According to the World Small Animal Veterinary Association, AAHA Guidelines there are two broad categories for vaccinations;

• Core vaccines are vaccines that all pets, regardless of circumstance should receive. Core vaccines protect animals from severe, life-threatening diseases that have a global distribution.
• Non-core vaccines are vaccines that should be given to our pet whose lifestyle or local environment places them at increased risk of contracting specific infections.

 How do vaccinations work?

Vaccines contain modified viruses, an agent that resembles a disease-causing microorganism and improves the immunity in two parts: production of antibodies and stimulation of body’s immune systems to the particular disease. The two parts of immune system will react quickly to destroy the disease-causing agent, if later exposed to the disease.

Kittens and puppies obtain immunity from their mother’s milk however this wanes after 6 to 20 weeks of age. Therefore, a series of vaccines are given starting at 8 weeks of age and “booster” shots every 3-4 weeks until immunity is high, which is normally at 16 weeks. Second vaccine will stimulate greater response if it is given after 4 weeks from prior vaccine.

Does my pet need regular booster vaccination?

Regular “booster” (annual) vaccination is recommended to ensure continuous immunity from disease, as protection from vaccine gradually declines over time.

Currently, the relative issue of vaccinating annually after the first year of puppy/kitten shots is still under research within veterinary medicine, as the duration of immunity of each vaccine is not presently known.

While there is an option to have a blood test to assess pet’s antibody level, the level of immunity currently provided by pet’s immune system cannot be tested. Therefore, until more is researched, the frequency of vaccination will vary accordingly. Ask your veterinarian about the risk of viral and bacterial diseases in your area and the need for regular boosters, whether annual or every 2 to 3 years.

When deciding in the best interest for your pet, please remember pets age faster than people and, in addition, they will try to disguise their pain and illness as long as possible. With no outward signs, the disease will go unnoticed until it’s quite advanced. Therefore, regular vaccination and annual physical examination will go a long way to ensure their health and to detect early signs of organ dysfunction and illness. Early treatment can not only increase their life span but also improve their quality of life.

What disease are vaccines available for?

Canine

• Rabies:  is a fatal, zoonotic disease affecting the brain and neurological system. 
  • Rabies is a core vaccine. It should be given at 12 weeks, and then annually thereafter.
• Canine distemper is a virus that can affect several systems in the body including the respiratory, gastrointestinal and neurological system.
  • DHPP (distemper, hepatitis/adenovirus & parvovirus & Parainfluenza)-This core vaccine should be given at 8 weeks, 12 weeks, and sometimes requires a booster at 16 weeks. The booster requirement in future may be annually or up to every 3 years, depending on your pet’s lifestyle, exposure, and the vaccine brand that is being used.
• Hepatitis
• Parainfluenza
• Parvo virus:  is a highly contagious, potentially lethal disease causing severe diarrhea in dogs.
• Leptospirosis :  is a bacteria that is shed in the urine of infected dogs, humans, wildlife, such as skunks and raccoons, and livestock. Dogs can become infected by contact with contaminated water, soil or animal urine and infection can cause life threatening kidney and/or liver failure. 
  • If your dog enjoys drinking out of puddles, creeks, rivers etc. this vaccine is recommended. The leptospirosis bacterium is spread through contaminated animal urine via mucous membranes (mouth, nose, eyes). Like rabies, leptospirosis can infect humans, which is why this is an important vaccine. This vaccine needs boosted yearly.
• Corona virus: Canine enteric coronavirus is a highly contagious intestinal infection seen mostly in young puppies. It is spread by oral contact with infected feces and causes diarrhea that is self-limiting in adult dogs but can be more severe in young puppies
• Bordetella (aka kennel cough):  is a vaccine that protects dogs against contracting infectious tracheobronchitis. It is recommended for dogs that have regular contact with other dogs such as those that go regularly to a dog walker, a boarding facility, and dog park or obedience class. Bordetella is very contagious, easily transmitted (via air or direct contact), and hard to kill in the environment
  • This vaccine is highly recommended..This vaccine is also required for most dog boarding facilities. Bordetella needs to be updated annually, and is usually given around 12 weeks of age.
• Lyme (Borrelia): Lyme disease, also known as Lyme borreliosis, is a bacterial illness that can be transmitted to humans, dogs, and other animals by certain species of ticks.
  • Two initial doses, 2 to 4 wk apart, may be administered as early as 8 or 9 wk of age, Where risk of exposure is sustained, administer a single dose 1 yr following completion of the initial 2-dose series, then annually thereafter.
• Canine Influenza: Dog flu, or canine influenza virus, is an infectious respiratory disease caused by an influenza A virus, similar to the viral strains that cause influenza in people. There are two known strains of dog flu found in the United States: H3N8 & H3N2
  • Two initial doses, 2 to 4 wk apart, are required. The first dose may be administered to dogs 6 to 8 wk of age or older. Where risk of exposure is sustained, administer a single dose within 1 yr following completion of the initial 2-dose series, then every year thereafter.

