The Importance of Vaccinating Your Pets

Vaccinations prevent certain infectious diseases that can cause severe illness or death in pets and humans. Pet vaccinations contribute to your pet’s overall health and longevity while protecting other people and pets from potentially life-threatening conditions. Pet vaccinations carry some risks, but severe side effects are rare, and the benefits far outweigh the risks. Duarte Azusa Animal Hospital in Duarte, CA, is here to explain the different pet vaccinations your pet should receive and when to schedule them.

Core and Non-Core Vaccines

Core vaccines refer to vaccinations all pets should receive, while non-core vaccines are only recommended based on your pet’s age, condition, and lifestyle. While the State of California requires all dogs over four months to get vaccinated against rabies, there are no other state-required dog or cat vaccinations. However, some counties and municipalities have additional pet immunization requirements. Our veterinary team follows the AAHA and AVMA recommendations that all cats receive rabies vaccinations due to the significant danger this condition poses. Another core vaccine that all dogs should receive is the distemper vaccine. Distemper can cause severe gastrointestinal stress and breathing issues, causing significant long-term harm to your dog.

We also recommend other non-core pet immunizations based on your pet's profile. For example, depending on where your cat or dog lives throughout the year, its outdoor activities, and its frequency of interactions with other animals, we may recommend some non-core vaccines. Non-core cat or dog vaccinations include the Bordetella vaccine, Lyme disease vaccine, and cat chlamydia vaccine. To help determine if your pet should receive non-core vaccines, we will discuss your pet with you and may have you complete a questionnaire about its lifestyle.

Vaccination Schedules

Puppies and kittens receive some immunity from their mother's milk. However, vaccinations should begin at 6-8 weeks old since that immunity soon fades. Depending on the vaccinations needed, we administer all the initial vaccines within the pet’s first six months and others as part of their annual preventive pet care process. Talk with your veterinarian near you to determine your pet’s vaccination timeline.

Get Your Pet Vaccinated Today at Duarte Azusa Animal Hospital in Duarte, CA

Vaccinating your pet can protect it from potentially life-threatening diseases, so contact the veterinary team at Duarte Azusa Animal Hospital in Duarte, CA, to schedule your dog or cat vaccinations today. Our preventative pet care can ensure your pet lives a longer and healthier life, so call us and schedule an appointment at (626) 357-2251 to protect your pet’s future health and happiness.