Pet Preventative Care & Vaccinations in North Palm Beach

The Best Way to Treat Problems Is to Stop Them Before They Start

Prevention is the key to a long, healthy life for your pet. With that in mind, Village Animal Clinic emphasizes proactive preventive medicine.

• Pediatric care puppy/kitten health plans: Puppies and kittens require a series of examinations, testing, and vaccinations. Our puppy/kitten health plans provide everything your new family member needs to get off to a healthy start in life.

The early stages of your pet’s life are the most important. We are here to advise you on potty training, behavioral training and the medical care that your pet needs in the early stages of their life.

Make sure your pet is up to date on vaccinations! Call Village Animal Clinic in North Palm Beach today at (561) 899-9359.

Vaccinations

Puppies and kittens will go through a series of vaccinations starting at nine weeks of age. They will receive vaccinations and parasite prevention every 3 to 4 weeks until they reach 16 weeks of age. They should also be starting their heartworm and flea prevention at this time.

The “core” vaccines for dogs include:

• Parvovirus
• Distemper
• Rabies

The following vaccines are not “core” vaccine but are strongly encouraged:

• Bordetella
• Leptospirosis

Core vaccines for cats include:

• FVRCP
• Rabies
• Leukemia (considered core for outdoor cats)

When dogs reach adulthood, they may need some vaccines once a year. Most dog vaccines, however, are administered once every three years. Cats usually need vaccinations once every year.

Heartworm & Flea/Tick Prevention

Without preventative care, your dog may be at risk of heartworms, which cause a potentially deadly infection of the heart and lungs of your pet. You should also be aware of the most common parasites to infect the intestines of dogs: roundworms and hookworms. These parasites may even be transmitted to humans and cause abdominal pain, skin irritations, neurological problems, and blindness.

By treating your dog monthly, you not only help protect your pet, but you also reduce the risk of spreading parasites to other pets and humans.

It is also extremely important to protect your pet from fleas and ticks by using a monthly preventative. Flea bites can cause flea allergy dermatitis as well as causing skin infections. Ingested fleas can transmit tapeworm and pets infected with fleas can become anemic. Heavy flea infestations may even cause death.

Infected ticks can transmit organisms that cause health issues such as Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and other diseases.

For more information on pet preventative care, call Village Animal Clinic today at (561) 899-9359 or contact us online.