Protection & Prevention
Advanced Care Veterinary Hospital's veterinary team has a firm focus on preventive care as the best possible way to keep common diseases and disorders from ever arising in your cat in the first place.
When combined with routine wellness exams, pet vaccinations and parasite prevention form the foundation of your animal's routine healthcare.
Preventive care gives your companion their best chance at a long, healthy and happy life. Our vets will work with you to craft a customized preventive care plan for your dog or cat that is tailored to their unique healthcare needs.
Pet Vaccinations & Reproductive Surgery Schedule
Up-to-date dog and cat vaccinations are critical when it comes to protecting your four-legged friend from a range of serious, and often quite contagious, diseases.
Likewise, having your pet spayed or neutered will prevent the birth of unwanted litters of dogs or cats and may even protect your companion against many serious forms of cancer later in life. These routine reproductive surgeries may also prevent unwanted behaviors like scooting, roaming, howling and aggression.
Cat Vaccinations
In their first year of life, kittens need the following shots to protect them from serious diseases.
- 6 to 8 weeks
- Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, Panleukopenia, Chlamydia
- 10 to 12 weeks
- Booster: Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, Panleukopenia, Chlamydia
- Feline Leukemia
- 14 to 16 weeks
- Rabies
- Booster: Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, Panleukopenia, Chlamydia
- Feline Leukemia 2
- 5 to 6 months
While it's true that the following aren't really kitten vaccinations, microchipping, spaying and neutering all help to protect your cat against a variety of health issues and, therefore, fall into the preventive healthcare umbrella pretty comfortably.
- Spay (females) - Spaying your female cat prevents the birth of unwanted litters of kittens, protects your cat against serious illnesses, and can help to prevent behaviors such as howling and scooting that accompany heat cycles.
- Neuter (males) - Neutering your male cat prevents your pet from fathering unwanted kittens, protects your cat against various illnesses, and can help to prevent territory marking (spraying), roaming, howling, and cat aggression.
- Microchipping - A microchip is a permanent form of identification that is about the size of a grain of rice and placed under your pet’s skin. Pets that are microchipped have a better chance of being reunited with their owners if they are lost.
Dog Vaccinations
In their first year, puppies need these shots to protect them from dangerous diseases.
- 6 to 8 weeks
- DHPP (Distemper, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza, Parvovirus)
- 10 to 12 weeks
- Booster: DHPP (Distemper, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza, Parvovirus)
- Bordetella (Optional)
- Leptospirosis (Optional)
- 14 to 16 weeks
- Booster: DHPP (Distemper, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza, Parvovirus)
- Rabies
- Booster: Bordetella (Optional)
- Booster: Leptospirosis (Optional)
While the following aren't puppy vaccinations, neutering or spaying and microchipping your dog helps to protect them from a variety of health issues and risks, falling into the category of preventive care when administered early in their life.
- Spay (female) - Dog spaying will prevent your female dog from mothering puppies, but it can also help to prevent certain cancers and regular heat cycles which can attract roaming males to your property.
- Neuter (male) - Dog neutering can help to prevent your male dog from fathering unwanted puppies, as well as protecting your dog from a number of serious cancers, and helping to reduce the risk of roaming and dog aggression.
- Microchipping - A microchip is a permanent form of identification that is about the size of a grain of rice and placed under your pet’s skin. Pets that are microchipped have a better chance of being reunited with their owners if they are lost.
- 12 to 16 months
- Final Booster: DHPP (Distemper, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza, Parvovirus)
- Rabies
- Final Booster: Bordetella (Optional)
- Final Booster: Leptospirosis (Optional)
Parasite Prevention
Parasites can pose a serious health risk to both people and animals in the Poway area. If not promptly treated, these parasites can threaten the life of your dog or cat and, in some cases, can even be transmitted to other pets or people living in your home. Our parasite prevention products can help to protect your cat or dog from any of the following common parasites:
Fleas
Fleas are external parasites that feed on the blood of birds and mammals. Left untreated, fleas can quickly spread throughout your household.
Ticks
These external parasites consume the blood of mammals and are responsible for the spread of a number of serious conditions in people and pets.
Ear Mites
Tiny, highly contagious ear mites reside in the ear canals of dogs, cats and other mammals. These parasites reproduce continuously throughout their lifespan.
Heartworm
This thread-like parasitic roundworm is spread through mosquito bites and makes its home in the heart, lungs and blood vessels of infected animals.
Hookworm
These parasites live in the digestive tract of cats and dogs where they feed on the pet's blood. Hookworms can lead to anemia and other serious conditions.
Roundworm
This parasitic worm lives in the intestine and feeds on partially digested intestinal contents. This parasite can rob your pet of vital nutrients necessary to stay healthy.
Tapeworm
Tapeworms are spread through the ingestion of infected fleas during grooming. These hook-like parasitic worms live and grow in your pet's intestines.
Whipworm
Whipworms are spread through the ingestion of soil that has been in contact with an infected dog's feces. Whipworms pose a serious health risk to dogs.
