Pet vaccinations are one of the most important types of preventative care you can provide to your animal. Dogs and cats should have vaccinations throughout their lifetime, starting when they are young with core vaccines. Throughout their lives, they’ll need booster shots to keep their protection up. When you visit your veterinarian in South Edmonton at Ellerslie Pet Hospital, your team will help you keep your pet healthy through proper vaccinations.
What Vaccines Do Pets Need?
Dogs and cats need vaccinations to help build their immune system up enough to fight off deadly viruses and diseases. Vaccines are designed to create an immune response within the pet so that it can develop antibodies to fight off these diseases if they come into contact with them. The fact is, use of vaccines throughout the last century have helped to save the lives of millions of animals. We highly recommend getting them. Below you’ll see schedules for vaccinations recommended for dogs and cats. It’s important for you and your vet to work on creating a timeline that fits your animal’s health and age to meet these goals.
Schedule for Dog Vaccinations
- Dog vaccination should begin when a pet is 8 weeks old, to avoid interference from maternal immunity (the mother’s antibodies). The following are considered recommended vaccinations for dogs:
- Core Vaccines (DHPP), includes distemper, adenovirus (hepatitis), parainfluenza, and parvovirus given at the age of 8, 12 and 16 weeks.
- Rabies, given at the age of 16 weeks old.
- Rabies and DHPP are given again at 16 months of age; these vaccinations will repeated every 3 years after that.
- At 12 weeks of age, puppies will be given Bordetella (Kennel Cough) vaccine. If dog are “social” (eg. Doggy daycare, boarding, grooming etc) this vaccine will be repeated yearly.
Schedule for Cat Vaccination
- Cat vaccination is essential. We recommend the following as a baseline for treatment:
- Core Vaccine (FVRCP), includes Feline rhinotracheitis (herpes virus) , calicivirus, and panleukopenia (also known as feline distemper), given at the age of 8, 12 and 16 weeks.
- If the cat will be going outside and interacting with other cats the feline leukemia vaccine will be given at 12 and 16 weeks. This vaccine will be repeated every second year.
- Rabies given at 16 weeks or older
- Core Vaccines (FVRCP) and Rabies will be repeated at 16 months of age and then every 3 years after
Let Us Help You Choose the Right Vaccinations for Your Pet
Bring your pet in to see his or her vet today. We offer all of the recommended core and booster vaccinations. We also offer additional vaccinations that we’re happy to recommend for your pet based on his or her specific needs. We recommend scheduling a wellness exam to get these vaccinations up to date.
Call Your Veterinarian in South Edmonton for Your Pet’s Vaccinations
Call Ellerslie Pet Hospital to schedule your pet’s vaccinations. You can depend on our team to keep your pet healthy. Call (780) 702-7738 to schedule an appointment with your pet’s vet.