Feline

• Rabies  is a fatal, zoonotic disease affecting the brain and neurological system.
• Rhinotracheitis
• Calici virus
• Panleukopenia
• Feline Leukemia: is a virus that causes a variety of symptoms including cancers, anemia and immunosuppression, leading to infections with other diseases. Cats contract the virus from direct contact with another infected cat, usually through a cat bite, grooming or sharing food and water dishes. The feline leukemia vaccine is recommended for cats that go outdoors, potentially contacting with other cats who may be infected. It is also recommended for cats in multiple cat households where the introduction of new cats is common.
  • FelV  is a non-core vaccine and is recommended for specific patients. These patients are usually young cats and those going outdoors or living in multi-cat households.

If you have any questions about vaccination or would like to schedule an appointment, feel free to contact us today at (951) 371-7117
 

A veterinarian should evaluate your pet’s dental health at least once a year. Bacteria, tartar and food debris accumulates around a pet’s teeth and, if left unchecked, will lead to deterioration of the soft tissue and bone surrounding the teeth. Untreated, this accumulation results in irreversible periodontal disease and even tooth loss
For proper care during dental examination, your veterinarian will place your pet under general anesthesia before conducting a mouth examination to check for abnormalities; tooth scaling to remove tartar; then polishing to decrease plaque buildup.

We’ve had a dental radiology machine at our hospital. Diseases such as root infections, oral bone tumors and sinus infections need to be evaluated radiographically.
When periodontal disease is advanced, the badly affected teeth may need to be extracted. Regular pet wellness exams are the best way to get an early diagnosis, including on a wide variety of other diseases revealed by your pet’s teeth and gum health.

Surgery and Treatments

Spay and neuter surgery can also reduce your pet’s risk of cancer and reproductive system-related diseases like mammary gland tumors. As most surgical procedures require postoperative pain management, your pet generally receives pain-relief medications before, during, and after surgery.

Our surgical suite is equipped with the modern medical equipment needed to perform procedures safely and effectively. We offer a range of surgical services from elective to specialized, including pet microchipping; and will refer you to appropriate specialists as required to best serve your pet’s health.

 

ORTHOPEDIC SURGERY

If your pet requires a more complex procedure, we’ll do our best to bring in a board-certified surgeon to perform the procedure at our hospital, so you don’t have to take your pet elsewhere. Occasionally, referral to specialist hospitals may be necessary to ensure your pet receives the highest level of care for their specific condition.

Below is a partial list of the surgeries that we perform:

• TPLO (Tibial-plateau-leveling osteotomy)
• Femoral Head Ostectomy (FHO)
• Cranial Cruciate Ligament Rupture
• Hip Dysplasia
• Patellar Luxation (MPL)
• Fractures (Pelvic and others)
• Bone Plating and Pinning

 

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns about our orthopedic capabilities or how we can care for your pet, please contact us today at (951) 371-7117

 

SOFT TISSUE SURGERY

Prior to any surgical procedure, our doctor will examine your pet and order pre-anesthetic bloodwork to check for any underlying conditions that could compromise your pet’s safety while under sedation/general anesthesia. We always adhere to strict protocols regarding anesthesia, IV fluid and your pet’s vital signs will be carefully monitored at all times by one of our experienced staff members.

At AAA animal Hospital, we provide a range of surgical procedures, including:

• Spay and Neuter
• Bite Wound Repair
• Lumpectomy
• Biopsies
• Feeding Tube Placement
• Intestinal Surgeries
• Abdominal Exploratory
• Foreign Body Removal
• Aural Hematoma
• Cherry eye (third eye lid prolapsed)
• Entropion/Ectropion
• Lipoma Mass Removal
• Splenectomy
• Urinary Bladder/Urethral Stones (Cystotomy) 

 

If you have any questions about surgery or would like to schedule an appointment, feel free to contact us today at (951) 371-7117

 

 

IN-HOUSE LABORATORY

The best part of being able to run laboratory tests in our hospital is that we can diagnose your pets much sooner than if we had to send the blood work out to another laboratory. Whenever your pets are not
feeling well, we can offer you results and a diagnosis in minutes instead of making you wait a day (or
more) for the results.

