Keeping your pet vaccinated is an important part of preventative health care. Vaccines are an easy and effective way of protecting your pet from serious illness. Every pet even if they are kept indoors should be vaccinated. Here at Tantallon Veterinary Hospital we follow modern vaccination protocols and can tailor your pet’s vaccine requirements based on lifestyle and exposure risks.
Vaccines are broken down into “core” vaccines which are recommended for all puppies and kittens regardless of lifestyle and “non-core” vaccines which are tailored to your pet. We would be happy to discuss your individual needs for your pet.
Core vaccines for dogs are Distemper, Adenovirus, Para-influenza and Parvovirus, and Rabies. Non-core vaccines are, Bordetella, Lyme and Leptosporosis.
Core vaccines for cats are Feline Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, Panleukopenia and Rabies (if going outside). Non-core vaccines are Feline Leukemia Virus
How many vaccines does my pet need?
Kittens and puppies typically start with a series of three vaccines spaced one month apart in order to develop a proper immunity to the diseases we are vaccinating them for. These vaccines are then boostered one year after the last vaccine date, and then every 1 to 3 years depending on the vaccine.
Annual Physical Exams
A physical examination is performed with all vaccination appointments; if your pet is not currently due for vaccines we still recommend an annual check up exam. An annual exam and thorough history is one of the most important tools in our diagnostic toolbox. Even if your pet is healthy a physical exam will allow us to evaluate them for subtle changes and early detection is the key to successful outcomes and prolongs the length and quality of life for our pets.
Read more about Feline Vaccinations here.