Vaccines

What are vaccines?

Vaccines are health products that trigger protective immune responses in pets and prepare them to fight future infections from disease-causing agents. Vaccines can lessen the severity of future diseases and certain vaccines can prevent infection altogether. At Orange Hill Veterinary Hospital, we carry every type of vaccine available to fully protect your pet.

Is it important to vaccinate?

Yes! Pets should be vaccinated to protect them from many highly contagious and deadly diseases. Experts agree that widespread use of vaccines within the last century has prevented death and disease in millions of animals.

Protecting Pets From Viruses

Simply put, vaccinations are shots given to protect your pet against a particular disease. During a vaccination, a specific virus (or virus particles) is injected into your pet’s bloodstream, which triggers an immune response within your pet’s body to protect her against that specific virus.

Vaccinations For Young Pets

We usually recommend giving puppies and kittens a series of vaccinations starting when they are approximately six weeks old. Young animals need to be vaccinated early on since the natural immunity in their mothers’ milk gradually wears off and they become vulnerable to infectious diseases. A series of vaccinations are usually scheduled approximately three to four weeks apart, with the final vaccination series being administered when they are 12 to 16 weeks old.

Vaccinations for puppies and dogs include:

• Parvovirus (CPV),
• Canine distemper virus (CDV),
• Canine adenovirus (CAV), and
• Rabies
• Canine parainfluenza virus (CPiV),
• Distemper-measles combination vaccine,
• Bordetella bronchiseptica (Kennel Cough),
• Leptospira spp.
• Borrelia burgdorferi (Lyme)

Vaccinations for kittens and cats include:

• Feline herpesvirus 1 (FHV1),
• Feline calicivirus (FCV),
• Feline panleukopenia virus (FPV)
• Rabies
• Feline leukemia virus (FeLV)
• Chlamydophila felis

The Importance of Annual Shots

Annual booster shots will also be necessary to keep vaccine levels high enough in your pet to protect her over time. We will make sure that your pet is timely scheduled for their booster shots.

Affordability of Vaccinations

We have puppy and kitten wellness plans (make this a clickable link) available that offer an affordable means to fully protecting your pet. Included in the puppy and kitten packages are:

• Free office visits for 1 year
• All vaccinations (as needed)
• Wellness Exam
• Deworming
• Spay/Neuter Surgery
• Pre-surgical blood work

To schedule an appointment for your pet please call (714) 639-6100