Vaccines and regular health exams are key preventive care measures and are critical to the well-being of your pets to help protect them from potentially deadly infectious diseases like Distemper, Parvovirus, Leptospirosis, Lyme, and Rabies in dogs; and Panleukopenia, Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV) and Rabies in cats.
Vaccines protect pets from disease by exposing their body's immune system to inactive or parts of a type of bacteria or virus. Certain vaccines are considered “core” or essential vaccines for all pets. Other vaccines are “lifestyle based” and will be recommended based on your pet’s exposure risk. Our doctors will help you decide which vaccines are appropriate for your pet's lifestyle and risk factors. Proper storage, handling, and administration of vaccines is critical for their effectiveness in preventing disease. Thus, we do not recommend that owners purchase and vaccinate their own pets. In addition, the frequency and timing of vaccination is critical for effective protection from disease. Vaccination is particularly critical in young animals that have naïve immune systems. Vaccination typically starts at 6-8 weeks of age and continues every 2-4 weeks until the puppy and kitten series are completed at 16-20 weeks of age.
Annual vaccinations are accompanied by doctor consultation and examination to ensure your pet is healthy enough for the vaccines. When boosters of certain vaccines are indicated, we will often schedule your pet visit with one of our trained veterinary assistants or certified technicians. We will keep you up to date when your pets will be due for booster vaccinations during their adult years.
