Hamilton Road Animal Hospital in Columbus Discusses Pet Vaccinations
Vaccinating your pet prevents many serious and potentially deadly diseases, and in short, serves to help him or her lead a long and happy life. When it comes to pet vaccinations in Columbus, OH, our veterinarians at Hamilton Road Animal Hospital work with you to determine the best combination and type of vaccinations for your pet. Here’s a look at why vaccinations are so important.
How Vaccinations Work
A vaccination contains antigens of the illness in a small enough concentration to stimulate the pet’s immune system without actually contracting the illness. With puppies and kittens, the vaccinations are given in a series at 3 to 4 week intervals, then older dogs and cats will be re-vaccinated annually. Once your pet’s immunity has become developed, he or she will be able to fight off these diseases if exposed to them.
Core Vaccines for Dogs and Cats
There are two types of vaccines – core and non-core. Core vaccines are absolutely necessary for pet cats and dogs. For dogs, these vaccines are Canine Parvovirus, Canine Distemper, Canine Hepatitis and Rabies. For cats, they are Feline Distemper, and Feline Contagious Upper Respiratory Infections and Rabies. Without the proper immunity, your cat or dog could become seriously ill, or even die if exposed to any of these diseases.
Non-core Vaccines for Your Pet
Pets in different parts of the country and with different lifestyles potentially need different vaccinations. Here in Columbus, OH, we will work with you to determine your lifestyle and the kinds of activities you do with your pet. For example, if you do a lot of camping and hiking in wooded areas, we would recommend your pet be vaccinated for Lyme disease.
Parasites and Heartworms Tests by Our Veterinarians
When you bring your cat or dog in for their annual examination, our veterinarians recommend bringing a fecal sample to test for intestinal parasites or worms. We also encourage annual testing for heartworms, a blood parasite that affects the heart and lungs of pets. Fortunately most heartworm tests are negative and we would recommend continuing the monthly heartworm preventive medication. If the heartworm test is positive, a heartworm treatment plan will be developed for your pet.
Would you like more detail about vaccinating your pet? Call us at 614-239-0027.