Tuesday, Feb. 3rd 2015

Vaccinations and Immunity, Upcoming Events, and Chiropractic Special

Events:

Canine Massage with Michelle Sickles: February 27 and March 28. By appointment, call 816-331-1868.  As always, this service benefits older pets, those with pain or stiffness, athletic pets, or just those who deserve a special treat because you love them.

Pet Portraits:  March 28.  Call 816-331-1868 for an appointment to get your pet’s portrait done.  For $50, you will receive 5-8 digital images of your pet, a copyright release so you can print or share them with others, and one print.  If you need a referral to a good groomer to help your pet get pretty, just ask us!  Have you ever had a pet get lost or die and wished you had a decent picture?  Or just wanted a portrait that really captures your pet’s unique personality?  Now is your chance!  10392462_10152993206119757_7360923398102952847_n

Seminars:  Chinese Food Therapy—What is it and how can it help my pet?   3 p.m. Saturday, Feb 28.  Come to this free seminar to learn about Chinese Food Therapy.  No, it’s not using food from China!  See how the energy properties of particular foods can help your pet be more balanced and maintain better health.  Bring friends!

The March seminar date is not yet set, but the plan is to bring in a couple of local groomers to talk about home grooming care.  Their job is easier if you do some in-between coat care and they will discuss their recommendations for types of brush according to coat type, shampooing techniques, and more.  So if you have a pet that needs regular coat care, or have had a groomer scowl a bit when you bring in your pet, or have been frustrated because they keep saying they need to shave your pet down due to matting, this is the seminar for you!

Chiropractic Special during the month of February!  Did you know February is National Pet Dental Health Month?  Yes!  While most veterinary clinics offer some sort of discount on dental cleanings for pets, we decided since our clinic is a little different, we should do things differently.  While we certainly can provide dental cleanings, our discount is actually going to be for chiropractic examination and adjustments AFTER the cleaning.  When a pet is under anesthesia, their muscles are very relaxed.  This removes the natural protections against abnormal joint movement, and it is very easy for subluxations to occur during the manipulation of the pet while they are asleep.   Not to mention having their mouth held open for a long time while the teeth are being worked on.  So to encourage chiropractic care after dental cleaning, we are charging only $25 for chiropractic, instead of the normal $60.  All you need to get this amazing discount is to either have your pet’s teeth cleaned at our clinic during the month of February or bring us the receipt from a cleaning done elsewhere during this month.  If your pet gets their dental during the final week of February, we will honor this discount up to 10 days after the date of their cleaning.  Just give those teeth a look!  If they are brown or smell bad,  your pet needs a dental.

 

Education Piece:

Vaccinations have been much in the news lately.  We feel a discussion about vaccinations is warranted as they pertain to pets.  We need to understand that vaccination and immunity are not the same thing.  Vaccination is injecting a modified or killed disease agent into the body to stimulate cells to produce antibodies.  The memory of how to produce these antibodies then stays in the body, so if the pet is exposed to the disease, the animal can immediately mount an immune response to the disease and fight it off.  Immunity is the presence of these antibodies and cellular memory.  Vaccination does not always produce immunity.  Immunity does not always (actually, likely never) end 365 days after a vaccination.  As a matter of fact, in the case of many pet diseases, immunity can last for years or even life-long.  While we feel strongly that you need to establish immunity in your pets by using vaccines at appropriate timing when they are young, further vaccination after this may not be warranted.  For this reason, we offer titer testing at our clinic for the three “core” diseases in dogs—distemper, parvo, and hepatitis (adenovirus). This test is only $40 and requires about 4 drops of blood and 30 minutes, and measures antibody levels.  If your pet is documented to have adequate antibody levels using this test, we will recommend you NOT vaccinate for these diseases at that time.  We can test puppies after their final puppy shot to make sure they have mounted an adequate response, as well as adults.  Unfortunately, while titers can be tested in cats, this test must be sent to a lab and costs well over $200, but the company who developed our in-house test has a cat test going through the FDA process right now and we hope it will be on the market in the next year or two.  Rabies titers also must be sent to Kansas State University, the only lab in the country who does this test, and is also expensive, so to save you money we recommend using the three-year rabies vaccines at this time unless your pet has a valid reason to avoid the vaccine.  So if you have been wondering about our stance on vaccination, here is our protocol:

Puppies: Receive combination puppy shots at 9 and 14 weeks (to be sure maternal antibodies have worn off), then do a titer test about a month later.  Rabies shot at 15-16 weeks, which is a one-year shot in pups.   Either boost the core vaccine or perform a titer about a year later, and give a three-year rabies. 

Dogs: Titer test yearly.  Rabies vaccine every three years.  Bordatella for kennel cough only if exposure to large numbers of dogs in a boarding kennel, groom shop, or dog park is expected regularly.  We do not use leptospirosis vaccine at our clinic due to high numbers of reactions to this vaccine.  If your dog regularly may have exposure to wild rodents or contaminated water (hunting, for example), you may wish to receive this vaccine at another clinic, but we recommend it not be combined with other vaccines.

Cats:  Kitten shots just like the puppies, boosted after a year.  Three-year rabies.  IF the cat is 100% indoors (as it should be, but that’s a whole ‘nother article), boost the core vaccine every 3-5 years as well.  We only use Feline Leukemia vaccine in cats living with a positive cat or that are allowed outdoors, after counseling on why they should NOT be allowed outdoors, and this is a yearly vaccine.  All cats should be tested for Feline Leukemia and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus when you acquire them, unless you know they have already been tested or come from a negative mother.

Of course, your pets’ health should not be ignored in between vaccinations.  Included in their annual care should be examinations and chiropractic care at least twice a year, bloodwork as recommended based on age and breed, heartworm and intestinal parasite control programs, flea and tick control, and excellent nutrition.  We can help with all of these.  Call 816-331-1868 for your appointment today!

 


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Whole Health Pet Center
18011 E St. Rte 58
Raymore, MO 64083
816-331-1868

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