To vaccinate or not to vaccinate? 
Whether to vaccinate your pet on an ongoing basis is becoming an important issue for discussion.

Many articles are available through the Camp office as well as on line at www.petresource.com

Golden Lake recommends the following protocol for dogs:

NOTE: This schedule is the one I recommend and should NOT be interpreted to mean that other protocols recommended by a veterinarian would be less satisfactory. It's a matter of professional judgment and choice.

Age of Pups                             Vaccine Type

9 Weeks                                                        MLV Distemper/Parvovirus only (e.g. Intervet

 Progard Puppy)

12 Weeks                                                     MLV Distemper/Parvovirus only (e.g. Intervet

 Progard Puppy)

16-20 Weeks                                                MLV Distemper/Parvovirus only (e.g. Intervet

 Progard Puppy)

                      Total of 3 doses ONLY

24 weeks or older, if allowable by law             Killed Rabies Vaccine

1 year                                                         MLV Distemper/Parvovirus only booster

1 year (give 3-4 weeks apart from Dist/Parvo   Killed 3 year rabies vaccine

booster)

MLV=modified-live virus

After 1 year, annually measure serum antibody titers against specific canine infectious agents such as distemper and parvovirus. This is especially recommended for animals previously experiencing adverse vaccine reactions or breeds at higher risk for such reactions (e.g., Weimaraner, Akita, American Eskimo, Great Dane).

OVERVIEW:  Golden Lake needs to see your dog's most current vaccination certificate to make sure vaccines were given at some point for Rabies and the Distemper series.  Any future boardings, Golden Lake only needs a Rabies vaccine certificate since it is PA state law done every three years and a negative fecal exam certification where the fecal check was performed within the last six months.  ALL other vaccines are totally at the pet owner's discretion.  We do not require bordetella, lyme, or corona vaccines.

Golden Lake recommends the following protocol for cats:

Rabies vaccine as required by law. (Usually every three years)

Feline Panleukopenia vaccine (Feline Distemper)

Although somewhat controversial among conventional doctors, a considerable body of evidence has led researchers to believe that feline distemper vaccine, once given as a kitten, provides lifelong protection in almost all cats.

We recommend a series of two shots. The first vaccine is at 8-9 weeks of age, and the second is given at 12-13 weeks of age.

We do not recommend yearly Feline Distemper vaccines. The Association of Feline Practitioners recommends Panleukopenia every three years. For cats in high-risk situations, we recommend a Blood Titer Test to check levels of immunity every three years.

Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV)

Feline Leukemia Vaccine is controversial in that the vaccine is extremely ineffective, especially when compared to the effectiveness of other vaccines. Kittens are at greatest risk, and the best protection you can give a kitten is to keep the kitten indoors for the first year of its life.

The reported vaccine effective rate varies from 0% of vaccinated cats protected to 67%. One of the more interesting studies involving natural infection (as compared to a lab setting) showed no protection.

Feline Leukemia was first recognized as a disease in the late 1970’s. It was not around before then. Since then, the incidence of Leukemia in cats has rapidly decreased. Today, the disease can be considered to be rare. What is the reason? Naturally acquired immunity! It is well known that almost all cats that are immune competent (their immune system is working at normal levels) and are over 10 months of age, once exposed to the Feline Leukemia Virus, develop resistance, remove the virus from their body, and become immune to future infection. Since the vaccine has such a poor rate of success, and since natural immunity protects almost all cats, there are few cats with leukemia now… entirely due to natural immunity.

Other than a few instances where the risk of contracting feline leukemia is at a very high level, we do not recommend leukemia vaccines.

The reasons are:

1. The vaccine does not protect cats well
2. Repeated vaccines do not improve its effectiveness
3. The vaccine causes incurable cancers (fibrosarcoma) in roughly 1 in every 2,000 - 5,000 cats
4. The vaccine can cause vaccinosis (a homeopathic term that means the animal develops a relatively permanent degradation of their vital health)
5. All vaccines can degrade health, so any vaccine is a risk vs. benefit assessment
6. Use of the vaccine gives the caretaker a false sense of security, when the caretaker should instead be aware of the more important methods they can employ to protect their cats (keeping the kitten indoors for the first year of life)

Feline Upper Respiratory Diseases

In general, feline upper respiratory diseases are relatively mild and self-limiting. The potential vaccines include:

1. Calici Virus Vaccine- Comes as a component of the feline distemper vaccine, and is highly effective, probably lasting for the life of the cat
2. Rhinotraceitis Virus (Herpes Virus)- Comes as a component of the feline distemper vaccine, but it is important to understand that it does not prevent infection; however, it may lessen the severity of the disease
3. Chlamydia- We do not recommend this vaccine in almost all situations
4. Bordetella- We do not recommend this vaccine in any situation
5. Feline Infectious Peritonitis- This vaccine has not been shown in any study to be effective, so we do not use it
6. No sick cat should receive any vaccines
7. No pregnant or lactating cat should receive any vaccines
8. There is no evidence to support a repeated vaccine prior to breeding
9. Multiple vaccines should not be given at the same time. We recommend that the rabies vaccine be given at a different time than the distemper/calici/rhinotracheitis vaccine

Before revaccination, a blood titer can be taken to check if the original vaccine is still protecting your cat.

Remember, Rabies is the only vaccine required by law and we recommend keeping your cat current on its Rabies vaccine.

OVERVIEW:  Golden Lake needs to see your cat's vaccination history to make sure vaccines were given at some point for Rabies and the Distemper series.  Any future boardings, Golden Lake only needs a Rabies vaccine certificate since it is PA state law.  If your cat is a totally indoors cat, we do not require Rabies.  ALL other vaccines are totally at the pet owner's discretion.

Don't Forget Good Feeding Habits 

Proper Nutrition - The Pinnacle Difference is Chicken, Oats, & Vegetables.  Pinnacle is an allergy free holistic formula for active adults and puppies.  It is made with fresh chicken meat, toasted oats- high in protein, fresh potatoes-a complex carbohydrate, quinoa-an organic grain rich in protein and vitamins, a variety of vegetables to ensure the highest level of protein, grapeseed oil rich in vitamin E (it also contains the highest level of omega 6 and 3 fatty acids), preserved naturally with vitamins e & c, chelated vitamins to ensure proper absorption, anti-oxidants to eliminate free radicals and toxins from the system, probiotics to help with nutrient absorption and better digestion (continued use will help build the immune system), slowly cooked to perfection and sealed to keep in freshness.

Don't Forget Good Grooming 
Good grooming is important to your pet and consists of:

Hair Treatment - Combing or brushing needs vary according to the length and coat type of the pet. In general, pets should be brushed once or twice a week. Use a groomer's glove, brush, or comb that does not irritate the skin. Routine brushing is essential for cats as it reduces the chance of hair balls.

Nail Trimming - You can try using a "human" nail trimmer but one designed for pets generally works best. Trim just in front of the pink area or "dermis" which contains nerves and blood vessels. If this can't be seen, trim the nail just below the point where it starts to curve down.

Ear Cleaning - Don't wait until you start to detect strange odors coming from your pet's ears - a tell tale sign of ear infection. To avoid damaging the eardrum, clean only that part of the ear that you can see. A small amount of wax in the ear is important to help protect the ear canal from foreign objects.