Laboratory diagnostics include blood testing, urine testing, blood clotting factors, fecal testing, and testing of tissue samples. Routine testing provides an overview of your pet’s health, and is done for both
healthy pets and sick pets. This includes a Complete Blood Count or “CBC,” a general blood test that can indicate the presence of many forms of disease. Biochemistry profiles are targeted tests for a specific area of concern, such as kidney health.

Special testing is done to investigate or monitor a specific known issue. For example, your veterinarian might want to monitor the blood sugar level in a diabetic pet, or to test for drug levels in a pet on medication. Lab diagnostics are done right here at our hospital lab facility, or if needed, samples are sent to a reference laboratory.

 

Parasite Prevention

At AAA Animal Hospital we have access to a range of tests for parasites including fecal floatations, fecal and blood antigen ELISA tests, fecal antigen DNA tests, and direct microscopy.

If you travel with your pets you may require specific parasite preventative medication depending on the area you are travelling to. Please discuss your travel arrangements with your veterinarian before you plan on travelling.

Topical Products:
Topical parasite preventions are applied between the shoulders blades. Our veterinarian’s recommend avoiding bathing or swimming your pet for 48 hours after application to ensure full absorption. Dogs that are bathed, or swim frequently are at an increased risk of having lower efficacy as it is prone to washing off. Therefore, they may need to be re-treated more frequently than the prescribed monthly application
Advantage- This is a monthly product that is used to prevent and treat flea infestations in both cats and
dogs. This product targets adult fleas, as well as the flea eggs and larvae.
Advantix- This monthly product covers adult fleas, flea eggs and larvae. It also covers ticks, so if you live in, or travel to tick infested areas this may be a product for your pet. This product is only for dogs. Please note that this product is toxic to cats, so if you have cats and dogs living together, this product will not be suitable.
Advantage Multi– This monthly product covers multiple parasites both internal and external in dogs.
These include adult fleas, heartworm, roundworm, hookworm, sarcoptes (mange mites), nasal mites, and ear mites.
Bravecto– This is given every 12 weeks for the treatment of adult fleas and ticks for cats. This is also
available in a chewable form for dogs.
Revolution– This is another monthly product that covers a variety of parasites that we have in stock for
cats. Included in the coverage are adult fleas, heartworm, sarcoptes (mange mites), ear mites, and nasal mites.
Catgo: Thisis a monthly safe and effective formula for cats over 8 weeks old that kills fleas, flea eggs, flea larvae, ticks and chewing lice.
Vectra : Effective monthly control of adult fleas, flea eggs, flea larvae & pupae. Vectra also help protect against tularemia, rickettsiosis, bartonellosis
 
Oral Products:
 
Sentinel– This monthly chewable tablet covers flea eggs and larvae, but not adult fleas. It is also used to
prevent heartworm, whipworm, and roundworm in dogs.
Capstar– This is a quick acting medication given when there is a live infestation of fleas. It targets the
adult fleas, and takes effect usually within an hour of administration. It does not cover flea eggs or larvae so it is recommended to follow with another product to continue the protection as the larvae and eggs mature and develop into adults. This product is safe to be given in conjunction with other parasite control products for both cats and dogs.
Bravecto– This is a chewable tablet given every 12 weeks for dogs. It covers adult fleas, and ticks.This is
also available in a topical form for cats.
Nexgard– This chewable monthly tablet covers adult fleas and ticks. This is only available for dogs.
Heartgard plus– This monthly product covers heartworm, hookworm and roundworm. This product is
safe to be given with other flea prevention products. This is for dogs only.
Interceptor– This product covers heartworm, whipworm and roundworm. This is available for both cats
and dogs.

Emergencies can be things such as accidental ingestion of rat poison, hit by car, and chocolate ingestion. If you ever feel that your pet needs emergency treatment do not hesitate to call or come in immediately.
We are also available for urgent care when the condition is not life-threatening. If you feel your pet needs to be seen before you are able to get an appointment, our staff will work to accommodate you in between scheduled appointments.
Our emergency care services include:

• Poisoning
• Breathing problems
• Bleeding due to injury or trauma
• Emergency surgery
• Hospitalization
• Vital sign monitoring
• Intravenous fluids
• Supportive care
• Blood /Plasma transfusions
• Pancreatitis
• DKA
• Cardiac heart failure
• Liver /kidney disease

On-site diagnostics and bloodwork
Our pets are like family, and we’re proud to offer the pet families in our community an additional resource for extended-hours treatment.