Non adjuvented vaccines for cats:

Recently in veterinary medicine vaccine associated diseases have been a hot topic. The concern arises from the correlation between certain soft tissue tumors in cats and additives in some vaccines. These additives, called adjuvants, are used in certain "killed vaccines"  such as rabies and feline leukemia vaccines in order to boost the immune system and provide better immunity against disease. In light of these conditions, a vaccine company, Merial, has designed new vaccines for cats that contain no adjuvants. This new vaccine product is called Purevax. We began using the Purevax vaccines exclusively in our clinic as soon as they became available. Although our incidence of vaccine associated sarcomas was very low before, we have not seen any of these aggressive tumors since switching to the Purevax product a year ago.

There is also concern about over vaccination in companion animals in general. At McAllister's Veterinary Service we taylor the vaccine protocol for each patient depending on the risk of exposure to the diseases and previous vaccine history.  The duration of immunity varies greatly among vaccines.  For example: the modified live parvo and distemper vaccinations provide years of immunity in the healthy dog but, bacterins for bordetella (kennel cough) and lyme disease provide protection for a much shorter duration.  We feel it is important for a veterinarian to examine your animal at least yearly and discuss the lifestyle and medical history of your pet in order to design a vaccination regime which maximizes the benefit of providing protection against disease while minimizing unnecessary vaccinations.

Flea and tick season is here again! In our moderate, humid climate these parasites thrive.  Several species of ticks are present on Maryland's Eastern Shore; deer ticks, brown dog ticks, american dog ticks, lone star ticks, and others. These ticks can transmit disease organisms to dogs causing lyme disease, rocky mountain spotted fever, and ehrlichiosis. Humans are also suseptable to these diseases (the species of ehrlicia which infect humans are different from Ehrlicia canis which infects dogs).  By providing tick control on your pets you are also limiting exposure to these potenially damaging diseases to you and your family.

We have all seen the effect fleas have on pets and those animals unlucky to be hypersensitive to flea bites are even more miserable.  In those cases the trauma caused by incessant chewing and scratching can lead to secondary infections and even scarring.  Fleas also transmit parasites and disease such as one species of tapeworm and plague. That's right the bubonic plague, although rare, still kills animals and people in the U.S. every year.  However, it's primarily seen in the western U.S. and is treatable as all of these diseases are if caught early.

Ok, enough scare tactics. Do your pets and family a favor and visit us for the best and safest flea and tick control available today.