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At Sunnyvale Veterinary
Clinic we strive to be at the forefront of scientifically founded medical and
surgical advances. We thoroughly investigate the ever-changing science and art
of veterinary medicine through internet searches, journal article reviews, and
consultations with specialists, as well sending ourselves and team members to
continuing education meetings locally and nationally. We will continue to put
forth every effort to find information that will assist you in your pet's
healthcare.
One of our core focus areas
is preventive medicine. In this area our vaccination protocol is of utmost
importance to us. We strive to have the most current protocols in place to
protect your pet.
For
cats we have
selected only nonadjuvanted vaccines to reduce reactions and provide excellent
immunity. Although these vaccines are more expensive than adjuvanted products,
based on experience and research we believe that these vaccines reduce the risk
of reactions. We value safety over cost in our practice. That being said we also
deliver these vaccines at a reasonable cost compared to vaccine clinics that
offer less expensive vaccines for potentially unnecessary agents. (…"Our non-adjuvanted
PUREVAX® vaccines help protect cats from certain diseases … with
reduced risk of injection site reactions and chronic inflammation due to
adjuvants." -Merial website).
We
vaccinate dogs on a regular basis against distemper, adenovirus
(hepatitis), and parvovirus. We have decided to switch to a product that
provides 3 years of protection against these diseases with just one vaccination.
This product, Continuum® DAP,
has been approved by the United States Department of Agriculture (the US
government agency that regulates animal vaccines) for 3-year protection and has
an excellent safety record. In recent years, there has been growing
concern about over-vaccination of pets. The American Animal Hospital Association
and major universities have recommended vaccinating every 3 years for certain
dog diseases, including distemper, adenovirus, and parvovirus. With Continuum
DAP, we can follow these recommendations with a US government-approved product.
And giving only one shot every 3 years may mean greater comfort and safety for
your dog. And there is a cost benefit as well: divide the cost of our vaccine
over three years and you are actually saving money over the one-year vaccine
provided by vaccine clinics.
Not all vaccines are effective with only three year boosters. Kennel Cough vaccination is still required once or twice a year for
boarding cats and dogs, respectively. Other vaccinations which are considered
optional (for example, Lyme's and Giardia) should be discussed individually with a member of our staff.
Regardless of your pet's vaccination regimen, we strongly encourage that
all pets be brought in annually for a physical exam. Since our pets age five to
seven years to each human year, it is crucial that we catch health problems
early. With an exam every 6 to 12 months we may diagnose medical problems before
they become serious.
Sincerely,
Dr. Singh,
Dr. Wright and the
Sunnyvale Veterinary Clinic Staff
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