A healthy immune system has two components. Discrimination distinguishes your pet’s own normal organisms from dangerous invaders. Recognition detects foreign organisms through the lymph nodes. Natural reactions begin, warding off the threat. This takes time, however, and first-time invaders sometimes produce illness. Severity depends on exposure and seriousness of the foreign agent. If first-time invaders are destroyed, the body builds immunity and later invasions of the same agent are blocked more rapidly with little or no illness.

Many infectious diseases act more quickly than the immune system’s defenses. The result can be swift, serious and often fatal. Vaccination is critical to immunize your pet before it is exposed to infectious threats.

Vaccination works on the principle that the immune system responds much faster when it detects an invader that it has already faced and beaten. Thus, for each major disease covered (see Protection Chart), the vaccine introduces just enough antigen, or foreign agent, to trigger an immune response. Because the antigen dosage is low, modified or killed, it cannot cause the disease. (See above: How does the immune system work?)

Spectra and Focus vaccines offer total protection against covered diseases when stored, handled and administered properly. Just make sure that you:

• Keep the vaccine refrigerated prior to use
• Follow our illustrated, step-by-step inoculation instructions
• Adhere to the recommended vaccination schedule

Animal health is our only business. Our company has developed and supplied animal health products for nearly 50 years. Our USDA-approved vaccines are made to exacting quality standards and temperature-controlled from plant to you.

When an animal develops a covered disease, the vaccine is often wrongly blamed. In most every case, vaccine failure results from failure to follow storage, administration and vaccination schedule instructions.

Remember that most infectious diseases incubate faster than a vaccine can produce antibodies. Thus, vaccinating an animal shortly before, during or after it is exposed to an infectious disease offers no protection. This is especially true when immunity is being established for the first time, as in puppies and kittens. Thereafter, booster shots produce faster immune response.

Other human errors that cause vaccine to fail:

• Allowing the vaccine to freeze or leaving it unrefrigerated prior to injection.
• Improperly mixing the contents of vaccine vials.
• Not administering the vaccine correctly.
• Not vaccinating promptly after mixing the vials.
• Not following the recommended vaccination schedule.

Our mission is to help you protect the life and health of your pet. Successful vaccination is simple. See our Do-it-Yourself vaccinations instructions and follow the illustrated, step-by-step instructions.

Yes. Both freezing and prolonged exposure to warmth destroy vaccine effectiveness. Place it in your refrigerator as soon after purchase as possible. On warm or below-freezing days, don’t leave it in your car while you do other shopping or run errands.

Vaccines have a long shelf life—well over a year—if refrigerated properly. They are temperature-controlled from our plant to your store, and inventories are constantly kept fresh. While vaccines are long lasting, however, we recommend that you purchase your vaccine immediately before you plan to vaccinate. Keep it stored in your refrigerator until you’re ready to mix and inject.

No. Vaccination is powerless after onset of an infectious disease. The principle of vaccination is to create immunity before your pet is exposed.

No. Canine and feline viruses have no effect on people.

No. Dog and cat viruses have no effect on people, and the vaccine doesn’t either, even if you accidentally stick yourself with the syringe.

Yes. Just as with people vaccinations, some redness or a knot at the injection site is normal. These symptoms disappear within a few days.

Many pets have no visible reaction. Others seem tired, listless or “under the weather” for a few days. This is a normal process as their immune system produces antibodies to ward off serious and deadly diseases.

No. Even for very small or very large dogs and cats, you should never adjust the dosage—to a half dose or double dose, for example. Always administer one full dose, no matter what size or age your pet. Immune response comes from antigen amount and concentration, not dose volume.

No, never. All single-dose Spectra and Focus vaccines include a new syringe in the packet. Use the syringe once only, then dispose properly.

Start as soon as you can, since unvaccinated puppies and kittens are especially susceptible to infectious diseases. Then proceed at recommended vaccination intervals. See Recommended Vaccination Schedules: DOG or CAT.

Severe reactions to vaccine are rare. They’re occasionally caused by improper injection. If your pet does have a severe reaction, get to a veterinarian quickly. Bring the vaccine vials you used so the vet will know what

Revaccinate as soon as you can conveniently buy another dose of vaccine. Administer a full dose.

No. This will not harm your pet in any way.

First-time do-it-yourselfers, whether it’s a home project or pet vaccination, gain confidence from a little self-education and practice. The giant savings is good reason to invest a few minutes learning about do-it-yourself vaccines.

Glance over our Do-it-Yourself instructions. Familiarize yourself with the easy vaccination steps. Practice: Draw water into a spare syringe (they’re cheap) and eliminate the air in the syringe. Crumple up a bath towel, place it on a table, then inject the water in one smooth movement just below the first layer of cloth. Practice with your pet. Draw a fold of skin at the neck and shoulder, then visualize yourself injecting the vaccine just below the skin. Practice will prepare you and your pet for actual vaccination. Once you do it the first time, your annual boosters will be easy. Besides, who do you think your pet would rather be vaccinated by? A vet … or you?

Other suggestions: Many of our customers have ‘vaccination parties.’ They do group vaccinations with friends or family members who have pets, with the person most comfortable with vaccinating doing all the animals.

Don’t forget. There’s a huge number of dog and cat owners out there who are already comfortable with a syringe. Who are they? Doctors, nurses, emergency medical technicians, paramedics and lab techs … plus diabetics … plus people with a farm background used to vaccinating their livestock and companion animals. Do you have pet-owning friends or family who fit any of those descriptions? Hold a get-together with your pets. You’ll all save money, and you’ll have fun doing it.

We recommend 6 weeks. See Spectra Recommended Vaccination Schedule.

Coronavirus infection is a highly contagious disease of puppies that primarily attacks the intestinal tract and is more severe when combined with other viruses such as parvo. The disease is spread from dog to dog through contact with feces. Spectra 6 and Spectra 10 vaccines offer protection against coronavirus and are safe for use in puppies and dogs.

Emerging lepto diseases, including Leptospira grippo-typhosa and Leptospira pomona, are diagnosed in increasing numbers of dogs. The current vaccines that only offer protection against Leptospira canicola and Leptospira icterohaemorrhagiae don’t protect against the two emerging lepto strains. Spectra 9 and Spectra 10 offer protection against these four lepto diseases.

Leptospirosis can be found in dogs of all sizes, whether they spend time indoors or outdoors. Diagnosis of the disease has increased dramatically during the past 25 years and lepto is found in many urban areas due to drinking water contaminated by rodents and wildlife.

Puppies need multiple vaccinations that are age appropriate to be properly vaccinated and to prevent vaccine failure from maternal antibody interference. Be sure your 6-week old puppy receives a vaccination at least every three weeks until 18 weeks of age.

Yes. Spectra and Focus vaccines are USDA-labeled and recommended for annual vaccination.

We recommend 8 weeks. See the Focus Recommended Vaccination Schedule.

Dogs and cats are constantly threatened by viruses, bacteria, fungi, foreign proteins and more. The immune system is your pet’s natural defense against these invaders.