Personalized Primary & Wellness Care: Because Western New York’s Pets Deserve the Best

When they're young, puppies and kittens need extra care. Their immune systems are still developing, so we provide them with essential boosters.

We typically advise against vaccinations before eight weeks. Here's what we recommend:

Puppies

• Canine distemper / parvovirus / adenovirus: 8, 12, and 16 weeks
• Rabies: 16 weeks

Kittens

• Feline viral rhinotracheitis / calicivirus / panleukopenia: 8, 12, and 16 weeks
• Rabies: 16 weeks

A booster is needed around the one-year mark.

We know that one-size-fits-all protection isn't an option. Some vaccines are given annually as needed and include:

• Borrelia burgdorferi (Lyme Disease)
• Canine bordetella (kennel cough)
• Canine influenza
• Canine leptospirosis
• Feline leukemia

Your vet will assess your pet and tailor these and other vaccines to your pet's lifestyle.

Flea & Tick Prevention: Protecting Your Pets and Your Peace of Mind

An essential part of caring for your pet is keeping them free from the troublesome fleas and ticks that can lead to discomfort and disease.

The Threat of Tick-Borne Diseases

Ticks are opportunistic—lurking in grass, woods, and even urban areas. While many ticks are harmless, some bites can lead to the following:

• Anemia and skin damage
• Irritation and hypersensitivity
• Severe diseases like Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever

If your pet shows signs of arthritis, lameness, depression, or fatigue, don’t hesitate to contact us. These symptoms could indicate a tick-borne disease, even if there's no known tick bite.

Fleas: Small Pests with a Big Impact

Fleas begin as eggs and evolve through larvae and pupae stages before reaching adulthood. This process can take anywhere from two weeks to eight months, meaning your home and pet could be re-infested just weeks after ridding them of adult fleas.

Consider this: 10 adult female fleas can become a quarter-million different life stages within a month. It’s not just about today’s fleas but tomorrow’s potential infestation.

Detecting and Winning the Battle Against Fleas & Ticks

Detection starts at home. Look for signs like quick movement on the skin or "flea dirt" that resembles black coffee grounds. If you spot even one flea or a sign of flea dirt, your home may harbor more.

We design a personalized preventive or treatment plan that tackles both the visible problem and the unseen future threats. Here's what we do:

• Regular Examinations: At your pet's regular check-ups, we look for signs of fleas and ticks.
• Prescription Treatments: Based on your pet’s needs, we'll recommend the best treatment or preventive measures to ensure your pet and home environment are safe from infestation.

These are OPVMC’s recommendations and protocols regarding heartworm prevention:

Dogs

• For the best protection, all dogs in Western New York should receive year-round heartworm preventive medication. At minimum, they should receive it from at least from June through November.
• Dogs that routinely receive appropriate preventive medication are tested for heartworm disease at least once per year, ideally in the spring.
• All dogs over the age of seven months should be tested annually for heartworm disease in the spring if they did not receive continuous heartworm prevention during the previous heartworm season.
• Dogs that travel to regions of the country with longer heartworm seasons and where heartworm is more prevalent (e.g., the South) should most definitely receive year-round preventive medication.

Cats

While very rare in cats, heartworm disease has been documented and can be serious. Routine preventative heartworm medication is available for cats who spend time outside. We will discuss the risks for your cat and tailor preventative recommendations to their needs. While cats can become infected with heartworm in the same manner as dogs, they are much more resistant to infection. At the present time, the risk to Buffalo cats of heartworm infection is very low.