Wellness and Vaccination Programs

Dog Vaccination Protocols

One of the most important parts of a health care program for your dog is a complete vaccination protocol. There are many canine diseases that can be easily and safely prevented with vaccination. Rabies is endemic in Ontario and a new strain of raccoon rabies is rampant in New York state and could easily spread here. We recommend annual rabies immunization for all dogs in this area to protect your pet and your family. We also vaccinate all dogs annually for the most common canine diseases using a combination serum to protect against Distemper, Parvo-virus, Leptospirosis, Hepatits, and Bordatella . Canine Parvo-virus is a deadly disease which can strike puppies and young adults and results in severe diarrhea, dehydration and death if not treated. Rottweilers, Dobermans and Pit Bulls are especially vulnerable. We also vaccinate dogs against Kennel Cough and Giardia. Canine infectious tracheo bronchitis or Kennel Cough is especially common in kennels, boarding establishments, pounds and breeding facilities. Dogs afflicted with this infection develop and intractable cough which can last for several weeks. Although it is not a life threatening condition dogs with Kennel Cough are very uncomfortable and sick and require treatment with costly antibiotics and cough suppressants. It is easily prevented with an intra-nasal (in the nose) vaccine. Leptospirosis is a bacteria carried in the urine and feces of skunks and racoons that targets the liver and kidneys of dogs, and can lead to acute liver failure.  Yearly vaccination is important in protecting your dog. 

Puppy Visits

You and your pet will soon be best friends, but there's someone else who is a good friend, too--your veterinarian at Banks Animal Hospital. The sooner you visit your veterinarian with your new pet the better.

Puppies should be immunized at an early age. We recommend vaccinations be done at 8, 12 and 16 weeks of age and annually thereafter. When you bring your pet in for its first visit it will also receive a complete physical examination. During the physical examination your veterinarian will check over your new puppy and make sure that everything is in working order. During the exam your veterinarian will palpate your pet's abdomen, take its temperature, listen to the heart and lungs, check the condition of the coat, look in the ears and check for infection or ear mites, examine the eyes to insure they are clear and free of disease, and inspect the mouth to look for signs of dental disease and to make sure your new friend has a complete set of puppy teeth as well as a normal bite.

At the first or second puppy visit we request that you provide us will a fecal sample from your new pet. This sample will be analyzed to determine if your puppy has intestinal parasites such as roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, tapeworms, coccidia, or Giardia. If needed, medication will be dispensed.  Heartworm prevention will also be discussed, as well as control of external parasites (fleas and mites).

Your veterinarian will also discuss nutrition and feeding during the first appointment. For good health and a long life, it's important to give your new family member the right start with proper nutrition. Depending on the breed of dog, and especially the size of your pet, we may recommend you feed either a puppy food or, in the case of a large breed, a good quality adult dog food.

The veterinarians at Banks Animal Hospital also recommend the placement of a microchip in your pet. A microchip is a small device, about the size of a grain of rice, that is implanted under the skin of the dog. If your pet is lost the microchip I.D. serial number can be read with a scanner. Retrieval of the microchip serial number allows identification of your pet and can be used to find its owner. Each year thousands of pets are returned home because of microchips.

The final topic that should be covered during your new puppy's first few visits is that of neutering or spaying. For a male dog the surgical removal of the testicles is referred to as neutering or castration. The benefits of neutering at an early age include increased trainability, decreased aggression, improved socialization, and decreased incidence of prostate problems later in life. For a female dog the procedure is know as spaying. Spayed female dogs are less likely to have medical problems later in life including reduced incidence of mammary cancer and elimination of heat cycles and uterine infections.

Cat Vaccination Protocols

One of the most important parts of a health care program for your cat is a complete vaccination protocol. There are many feline diseases that can be easily and safely prevented with vaccination. Rabies is endemic in Ontario and a new strain of raccoon rabies is rampant in New York state and could easily spread here. We recommend annual rabies immunization for all cats in this area to protect your pet and your family. We also vaccinate all cats annually for the most common feline diseases using a combination serum to protect against Panleukopenia (Feline Distemper), and Upper Respiratory Infection or URI (Rhinotracheitis and Calicvirus). The upper respiratory viruses are highly contagious infections usually contracted from other cats and can be fatal to kittens. The primary symptoms include sneezing, runny eyes, coughing, and ulcers on the oral mucus membranes and tongue. Vaccination is highly effective in preventing URI. All cats at Banks Animal Hospital are immunized against Feline Leukemia . This deadly disease is caused by a virus that inhibits the immune system and can cause cancer and secondary infections due to the suppression of the cats immune system. It is often called Feline AIDS due to the resemblance of the disease to HIV infection in humans.

