General Pet Care Guidelines
*These are a list of general guidelines that we here at Mercy Veterinary Hospital recommend for the best preventative care for your pet. However, we always recommend forming a personal wellness plan for your pet with one of our veterinarians to ensure a better overall wellness strategy.
CANINE CARE
Vaccines (Canine)
-DHPP-(Distemper/Adenovirus Type 2/Parainfluenza/Parvovirus)
-Puppies should get a vaccine at 8 weeks of age, 12 weeks of age, and between 14-16 weeks of age. We then recommend that they receive a booster one year later, and then receive boosters once every 3 years for the duration of their life.
*As an alternative to the vaccine every 3 years, we can run blood tests at your dog’s yearly checkup to make sure they are still protected by the vaccine. If the test shows they are not protected, then we would recommend getting another vaccine.
-If a dog older than 16 weeks is getting vaccinated for the first time, it should have a vaccine, and then get a booster 3-4 weeks later, followed by a booster one year later, then every 3 years thereafter.
-Rabies
-Your puppy’s first Rabies vaccine should be given at or after 12 weeks of age. The next vaccine should then be given 9-12 months later to the day. The Rabies vaccine should then be given every 3 years for the duration of your dog’s life.
*IMPORTANT – By law, the Rabies vaccine cannot be given every 3 years unless your dog has had a 2nd vaccination 9-12 months after the 1st vaccination.
-If your dog is bitten by another animal of unknown Rabies vaccination history and the bite breaks the skin, your dog should get a Rabies vaccine and exam within 5 days of being bitten, regardless of your dog’s vaccination history.
-Bordetella-(Kennel Cough)
-We recommend a Bordetella vaccine for all dogs with bad hearts or respiratory disease and for dogs that have exposure (i.e. – boarding, play groups, dog runs, etc.).
-The first vaccine should be given after 8 weeks of age. Then another booster should be given 2-4 weeks later. The vaccine should be given annually after the initial booster series.
*Some boarding and grooming facilities require this vaccine every 6 months.
-Canine Influenza
-We recommend this vaccine for all sighthounds (i.e. – Greyhounds, Whippets, etc.) They are not more susceptible, but symptoms can be much worse in these breeds.
-We recommend this vaccine for all dogs who have exposure risk (i.e. dog parks, boarding, doggy day care, grooming, etc.) We especially recommend this vaccine for ALL older dogs with lung or heart disease and ALL flat-faced breeds such as pugs and bulldogs.
-The first vaccine should be given after 6 weeks of age, followed by a booster 2-4 weeks later. The vaccine should then be given annually.
-IMPORTANT – Infected dogs will shed the virus for 7 days, but will often not show symptoms until day 4, so an infected dog will be contagious for 3-5 days after it shows symptoms.
-IMPORTANT – The vaccine will NOT prevent infection, but it will greatly reduce the symptoms if your pet does get infected.
-IMPORTANT – Possible side effects of the vaccine are soreness at the site of injection and lethargy for 2-3 days.
-Leptospirosis
If your dog is drinking from or swimming in stagnant fresh water (i.e. ponds) between the months of June-October, then this vaccine should probably be given. Discuss with a veterinarian before deciding to get this vaccine. Lepto is not preset in salt water or pools.
-The vaccine should be given after 6 weeks of age, followed by a booster 2-3 weeks later. The vaccine should then be given annually. The ideal time to give this vaccine is in May or June.
HEARTWORM PREVENTION
-We recommend all dogs be on monthly heartworm prevention year round.
-We recommend yearly tests for heartworms, even if your pet is on heartworm prevention.
-We recommend testing all dogs 6 months and older who have never been on heartworm prevention or who have been off of heartworm prevention for 3 months or longer. It is safe to start a puppy that is under 6 months of age on heartworm prevention without testing for heartworms.
YEARLY BLOODWORK/PREANESTHETIC BLOODWORK (CANINE)
*We recommend yearly blood tests (CBC, Chemistry Panel, and T4) once your dog reaches a certain age. The recommendations for when a dog is considered “senior” are based on the size of the dog.
-Giant Breeds (90 lbs and above) ------- 6 years or older
-Larger Breeds (55-90lbs) ---------------- 7 years or older
-Medium Breeds (35 lbs and above----- 8 years or older
-Small Breeds (under 35 lbs) ------------ 10 years or older
*If your dog is sick, we may recommend these tests at an earlier age.
FELINE CARE
VACCINES (FELINE)
-FRCP- (Feline Rhinotracheitis/Calici/Panleukopenia)
-Kittens should be given the first booster shot at 6-8 weeks of age or later. They should then get a booster every 3 weeks until 16 weeks of age. We then recommend that they receive a vaccination one year later, and then receive vaccinations once every 3 years for the duration of their life.
-If a cat older than 16 weeks is getting vaccinated for the first time, it should have a vaccine followed by a booster 3-4 weeks later. This should be followed with another vaccination one year later, and then once every 3 years for the duration of the cat’s life.
-RABIES
-Your kitten’s first Rabies vaccination should be given between 12-16 weeks of age. The vaccine should then be given annually for the duration of your cat’s life.
-We recommend Rabies vaccines for all cats yearly because it is the law, regardless of it your cat is indoors only.
-FELINE LEUKEMIA VACCINE
-We only recommend this vaccine if your cat goes outdoors or if your cat has encounters with other cats with unknown backgrounds.
-If vaccinating, we recommend the first vaccine be given at or after 10 weeks of age, followed by a booster 3-4 weeks later. The vaccine should then be given annually unless your cat’s exposure changes (i.e.-your cat becomes an indoor only cat with no contact with any cats of unknown backgrounds).
FELINE LEUKEMIA TESTING
-If your cat is from an unknown background, it should be tested and then have a 2nd test 60-84 days after the first test. We recommend the 2nd test due to incubation periods of feline leukemia and FIV. If your cat was exposed within a few weeks of having the first, then it may not show up until the 2nd test.
-If we know your cat’s history of exposure and background, then we generally only recommend testing once.
YEARLY BLOODWORK/PREANESTHETIC BLOODWORK (FELINE)
-We recommend yearly blood tests (CBC, Chemistry Panel, T4) for all cats 10 years of age or older. If your cat is sick, we may recommend these tests earlier than 10 years of age.
*New Clients*
We are always happy to meet new faces here at Mercy Veterinary Hospital. We hope to make your first experience and all the following visits as pleasant as possible. For new clients, we recommend arriving at least 15 minutes prior to your scheduled appointment time to ensure all paperwork can be taken care of beforehand. You can download and print our new client form here. Please bring this sheet fully completed, on your first visit. Also, if you are transferring your pet from another vet office, we recommend having all your pet’s records faxed to us at 212-249-9265 at least 24 hours prior to your pet’s scheduled appointment time.
We are glad you have chosen Mercy Veterinary Hospital for all your pet’s medical needs and we look forward to meeting you and your furry friends.
