Here at Benbow Veterinary Services, we strive to provide the best care possible to our patients.

Part of this means administering high-quality vaccines, which are unadjuvanted and Mercury-free.

An adjuvant is an irritating material added to a killed vaccine to generate a stronger immune response. However, adjuvants are controversial in cats because of the risk of developing Injection Site Fibrosarcomas. The adjuvant creates a low-grade inflammatory reaction at the site of injection which can turn into a tumor if the cat is genetically predisposed. Although rare, these tumors are often malignant and require surgical limb amputation. Because of this, we do not advocate using adjuvanted vaccines for dogs or cats.

We also recommend vaccinating dogs for Leptospirosis. Leptospirosis is a deadly bacterial disease that is spread through the urine of infected wildlife such as raccoons, skunks, opossums, squirrels, and rats. Clinical signs of Lepto include fever, vomiting, loss of appetite, diarrhea, and lethargy. Dogs can become infected with the disease by wading through or drinking contaminated water. Leptospirosis is also a zoonotic disease, meaning people can become infected by their pets.

We value our clients and view our job of providing the best care for each of them as our responsibility. That is why we feel it's important for you to have knowledge and transparency in the services and treatments we provide.