Dogs

1st Round Puppy(6-8 weeks old): DAPPv and dewormer.

2nd Round  Puppy (9-11 weeks old): DAPPv booster, bordetella and dewormer.

3rd Round  Puppy (3 months old): Rabies, DAPPv booster, bordetella booster and dewormer.

Annually: Rabies booster, DAPPv booster, bordetella booster, heartworm test, heartworm prevention and dewormer

Cats

1st Round Kitten (9-11 weeks old): FVRCP, FELV and dewormer.

2nd Round Kitten (3 months old): Rabies, FVRCP booster, FELV booster and dewormer.

Annually: Rabies booster, FVRCP booster, FELV booster and dewormer.

 

Click here for Vaccination packages and costs.

 

Rabies: Rabies is a virus that may affect the brain and spinal cord of all mammals. Vaccination is required.

Distemper, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza and Parvovirus (DAPPv): Commonly called the “distemper shot,” this combination vaccine actually protects against five diseases: canine distemper, adenovirus, hepatitis, parainfluenza, and parvovirus. It’s given to puppies in a series of three vaccines and then given every year to adult dogs. Along with rabies, DHPP is considered a set of core vaccines: those universally recommended for dogs no matter what the circumstance.

Bordetella (commonly called “kennel cough”): The bordetella bacteria causes an extremely contagious upper respiratory infection. Puppies should be given two doses of the Bordetella vaccine, about a month apart. Annual boosters are recommended if your dog regularly interacts with large groups of unknown dogs (boarding facilities, groomers, dog parks, etc.)

Heartworm Preventative Medication: Heartworms are contracted through mosquito bites. The best way to reduce the risk of infection is to administer a safe heartworm preventive that kills immature worms before they cause damage. Treatment for heartworms is risky and expensive so it is important to use year-round preventative medication since heartworm disease is preventable. Puppies should begin on heartworm preventative by 7 months of age. Any dog older than 7 months should be tested prior to beginning heartworm preventative. Testing is required annually even if your dog has been on preventative.

Canine Influenza (CIV): Commonly known as “the canine flu,” canine influenza is easily transmitted between dogs through a combination of aerosols, droplets, and direct contact with respiratory secretions. Annual boosters are recommended if your dog regularly interects with large groups of unknown dogs (boarding facilities, groomers, dog parks, etc.)

Leptospirosis: Dogs can become infected with “Leptospira” bacteria by exposure to contaminated water, exposure to urine from an infected animal, bite wounds, and ingestion of tissues from infected animals. Annual boosters are recommended if your dog has potential to come in contact with any wild animals or unknown bodies of water.

General Dewormer: Strongid-T is a general dewormer that treats hookworms and roundworms. Most puppies are born with internal parasites or worms derived from their mother, so puppies should be given three doses of this dewormer. It is also used to treat worms in adult dogs.

Tapeworm Dewormer: Virbantal (dogs) and Drontal (Cats) is a dewormer that treats tapeworms. Tapeworms are caused by the ingestion of fleas.

Feline Leukemia/Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FeLV/FIV) Testing: This testing is recommended for all cats, especially those with unknown histories. This is a blood test that checks for these infectious diseases in the cat’s blood stream. Leukemia and FIV are transmitted through bites, infected body fluids such as saliva, grooming, sexual contact and mother to offspring.

Feline FHCPCh Combination (feline distemper): This vaccine protects against common upper respiratory diseases such as Rhinotracheitis, Calici, Chlamydia, and Panleukopenia, that cats can catch even if they live indoors. It is recommended if your cat is ever boarded, hospitalized, etc. Many veterinarians, boarding and grooming facilities require this vaccination.

 

In about a month, I will be stepping down as the founder and president of Spay Neuter Network and let me tell you, it has been an amazing journey! But in many ways, I really didn’t have much of a choice.

It all started ten years ago on a drive down highway 429. I had a highly successful career in medical sales and I was having one of my chats with God. I was asking a common question many of us ask, “God, what should I be doing with my life?” Now, understand God had spoken to me many times during that period and often I heard words of encouragement to help animals. My human friends would cock their heads when I told them about these chats and ask me, “Bonnie, why aren’t you helping people?”  No doubt, I was a bit confused, but I asked God to give me a sign and there, right in front of me, a cat ran across the highway.

It was a tipping point in my life. It was then I began looking at the most impactful way to save lives of animals. Initially I wanted to open a shelter and I gave a call to the then executive director at SPCA, Warren Cox. I shared my desire to open a shelter and he responded, “Girl! We need to have lunch! If you have a shelter you will be killing animals all day long.”

Warren was right then and still is today. Each year 2.7 million cats and dogs are euthanized in shelters in this country. It’s very simple, but harsh math; there just aren’t enough homes for all the dogs and cats born each day. These numbers don’t include the number of animals that are hit and killed on roadways or starve to death after being dumped. That’s when I decided to focus on high quality, high volume spay neuter: the best and most effective way to prevent euthanasia and tragic endings for our companion dogs and cats.

There is a simple and clear cut answer to what many people see as a complicated problem; pet overpopulation. A lot of really brilliant people are spending a lot of time and money on solving this problem, but I am often frustrated because the answer is really clear and we just need to do the right thing; spay and neuter.

As a business person, I developed a plan, set goals and systematically developed a process to make a difference. Ten years later, Spay Neuter Network performs 17,000 surgeries a year. Due to our work, along with other organizations pushing spaying and neutering, we are seeing a drop in euthanasia rates, a drop in shelter intakes and more animals that do end up in shelters are sterilized. My focus is based on a problem that society has created and solving the problem in the most humane way. I also feel very fortunate and we are lucky to have incredible funders who get it and they have been by our side the entire time.

The numbers tell the story and that story is right in my front yard. I moved to a rural home in Kaufman County ten years ago and during that first year, I personally had 45 dogs dumped on our property. If I wanted a dog, I just had to walk out my front door. This year, we lost one of our older pups and I haven’t seen stray dogs for some time in my neighborhood. Instead, I made a trip to a shelter and found Rusty.  We can solve the pet overpopulation problem, and the best, most impactful and humane solution is spay/neuter.  I feel honored to have spread the word.

 

Bonnie Hill

Spay Neuter Network

We did this video to thank PetSmart Charities for their wonderful support over the years. It is worth watching to learn more about who we are, why we do what we do and how we could not do it without PetSmart Charities.