Protection & Prevention
Keeping common diseases and disorders from developing in the first place is our primary focus at Elkhorn-Walerga Animal Hospital.
Combined with regularly scheduled routine exams, cat & dog vaccinations and parasite prevention form the foundation of your pet's routine healthcare.
Preventive care offers your pet the best chance at a long, healthy life. Our team will work with you to create a custom preventive care plan for your dog or cat, tailored to their unique needs.
Vaccination & Reproductive Surgery Schedule
To protect your furry friend from a range of contagious, often serious, diseases, it's essential to ensure their cat and dog vaccinations are up to date. Having your pet spayed or neutered not only prevents unwanted litters from being born; these common veterinary surgeries can also help to protect your pet against some serious forms of cancer. They can also prevent unwanted behaviors such as roaming, scooting, animal aggression and howling.
Cat Vaccinations
Kittens need these shots in their first year of life to protect them against dangerous diseases.
- 6 to 8 weeks
- Rhinotracheitis, Calcivirus, Panleukopenia, Chlamydia
- 10 to 12 weeks
- Booster: Rhinotracheitis, Calcivirus, Panleukopenia, Chlamydia
- Feline Leukemia
- 14 to 16 weeks
- Rabies
- Booster: Rhinotracheitis, Calcivirus, Panleukopenia, Chlamydia
- Feline Leukemia 2
- 5 to 6 months
While the following are not kitten vaccinations, spaying, neutering and microchipping help protect your cat from 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
Puppies need these shots in their first year to protect them from serious 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)
Although the following are not puppy vaccinations, spaying, neutering, and microchipping help 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.
- 12 to 16 months
- Final Booster: DHPP (Distemper, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza, Parvovirus)
- Rabies
- Final Booster: Bordetella (Optional)
- Final Booster: Leptospirosis (Optional)
Parasite Prevention
For people and animals in the Sacramento area, parasites can pose a serious health threat. Untreated parasites can easily threaten your cat or dog's life, and in some cases may even be transmitted to other people or pets living in your household. Our parasite prevention products can help protect your dog or cat from these common parasites:
Fleas
Fleas consume the blood of mammals and birds. Left untreated, these external parasites reproduce and spread quickly.
Ticks
Ticks feed on the blood of mammals. These external parasites are responsible for spreading many serious conditions in people and pets.
Ear Mites
Though ear mites are tiny, they are highly contagious parasites that live in the ear canals of cats, dogs and other mammals. They reproduce continuously.
Heartworm
Thread-like parasitic roundworms spread through mosquito bites, residing in the heart, blood vessels and lungs of infected animals.
Hookworm
These parasites enter the digestive tract of cats and dogs, then begin to feed on pets' blood. Hookworms can lead to anemia and other conditions.
Roundworm
This parasitic worm lives in the intestine and feeds on partially digested food. It can rob your pet of important nutrients needed to remain 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.