Vaccine Schedule:
DAP is a combination vaccination protecting against Parvovirus, Distemper, and Adenovirus. This vaccination is given every 2-3 weeks from the age of 6-8 weeks to 16 weeks in puppies. After the 16 week vaccination, the next recommended DAP vaccination is in 1 year.

For the last two DAP vaccines of the series (at approximately 14 weeks and 16 weeks), the Leptospirosis vaccination can be added. Leptospirosis is an optional vaccination depending on lifestyle, for any dogs that are outdoors (hiking, camping, swimming, etc) we recommend the Leptospirosis vaccination as it is a bacteria that can be transmitted by wildlife via contaminated soil or water.

Rabies vaccination is done at approximately 16 weeks. This vaccination is valid for 1 year.

Another optional vaccination, depending on lifestyle, is Bordetella. This is the kennel cough vaccination, and is required by most grooming and boarding facilities. This vaccine is recommended if the dog is going to be groomed, boarded, go to dog parks, or anywhere that has a lot of other dogs. Bordetella is an oral vaccine that can be added to the vaccine series at any time. This vaccine is good for 1 year.

Below is two sample outlines of the vaccine schedule for puppies since vaccines are needed every 2-3 weeks.

6 weeks: DAP
8 weeks: DAP
10 weeks: DAP
12 weeks: DAP
14 weeks: DAP + Leptospirosis and Bordetella
16 weeks: DAP + Leptospirosis and Rabies
OR:
8 weeks: DAP
11 weeks: DAP
14 weeks: DAP + Leptospirosis and Bordetella
17 weeks: DAP + Leptospirosis and Rabies

Heartworm Prevention:
Heartworm is a parasitic roundworm transmitted by mosquitoes that causes damage to the heart, lungs, and arteries in animals. Year round heartworm preventatives are recommended for all dogs. The heartworm prevention that we carry at Potlatch Vet Clinic is called Interceptor Plus. Interceptor Plus is an oral pill that dogs take by mouth once a month. This product also contains a broad spectrum dewormer for prevention/treatment of gastrointestinal parasites (i.e. tapeworms, roundworms, hookworms, etc). Yearly heartworm testing is recommended for all dogs, even those on year round preventatives, to ensure that they are not infected with heartworms.

The American Heartworm Society has a lot of great information on heartworms and heartworm disease in dogs if you are interested in knowing more. Heartworm isease is less prevalent in the Pacific Northwest than it is in the Southern United States, however, there is heartworm disease here in Idaho.

Deworming:
Yearly or more frequent deworming or fecal checks is recommended for all dogs because gastrointestinal parasites can be acquired from the environment and many are zoonotic to humans. One option is to bring in a fecal sample to your dog’s next exam and at Potlatch Vet Clinic we run a fecal test in the clinic that checks for eggs of many of the common gastrointestinal parasites that dogs can acquire.

For deworming medication options, Interceptor Plus (heartworm prevention) contains a broad spectrum dewormer as well and is a great option for monthly deworming. For dogs not on Interceptor Plus monthly, there are other deworming options that we carry at Potlatch Vet Clinic. Drontal Plus is a broad spectrum dewormer that treats roundworms, hookworms, tapeworms, and other astrointestinal parasites. We also carry other deworming products such as pyrantel (Strongid) and fenbendazole.

Flea/Tick Prevention:
Flea and tick prevention is recommended for all dogs as we have both of these parasites in the Pacific Northwest. Late spring, summer, and early fall have the highest tick densities in this area. Flea and tick prevention is available in two forms: a topical monthly ointment that is placed along the dog’s back or an oral pill that is given monthly or every 3-4 months depending on the brand. At Potlatch Vet Clinic we carry Bravecto as our oral pill flea/tick prevention option and it works for 3-4 months, however, dogs must be 6 months or older to receive Bravecto. At Potlatch Vet Clinic we carry Frontline Gold and Vectra 3D as our topical monthly flea/tick prevention, these are both ointments that are placed along a dog’s back once a month, and can be applied to puppies as young as 8 weeks. Vectra 3D also prevents lice, mites, biting flies, and mosquitoes; however, it is important to keep dogs away from cats for the first 24-48
hours after application of Vectra 3D, since this medication is toxic to cats.

Spay:
Spaying is the procedure of removing a female dog’s uterus and ovaries. This procedure prevents unwanted pregnancies and eliminates heat cycles in dogs. Our recommended time for spaying is at 4-6 months of age before a female dog’s first heat cycle. Spaying before the first heat cycle has been shown to greatly reduce female dog’s chances of having mammary cancer. Another advantage of spaying dogs is that it removes the risk of pyometra a life-threatening uterine infection that can develop in older, intact female dogs. However, if you have a large/giant breed female dog please discuss with your veterinarian the pros and cons of waiting until 12-14 months of age to spay your dog.

An appointment for spaying your dog can be scheduled at your convenience (we do surgeries most days of the week). Surgery patients are dropped off in the morning at a scheduled drop off time between 7:30-8:30am and stay at Potlatch Vet Clinic for the day, they are picked up at a scheduled picked up in that same evening (usually between 4:00-5:30pm).

Neuter/Castration:
Neutering is the procedure of removing a male dog’s testicles. This procedure prevents unwanted pregnancies and can be helpful in preventing unwanted behaviors (i.e. urine marking, roaming, and mounting). Our recommended time of neutering is 4-6 months in most male dogs, as this is typically before unwanted behaviors are learned and reinforced. However, if you have a large/giant breed male dog please discuss with your veterinarian the pros and cons of waiting until 12-14 months of age to neuter your dog.

An appointment for neutering your dog can be scheduled at your convenience (we do surgeries most days of the week). Surgery patients are dropped off in the morning at a scheduled drop off time between 7:30-8:30am and stay at Potlatch Vet Clinic for the day, they are picked up at a scheduled picked up in that same evening (usually between 4:00-5:30pm).