Kitten Visits

You and your pet will soon be best friends, but there's someone else who is a good friend, too--your veterinarian at Banks Animal Hospital. The sooner you visit your veterinarian with your new pet the better.

Kittens should be immunized at an early age. We recommend vaccinations be done at 8, 12 and 16 weeks of age and annually thereafter.

When you bring your pet in for its first visit it will also receive a complete physical examination. During the physical examination your veterinarian will check over your new kitten and make sure that everything is in working order. During the exam your veterinarian will palpate your pet's abdomen, take its temperature, listen to the heart and lungs, check the condition of the coat, look in the ears and check for infection or ear mites, examine the eyes to insure they are clear and free of disease, and inspect the mouth to look for signs of dental disease and to make sure your new friend has a complete set of kitten teeth as well as a normal bite.

At the first or second kitten visit we request that you provide us will a fecal sample from your new pet. This sample will be analyzed to determine if your kitten has intestinal parasites such as roundworms, hookworms, tapeworms, coccidia, or Giardia. Medication will be dispensed if needed.  External parasites (fleas and mites) will also be discussed.

Your veterinarian will also discuss nutrition and feeding during the first appointment. For good health and a long life, it's important to give your new family member the right start with proper nutrition. Kittens are going through their fastest growth in the first six months of life. Proper nutrition at this time is vital. Your veterinarian will discuss nutrition and make dietary recommendations.

The veterinarians at Banks Animal Hospital also recommend the placement of a microchip in your pet. A microchip is a small device, about the size of a grain of rice that is implanted under the skin of the cat. If your pet is lost the microchip I.D. serial number can be read with a scanner. Retrieval of the microchip serial number allows identification of your pet and can be used to find its owner. Each year thousands of pets are returned home because of microchips.

The final topic that should be covered during your new kitten's first few visits is that of neutering or spaying. For a male the surgical removal of the testicles is referred to as neutering or castration. The benefits of neutering at an early age include decrease roaming and reduced fighting between cats, decreased aggression, improved socialization, and reduced likelyhood that the cat will spray. For a female the procedure is know as spaying. Spayed cats are less likely to have medical problems later in life including reduced incidence of mammary cancer and elimination of heat cycles and uterine infections.

Adult Pet Wellness

Annual vaccinations are important in mature dogs and cats as well. Rabies immunization is especially important to maintain and are municipal by-laws in Toronto requiring ongoing rabies inoculation. The immunity provided by Kennel Cough and Leptospirosis vaccinations is about 1 year. Similar to a human flu shot they must be given annually to be effective.  Rabies, distemper, hepititis, parvovirus, and parainfluenza are given every 3 years.

A yearly thorough physical examination will help to detect problems early and aid in disease management. Middle aged pets like mature people are subject to many different diseases and conditions and our clinic recommends annual blood and urine tests to detect problems that may not be apparent on a physical examination. These laboratory tests are especially important if your pet is undergoing a general anesthetic. In order to minimize the potential risk associated with anesthetic it is vital for us to know the complete health status of your pet before placing him or her under anesthesia. A good example of how a blood test can assist us to determine if an anesthetic can safely take place is in an animal with kidney disease. A pet can loose up to 75% of kidney function before showing clinical signs of illness. Pre-anesthetic blood testing can detect this condition, which, if undiagnosed, could lead to severe anesthetic complications. If blood test results are within normal limits we can proceed with confidence knowing anesthetic risk is minimized. Normal results also provide us with a baseline to compare to values taken at a future date when a problem may exist. This can sometimes give us some insight on when a problem may have started and help to determine the prognosis and type of treatment needed.

Senior Pet Wellness

Annual vaccinations are still important in older pets. As an animal ages so does the immune system and an older animals immune system may not protect it against disease as effectively as a middle aged or younger pet. A yearly thorough physical examination will help to detect problems early and aid in disease management. Older pets like older persons are subject to many different diseases and conditions and our clinic recommends annual blood and urine tests to detect problems that may not be apparent on a physical examination. These laboratory tests are especially important if your pet is undergoing a general anesthetic. In order to minimize the potential risk associated with anesthetic it is vital for us to know the complete health status of your pet before placing him or her under anesthesia. A good example of how a blood test can assist us in determining if an anesthetic can safely take place is in an animal with kidney disease. A pet can loose up to 75% of kidney function before showing clinical signs of illness. Pre-anesthetic blood testing can detect this condition, which, if undiagnosed, could lead to severe anesthetic complications. If blood test results are within normal limits we can proceed with confidence knowing anesthetic risk is minimized. Normal results also provide us with a baseline to compare to values taken at a future date when a problem may exist. This can sometimes give us some insight on when a problem may have started and help to determine the prognosis and type of treatment needed.