This Weeks Blog: Answers To Your Facebook Questions

Thank you for the Facebook questions.

First, at Animal Health Hospital, we recommend a yearly “Bordetella” vaccine for all dogs that have potential exposure to other dogs. This includes dogs that are groomed, dogs that go to dog parks, and dogs that attend doggie day care or are boarded at any boarding facility. Our “Bordetella” vaccine actually contains both modified live bacteria called Bordetella bronchiseptica and modified live virus called Parainfluenza virus. Both are common causes of kennel cough, The Animal Health Hospital vaccine is given as a liquid sprayed into your dog’s nasal passages. There is very good science that indicates that this intranasal rout is very effective but, giving an injection of both of these agents leads to little or no immunity. Finally, this vaccine is effective for at least a year, although most boarding facilities require the vaccine be given every 6 months. I find this interesting since all boarding facilities accept injectable Bordetella/parainfluenza vaccine even though there is good data that indicates that this vaccine has little or no value. The intranasal Bordetella/parainfluenza vaccine is just for dogs.

Second, giving dogs garlic oil for flea and tick prevention is not good for two reasons. The first is that this oil has no efficacy against either of these parasites. Actually, it works pretty well in Arizona, but this is because we have so few fleas and ticks! The most important reason to not give garlic oil is that bot garlic and onions cause anemia in dogs. The anemia results from free radicals that cause damage to hemoglobin and the formation of Heinz bodies within the red blood cells. This causes damage to the red blood cells leading to anemia which causes depression, rapid heart and respiratory rates and pale mucous membranes. These effects last for several days after the garlic or onion is ingested. As is typical of toxins, the greater and longer the exposure, the more likely we are to see problems.

Next week will be an in depth discussion on allergies and ear infections. As always feel free to comment or call!!!