Pet Vaccinations & Prevention
At our animal hospital in Downtown Cumming we focus on preventive care as a way to keep common diseases and disorders from negatively impacting your pet's health in the first place.
When combined with regularly scheduled wellness exams, pet vaccinations and parasite prevention form the cornerstone of your animal's routine healthcare.
Preventive care gives your pet the best shot at a long, healthy life. Our team of veterinary professionals will work with you to create a custom preventive care plan for your cat or dog, tailored to their unique needs.
Vaccination & Reproductive Surgery Schedule
Up-to-date vaccinations are essential when it comes to protecting your four-legged friend from many contagious, often serious, diseases that could have a long term negative impact on their overall health. Spaying or neutering dogs and cats not only prevents the birth of unwanted litters; these common veterinary surgeries can also help to protect your pet against some serious forms of cancer, and may prevent undesirable behaviors such as howling, scooting, roaming, and animal aggression.
Cat Vaccinations
To protect your kitten against serious disease, over the first 12 months of your kitten's life it's important for your pet to receive the following shots.
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6 to 8 weeks
- Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, Panleukopenia, Chlamydia
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10 to 12 weeks
- Booster: Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, Panleukopenia, Chlamydia
- Feline Leukemia
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14 to 16 weeks
- Rabies
- Booster: Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, Panleukopenia, Chlamydia
- Feline Leukemia 2
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5 to 6 months
While the following are not kitten vaccinations, spaying, neutering and microchipping are equally important when it comes to protecting your cat against a number of health issues, and therefore fall under the preventive health care umbrella.
- 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
During the first 12 months of your pup's life there are a number of puppy shots that are essential for protecting the health of your canine companion.
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6 to 8 weeks
- DHPP (Distemper, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza, Parvovirus)
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10 to 12 weeks
- Booster: DHPP (Distemper, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza, Parvovirus)
- Bordetella (Optional)
- Leptospirosis (Optional)
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14 to 16 weeks
- Booster: DHPP (Distemper, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza, Parvovirus)
- Rabies
- Booster: Bordetella (Optional)
- Booster: Leptospirosis (Optional)
Although the following are not puppy vaccinations, spaying, neutering, and microchipping are equally important in helping to protect your dog from a number of health issues, and therefore fall under the preventive health care umbrella.
- 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.
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12 to 16 months
- Final Booster: DHPP (Distemper, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza, Parvovirus)
- Rabies
- Final Booster: Bordetella (Optional)
- Final Booster: Leptospirosis (Optional)
Parasite Prevention
Parasites pose a serious health threat to people and animals in the Cumming area. If left untreated, parasites can threaten the life of your cat or dog, and in some cases can even be transmitted to people or other pets living in your household. Our parasite prevention products can help protect your dog or cat from 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.