Preventative care is the pillar on which all medicine is built. Regular check ups, labwork and vaccinations will help keep your pet healthy and strong. Regular labwork helps us as your medical team, prepare for the future medical needs of your fur baby. As a pet owner, you’ll always wonder if a vaccination is truly necessary. You don’t want to put your fur baby through any unnecessary discomfort, we understand. You have to do what’s best for your pet and only you know that. We are here to help you make informed decisions. Consult one of our knowledgeable veterinarians for advice on a preventative health care plan for you and your loved ones. We are here to help you make the appropriate life decisions for your pet to be happy and healthy.
What Do Vaccinations Do?
Vaccinations are designed to protect your pet against an array of infectious illnesses. The vaccine is placed under your pet’s skin, and as your pet’s immune system recognizes them as foreign, it begins to fight them by mounting an immune response. After being exposed to a specific infectious agent, your pet’s body will be able to identify these agents and release antibodies more quickly in the future.
What Core Vaccines Does My Pet Need?
There are many considerations to make when vaccinating a pet. The first is local and countrywide laws that determine which vaccinations are mandatory for pets living in the area. These types of vaccinations are known as “core” vaccinations and are mandatory for all pets. Core vaccinations are designed to protect animals from extreme illness or disease and include: the rabies vaccination, CDV (canine distemper), CAV-2 (canine hepatitis virus or adenovirus-2) and CPV-2 (canine parvovirus.), panleukopenia (feline distemper), feline calici virus, feline herpes virus type I (rhinotracheitis). The only vaccine mandated by the state of Georgia is the rabies vaccination. A rabies vaccine is required for all domestic animals.
*NOTE: Coweta Animal Hospital does require rabies, distemper and kennel cough vaccinations for all grooming and boarding candidates.
Non-core vaccinations are other vaccinations that are not mandatory, but it is up to the vet and the pet owner to decide whether the dog or cat in question is a suitable vaccination candidate.
Make an appointment with one of our knowledgeable veterinarians so that you can discuss your pet’s lifestyle and medical history to best determine which vaccines may be appropriate for him/her.
