Essential Vaccinations Every Pet Needs: A Guide for Pet Owners

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All responsible pet owners make their furry friend’s health a top priority. Vaccinations are a great way to protect your dog or cat from common and preventable diseases which can sometimes be life-threatening. At Affordable Pet Hospital in Tampa, we offer a full range of dog and cat vaccinations to keep your pets healthy and happy throughout life. Let’s find out more about why vaccinations are so important for pets and which ones your pets need.

Why Are Vaccinations Important?

Vaccinations are an essential tool in every pet owner’s toolbox, helping to prepare their pet’s immune system to fight off dangerous pathogens if they are exposed. Vaccinations work by introducing a very small amount of a virus or bacteria into the animal’s system, triggering their immune system to recognize the substance and respond by releasing disease-fighting cells. Then, if the pet is exposed to the same pathogen again in their environment, their immune system already knows exactly what to do, greatly reducing the pet’s chance of picking up and spreading the disease.

Core Vaccinations for Dogs & Cats

Core vaccines are those that we recommend for all pets, and they differ between dogs and cats. Some are given as part of a combination injection, while others are administered separately. We recommend the following core vaccines for our patients at a minimum:

Dogs

  1. Rabies
  2. Distemper
  3. Parvovirus
  4. Canine Hepatitis

Cats

  1. Rabies
  2. Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, & Panleukopenia (FVRCP)
  3. Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV)

Other Vaccinations for Dogs & Cats

While core vaccines are recommended for all dogs and cats across the board, the following vaccines, among others, may also be recommended depending on your pet’s needs, environment, and lifestyle:

  1. Bordetella (Kennel Cough)
  2. Lyme Disease
  3. Leptospirosis

Our vets will discuss these lifestyle vaccines with you to help you make an informed decision about whether or not these are right for your pets.

When Should Your Dog or Cat Be Vaccinated?

We recommend that puppies and kittens start their vaccinations at a wellness check between six and eight weeks old. Booster shots may be given at following visits until the puppy or kitten is around four months old. For older dogs and cats, our vets will develop a customized vaccination treatment plan based on their age, medical concerns, and lifestyle. Following the vet’s recommended vaccine schedule is very important to ensure your pets are fully protected.

Protect Your Pet Today With Vaccines at Affordable Pet Hospital

Keep your dogs and cats safe from preventable diseases by starting their recommended vaccinations today. At Affordable Pet Hospital, we offer a full range of safe and effective vaccines for all stages of your pet’s life. To schedule your pet’s wellness check and vaccination appointment, contact us at 813-991-9898 or request an appointment online today!

What vaccines does my new puppy need?

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Parasite check

  • Done approximately at 4-8 weeks of age, dewormed, and rechecked to confirm negative result after deworming medication, then every 6 months.
  • A parasite check is required twice per year to test for common parasites in the intestine. A stool sample is required and can be tested for hookworms, tapeworms, roundworms, whipworms, espirometria, and coccidia. Some of these are transmittable to other pets and humans, and clinical signs may include distended stomach, weight loss, increased appetite, mucous, bloody, or abnormal stools, and others. Parasite tests are recommended every 6 months per year.

DAPPv (Often called “distemper” but is a combination of 4 vaccines)

  • This vaccine is typically boostered (given multiple times to build up immunity) three times; the first at 6 to 8 weeks of age, then every 3 weeks until 16 weeks, then annually.
  • The DAPP vaccine is a combination vaccine that prevents against 4 viruses including the distemper and parvovirus. The clinical signs of the distemper virus clinical signs include runny nose, eye discharge, and fever. Adenovirus is a respiratory disease and clinical signs include fever, depression, loss of appetite, coughing, a tender abdomen – among others. The clinical signs of parainfluenza virus include coughing, fever, nasal discharge, lack of energy, and loss of appetite. The clinical signs of parvovirus include bloody diarrhea, lethargy, fever, vomiting, and weight loss. All of these are contagious to other dogs and can be fatal if untreated.

