Ensuring a Long, Healthy Life
Vaccination and wellness exams for your pets are important in preventing infectious diseases that not only can make them sick, but can be fatal. Puppies and kittens are most susceptible and need a series of vaccinations between 6-16 weeks of age.
Core vaccines are considered vital to all pets based on risk of exposure, severity of disease or transmissibility to humans. For Dogs: Vaccines for canine parvovirus, distemper, canine hepatitis and rabies are considered core vaccines. Non-Core vaccines are given totally based on risk of exposure and include, Bordetella and Parainfluenza for Kennel Cough, Influenza, and Lyme.
For Cats: Core vaccines include feline panleukopenia, feline calicivirus, feline rhinotracheitis, and rabies. Non-Core vaccines are given totally based on risk of exposure and include, Feline leukemia and Feline AIDS.
Frequency of vaccinations is dependent duration of immunity of the vaccine, the laws age of the pet and risk of exposure. By and large puppies and kittens are vaccinated several times and then revaccinated a year later. After that the viral vaccines are given every three years like with rabies. The bacterial vaccines like Leptospirosis, Bordetella and Lyme are updated annually. The same is true with the kitten-hood vaccines where several are given and then given a year later and then every three years like with rabies. If your cats or kittens go outside they should annually be vaccinated for Feline Leukemia.
A wellness exam is an overall health assessment that may include blood tests, urinalysis, and parasite screening. A wellness exam is recommended for most pets at least annually. A wellness exam can help ensure your pet's health and detect early stages of disease.
