Cat & Dog Vaccinations in Arab
Cat & dog vaccinations are crucial to your pet’s long-term health, and at Arab Veterinary Hospital we can tailor a program best suited to your pet’s particular needs. Call us at (256) 586-3183 to make an appointment today!
Why Vaccinations are Important
Despite the rarity of many of these diseases, it is still possible with a lapse in vaccinations for them to resurge and become prominent again. Many of the viruses are hardy and do not only require close contact with an infected animal—some viruses can live in the environment for up to one year. This is just one reason why vaccines are so important.
Additionally, diseases are spread in the following ways:
- Through contact with infected feces, urine, or contaminated water
- Direct contact with bodily fluids of an infected animal such as nasal secretions, saliva, or blood
- Passed through the sharing of contaminated objects such as food or water bowls and toys
- Through indirect contact between handling an infected animal then handling another animal without adhering to proper hygiene (washing hands and changing clothing)
- Transmitted from the bite of a carrier such as a tick (Lyme disease)
With consistent pet vaccinations, you and your pet need not worry about these microscopic dangers.
Vaccinations We Recommend
Not all vaccines are meant for all pets. Your pet’s lifestyle and risk exposure are crucial for determining which vaccines will keep them safe. We will work with you to determine which are important for your pet. Some vaccines are required for all pets, called “core” vaccines. Others that may be recommended based on lifestyle and risk factors are “noncore” vaccines.
- DHPP (distemper, hepatitis, parainfluenza, parvovirus)
- Rabies
- Bordetella
- Influenza
- Bordetella (kennel cough)
- Leptospirosis
- Lyme disease
- Canine Influenza
- FVRCP (feline viral rhinotracheitis, calicivirus, panleukopenia)
- Rabies
- Feline Leukemia
- Chlamydia
- Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIV)
Vaccination Timeline
Your pet will begin a vaccination protocol as a newborn. They will receive an initial series of core and the appropriate noncore vaccines starting at 6 weeks. Depending on the vaccine, they generally receive a booster every 2 - 3 weeks until 17 weeks of age. Each vaccine will have a slightly different timeline, and we aim to split up vaccines so that your pet isn’t receiving all of them at the same appointment. After the initial series for puppies and kittens, many vaccines need a boost every 1 year.
For more information about cat & dog vaccinations and your individual pet’s needs, please call us at (256) 586-3183 with questions, or set up an appointment.