Bringing a new puppy or kitten home is a very exciting time for a family. We will help to make this an amazing experience for you and your pet by providing the best medical care both now and in the future. Starting out with the proper medical care gives your puppy or kitten a great start to a long and healthy life.
An initial series of vaccines will result in 2 to 3 visits with us and we encourage you to ask questions. There is always a lot to talk about during these puppy and kitten visits. Your first visit is scheduled for an hour so that we have plenty of time for questions as well as time for your newest family member to meet all of our family. These meetings are the highlight to our staff’s day.
One of the most important parts of your puppy and kittens medical care is vaccinations.
Puppy Vaccinations
During your puppy’s first visit, the doctor will conduct a comprehensive physical exam. The doctor will be looking for congenital defects, hearing and vision issues, cleft palate, proper bite,
hernias, and heart defects. We will begin your puppy’s vaccination program between 6 and 8 weeks of age, with boosters every 3 to 4 weeks apart until he or she is 16 weeks of age.
We vaccinate for the following diseases:
- Canine Distemper Combo (includes coverage for Distemper Virus, Canine Hepatitis Virus, Parvovirus, and Canine Corona Virus) is given in a series when first received in puppyhood.
- Bordetella
- Rabies
- Leptospirosis
- Lyme
Kitten Vaccinations
We will begin your kitten’s vaccination program between 6 and 8 weeks of age, with boosters every 3 to 4 weeks apart until he or she is 16 weeks of age.
We vaccinate for the following diseases:
- Panleukopenia Virus, Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis, and Calicivirus are covered in a vaccine commonly known as Feline Distemper Combo. They are given in a series when first received in kittenhood.
- Rabies
- Feline Leukemia
- If suspect that your cat will be boarding with us, we will also update Feline Bordetella
- We recommend testing all kittens (depending on age) for Feline Leukemia Virus
and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus.
Parasite Control & Deworming
Common parasites we find are fleas, ticks, roundworms, hookworms, whipworms and heartworms. These parasites can cause serious illness and even death in pets. For example, fleas can transmit tapeworms and ticks can transmit Lyme disease. The heartworm parasite is transmitted by mosquitoes and lives in your pet’s lungs and heart which causes damage to these organs and possible death. Other parasites found in the intestine such as roundworms and hookworms also threaten pets and are even transmissible to humans. It is especially important that children be taught to wash their hands thoroughly after playing with their pet and especially before eating.
It is not always easy to detect parasites however our skilled staff can examine your pet and offer test to confirm if your pet is infected with a parasites. Our staff will also provide guidance on the right parasite preventative for your pet to help keep your pet and your family safe from harmful parasites. We are here to help you have a wonderful experience with your pets.
Puppy Deworming
Puppies can pick up intestinal parasites from their environment and from their mother before birth. For this reason we recommend that puppies are dewormed at 2 weeks of age again at 4, 6, and 8 weeks of age. It is important to then put them on a monthly heartworm and flea preventive for life that also protects the dog against other parasites, as well as protecting your family from picking up hookworms and roundworms.
Kitten Deworming
Kittens can pick up intestinal parasites from their environment and from their mother before birth. For this reason we recommend deworming kittens at 2 weeks of age, again at 4, 6 and 8 weeks of age. It is important to then put them on a monthly heartworm and flea preventative for life that also protects the dog against other parasites.
Puppy and Kitten Vaccine Descriptions.
DHLPP + C
This is an annual vaccine to protect your dog from four diseases – distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis, parainfluenza and coronavirus. These diseases are debilitating and can cause death. Nearly every dog will be exposed during its lifetime, making vaccination a must.
Parvo is an intestinal viral infection that results in bloody diarrhea, fever, vomiting and extreme depression. It is highly contagious and life threatening.
Coronavirus is a disease similar to parvo, but less threatening.
Distemper is a respiratory, neurological and gastrointestinal virus that is also most often fatal.
Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease affecting the kidneys and liver starting with diarrhea / vomiting that is a zoonosis and transferable to people.
Parainfluenza is a respiratory disease and part of the kennel cough syndrome.
Bordetella is a vaccine given to dogs to prevent tracheobronchitis also known as kennel cough. This is a very contagious virus and bacterium causing a dry hacking cough that can persist for weeks. If your pet interacts with other dogs then your dog should receive a bordetella vaccine every 6 months. This vaccine does not require an appointment and is given as a liquid orally.
Rabies is a vaccination that is required by the state government for both dogs and cats. This vaccination help prevent this deadly disease from being transmitted to humans. Even indoor animals are required to be vaccinated and should be due to the most common source of infection being bats.
Calicivirus is one of the two main viral causes of respiratory infection in cats.
Panleukopenia Virus also known as feline distemper, however it is not like distemper in dogs but more along the lines of the severity of canine parvo. Panleukopneia is associated with the parvovirus family.
Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis is a viral respiratory disease in cats. It is also known as feline influenza, coryza, and pneumonia
Feline Leukemia is caused by what is known as a retrovirus. The disease is also called FeLV. The infection is found in 2% – 3% of all cats and is the leading cause of cancer in cats.
