When to Start Vaccinating Your Dog or Cat
Ideally, pets should start getting their booster shots at a young age; around 6-8 weeks old if possible. This applies to both puppies and kittens. Before we vaccinate your pet, we’ll evaluate their overall health and talk about their environment, lifestyle, and various other factors. This discussion with you will help us decide which vaccines are most appropriate for your companion.
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What Vaccinations Does My Pet Need?
Abell Animal Hospital offers cat and dog vaccines that fall into two key categories: core and non-core. Core vaccines are vaccines we recommend for virtually all pets as a crucial part of their protection. Non-core vaccines are recommended and given based on certain factors, such as environment, lifestyle, and overall risk. When you bring in your puppy or kitten for the first time, we can help you put together a custom vaccination schedule that includes all the vaccines we recommend to meet their specific needs.
Our core vaccines for dogs and cats include:
Dog Vaccines
- Rabies
- Distemper
- Hepatitis
- Parvovirus
- Parainfluenza
- Bordetella
- Leptospirosis
Cat Vaccines
- Feline viral rhinotracheitis (cats only)
- Calicivirus (cats only)
- Panleukopenia (cats only)
- Rabies
Does My Pet Need Vaccines Every Year?
Some vaccines need to be given annually to keep your pet’s immunity strong. Other vaccines may need to be given every 6 months, while others only need to be given every few years. We offer 1-year and 3-year rabies vaccines for dogs and cats, which can help to prevent over-vaccination and lower the risk for vaccine reactions.
If you have any questions about our vaccines and vaccination protocols or need to make an appointment, give us a call today at (773) 631-6727.