Bordetella (also known as “kennel cough”)

  • The first vaccine is given at 8 weeks and is good for 6 months.
  • Clinical signs are coughing and sneezing. The bordetella vaccine prevents against the bordetalla bacteria, also called “kennel cough” which is an airborne, contagious upper respiratory infection. It is transferrable to other dogs through the air sneezing and coughing. The prevention of bordetella can be given intra-nasal or subcutaneously.

Rabies Vaccine

  • Puppies get the rabies vaccine at 16 weeks of age. The first vaccine expires after 1 year, after that the vaccine expires every 3 years.
  • The rabies vaccine prevents against the rabies virus which is transmittable from animal-to-animal through saliva, body fluid, or blood and is also transferable to humans. Rabies is a fatal disease.
  • Click to view Hillsborough County Rabies Tag requirements which are available to purchase at Affordable Pet Hospital if our veterinarian administers the vaccine.

How Do I Protect My Pet From Heartworms, Fleas, and Parasites?

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Protecting your pet from these things is vital to keeping your pet happy and healthy. Below you will find a chart explaining which medications are best for your pet.

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What Vaccines Are Required to Board My Dog?

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Vaccines prevent against diseases that can lead to emergency veterinary care and sometimes death in dogs and cats. Here are guidelines from Affordable Pet Hospital in Tampa, Florida when you board your dog with us.

Rabies – The rabies vaccine prevents against the rabies virus which is transmittable from animal-to-animal through saliva, body fluid, or blood and is also transferable to humans. Rabies is a fatal disease. Puppies need to get the rabies vaccine at 16 weeks of age, and the first vaccine expires after 1 year, after that the vaccine expires every 3 years.

Bordetella – The bordetella vaccine prevents against the bordetalla bacteria, also called “kennel cough” which is an airborne, contagious upper respiratory infection. It is transferrable to other dogs through the air sneezing and coughing. The prevention of bordetella can be given intra-nasal or subcutaneously. The first vaccine is given at 8 weeks and is good for 6 months. Clinical signs are coughing and sneezing.

DAPPv – The DAPP vaccine is a combination vaccine that prevents against 4 viruses including the distemper and parvovirus. The clinical signs of the distemper virus clinical signs include runny nose, eye discharge, and fever. Adenovirus is a respiratory disease and clinical signs include fever, depression, loss of appetite, coughing, a tender abdomen – among others. The clinical signs of parainfluenza virus include coughing, fever, nasal discharge, lack of energy, and loss of appetite. The clinical signs of parvovirus include bloody diarrhea, lethargy, fever, vomiting, and weight loss. All of these are contagious to other dogs. This vaccine is typically boostered (given multiple times to build up immunity) three times; the first at 6 to 8 weeks of age, then every 3 weeks until 16 weeks, then annually.

Influenza – The influenza vaccine prevents against the influenza virus which is highly transmittable to other dogs through the air via sneezing and coughing, and clinical signs are coughing and sneezing. The influenza vaccine is boostered once, three weeks after the initial dose, then is given every year.

Other procedures/items required:

Heartworm test – Heartworm is a disease caused by infected mosquitoes that bite the dog or cat, and heartworms live in the heart, lungs, and blood vessels. This is fatal to dogs if not treated. In Florida dogs are particularly susceptible due to the climate. Unfortunately, heartworm prevention is not available via a vaccine, therefore topical and oral preventatives are available, and it’s recommended that all dogs are on a heartworm preventative all year long. Many heartworm preventatives include flea and tick preventatives as well. Clinical signs of heartworm disease include cough, fatigue, resistance to exercise, weight loss, and increased appetite, among others.

Parasite check – A parasite check is required twice per year to test for common parasites in the intestine. A stool sample is required and can be tested for hookworms, tapeworms, roundworms, whipworms, espirometria, and coccidia. Some of these are transmittable to other pets and humans, and clinical signs may include distended stomach, weight loss, increased appetite, mucous, bloody, or abnormal stools, and others. Parasite tests are required every 6 months to year.

Every pet needs to have a health exam twice per year and annual blood work to detect diseases at an early stage. If your pet is experiencing any of the clinical signs of these diseases or viruses, or if your dog or cat requires vaccines, call Affordable Pet Hospital at 813-991-9898.