Our veterinarians will recommend a vaccine schedule that will help keep your pet protected and healthy. Just as humans need vaccinations, so do pets. It is easiest to keep pets on a vaccine schedule so that boosters and extra required doses can be administered when needed. At Tahoma Veterinary Hospital, we have provided residents of Spanaway, WA, with pet vaccination services for many years.
Core and Non-Core Vaccinations
Pet vaccines come in two categories, core, and non-core. Core vaccines are recommended for every pet, regardless of their lifestyle. Non-core vaccines are recommended based on a variety of factors. These can include the amount of time spent outside or if the pet is boarded often. These recommended vaccinations are different for cats and dogs, with dogs potentially needing more vaccinations than cats.
Vaccination Schedule for Dogs
Core vaccines for dogs include rabies, distemper, parvovirus, and adenovirus type one and two. Non-core vaccines include parainfluenza, bordetella bronchiseptica (kennel cough), Lyme disease, leptospirosis, and canine influenza. Each vaccine is a little different and will have different requirements for doses and boosters.
Vaccination Schedule for Cats
Core vaccines for cats include rabies, feline distemper, feline herpesvirus, and calicivirus. Non-core vaccines include feline leukemia and bordetella. Just as with dogs, each feline vaccine will have different requirements for boosters and some will need several doses a few weeks apart to be effective.
Choosing What’s Best
Our veterinarians will help you choose the right vaccinations for your pet. The core vaccines are a given for any pet regardless of the situation. However, the non-core vaccines will be pet specific. Cats that are indoors only may not need the feline leukemia vaccine and dogs that will not be boarded may not need the bordetella bronchiseptica vaccine. Our veterinarians will ask questions about your pet and your pet’s lifestyle to help determine what is best. Once these decisions are made, a schedule can be drawn up to ensure that all of the proper doses and boosters are administered. Pets as young as six months can begin to receive their vaccines. This is a very important part of pet ownership to ensure that your pet stays healthy.
Schedule an Appointment at Our Spanaway, WA, Animal Hospital
Call Tahomoa Veterinary Services today at (253) 847-3500 for more information or to schedule an appointment with our veterinarian.