Pet Vaccinations: Keeping Your Fur Baby Healthy

Getting pet vaccinations for your fur baby at our Denver animal hospital means you’re giving them essential protection from dangerous and potentially deadly animal diseases. Some of these diseases can be passed from animals to humans and rabies vaccination is required by law. Some are highly contagious and can be easily passed from wildlife to non-infected pets.

Puppies and kittens are especially vulnerable to disease. As they are weaned from mother’s milk, they receive fewer antibodies and are left with a protection “gap” as they comtinue to grow. Fortunately, by sticking to a vaccination schedule and determining your pet’s lifestyle, they can stay protected and healthy.

When You Should Get Your Pet Vaccinated

Whenever you bring a new pet into your home, please schedule their wellness care visit with us. We can administer pet vaccinations right then and there if your companion is due for them. Puppies and kittens are still developing their immune systems, and you don’t want to expose them to unnecessary diseases. It’s costlier to treat the viruses that vaccines protect from than it is to stick to a vaccination schedule.

Puppies and kittens should first be vaccinated between six to eight weeks. They should receive boosters to further strengthen their immunities every three to four weeks until they’re about 16 week’s old. Adult pets should receive maintenance vaccinations annually or every three years, depending on lifestyle factors.

Customizing Your Pet’s Vaccinations

It’s recommended that all pets receive “core” vaccinations to protect them from some of the more prevalent threats in the animal world. After this, we look at your pet’s lifestyle to decide on any additional vaccinations. If your pet is an indoor animal, how often they go outside and how often they travel, help us determine “noncore” vaccinations.

For cats, “core” vaccinations we might administer include:

• Feline Rabies
• Feline Distemper (FVRCP)

For cats, “non-core” vaccinations we might administer include:

• Feline Leukemia 

For dogs, “core” vaccinations we might administer include:

• Rabies
• Distemper/Parvo (DAPP)

For dogs, “non-core” vaccinations we might administer include:

• Leptospirosis
• Bordetella

Please contact us with any questions about pet vaccinations. We want to keep your fur baby happy and healthy!