over the last decade, "how often to vaccinate" and "what to vaccinate for" has become a controversial topic amongst the animal care community. There is concern that over-vaccinating an animal may result in health problems due to an over-stimulated immune system. This could lead to diseases including allergies, infections, cancer, and other immune mediated diseases.

Recent studies have shown that most core vaccinations last longer than one year. One study found adequate serum antibody titers to last for at least 6 years for feline panleukopenia virus, 4 years for feline calcivirus, and 3 years for feline herpesvirus. Many veterinarians are now adjusting their vaccination protocols and determining the frequency of vaccination based upon each individual patient. When determining the frequency of vaccination, several things must be taken into consideration:

• The age of the animal (young versus old)
• Medical history and presence of disease
• Potential exposure
• Prior vaccination schedule
• Antibody titers

Titers are blood tests that quantify the antibodies to a particular pathogen (ie a virus such as parvo and distemper). This information helps to determine an animal's immune response should he/she become exposed to this pathogen, and is used to help determine whether or not revaccination is required.

Canine Titers Include:

• Distemper Virus
• Parvo Virus
• Corona Virus

Feline Titers Include:

• Panleukopenia Virus
• Calici Virus
• Herpes Virus

Benefits of Checking Titers:

• May reduce the frequency of vaccination
• Reduces the risk of allergies, infections, cancer, and other immune mediated diseases
• Reduces the risk of an anaphylactic reaction associated with vaccination
• Reduces exposure to toxic chemicals that are found in some vaccines (mercury)

At VHRC, we will incorporate this information into an individualized wellness program for your pet.