We recommend that all puppies and kittens start their vaccination series by 8 weeks of age. After the initial vaccination series for puppies and kittens, the annual vaccinations are tailored to the individual pet depending on their lifestyle. Vaccinations are a very important part of routine animal care in every stage of life to protect them against some potentially lethal diseases. The comprehensive nose to tail examination that we perform before any vaccination is very important to detect problems and diseases early – from dental disease to cancer.

Dogs

‍We routinely vaccinate against the five core diseases of Distemper, Hepatitis, Parvovirus, Leptospirosis, and Rabies. While most of these diseases are relatively rare, they can be fatal if not caught and treated early. In addition to these vaccinations, there are two optional vaccines; one for Kennel Cough and one for Lyme disease. We recommend vaccinating against Kennel Cough if your dog is likely to interact with several other dogs, such as when boarding, being groomed or at a training facility. We also recommend the Lyme disease vaccine for those dogs with increased exposure to ticks which are abundant in our area.

Cats

‍We vaccinate cats primarily to prevent Feline Distemper (which is actually a combination of rhinotracheitis, calicivirus, chlamydia and panleukopenia) and Rabies. For those cats at high risk (cats that spend unsupervised time outside), the Feline Leukemia Virus vaccine is strongly recommended.