This site was developed with pet owners in mind. I had the pleasure of being a pet nurse for almost 8 years before a nasty car wreck took me out of doing what I loved most, caring for family pets. I also have 4 dogs and a cat myself so I know first hand what challenges most households face. I have seen hundreds of family pets and cared for them in good health and bad.
I am not going to try to tell you which vaccine’s your pet needs or does not need. Everyone has a different idea as to which vaccines are most important. This also varies by what region of the country you live in. I look at every pet in a case by case study determined by the owner’s life style and what the pet will be exposed to, to determine which vaccines are imperative to that specific pet. And then, I can only make recommendation to the owner. Giving your pet every vaccination will generally provide the best protection. I highly recommend that you discuss with your veterinarian which vaccines would best benefit your pet.
What I can do for you is let you know what vaccines are out there, the schedules for providing those vaccines, and what the vaccines are made to protect against.
Some of your options are:
FVRCP
Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis and Calicivirus - viral diseases of the eyes, nose and throat (upper respiratory infection) plus Panleukopenia a viral disease of the blood and intestines (feline distemper or infectious enteritis).
FeLV
Feline Leukemia - a viral disease that impairs immunity. Usually fatal.
Rabies
A viral disease fatal to humans and other animals. Vaccination is necessary for all cats.
FIP
Feline corona virus
Feline Giardia
An intestinal protozoa that causes diarrhea and weight loss
Kittens
8 weeks to 1 year
8 weeks - First vaccination shot (FVRCP).
12 weeks
Feline Leukemia shot (FeLV) (only if pretest is negative). A second (FeLV) shot given 2 to 3 weeks later. Second vaccination shot (FVRCP).
4 months
Rabies and third vaccination shot (FVRCP).
Adult Cats
If your pet receives first vaccine as an adult it does require a booster vaccine after 3 weeks, then the schedule is as follows.
FVRCP
Yearly. Cats 13 weeks or older that have not been vaccinated should have an initial vaccine then a booster in 2 to 4 weeks.
FeLV
Yearly. Cats not previously vaccinated need the two injection series (only if pretest is negative).
Rabies
Yearly (depending on vaccine)
****FIP and Feline Giardia- Speak with your veterinarian to see if they recommend this vaccine and the age that they administer. ****
I am not going to try to tell you which vaccine’s your pet needs or does not need. Everyone has a different idea as to which vaccines are most important. This also varies by what region of the country you live in. I look at every pet in a case by case study determined by the owner’s life style and what the pet will be exposed to, to determine which vaccines are imperative to that specific pet. And then, I can only make recommendation to the owner. Giving your pet every vaccination will generally provide the best protection. I highly recommend that you discuss with your veterinarian which vaccines would best benefit your pet.
What I can do for you is let you know what vaccines are out there, the schedules for providing those vaccines, and what the vaccines are made to protect against.
Some of your options are:
Puppies - 6 weeks to 1 year
6 to 8 weeks - First puppy shot (DHLPP) +
11 to 12 weeks - Second puppy shot (DHLPP) +
15 to 16 weeks - Third puppy shot (DHLPP) +
Over 4 months - Rabies (repeat l year later)
7 to 9 months - First heartworm test
****Speak with your veterinarian to see when they like to start the Giardia and Lyme vaccinations. Some veterinarians vary due to pets size and how many vaccines they feel comfortable giving at one time.****
Adult Dogs - After 1 year
If your pet receives first vaccine as an adult it does require a booster vaccine after 3 weeks, then the schedule is as follows.
I have come to realize for many of us it is just as difficult to choose a place to board our pets as it is to find the right daycare provider for our children. After all, we are asking to have a stranger look after a loved family member. I always recommend trying to find a friend or family member that not only you but your pet trust and feel comfortable with. We all know this is not always a possibility and you have some choices to make. Do you board in a kennel or do you hire a professional pet sitter. Either way there are things that you should consider.
When you choose to hire a professional pet sitter your cherished pet will generally get more human contact and interaction with more personalized care. While selecting to use a professional sitter make sure to ask for references and call the references to see how pleased the previous clients were. Don’t be afraid to ask how long they have been in business or how they got started. If your pets need special care such as medications given on a regular basis, make sure that the sitter is confident in understanding dosing and administering the medication. This is a high concern for me personally as I have an older dog who takes heart medication several times through out the day. This may also determine whether a boarding kennel is the right choice for you as some kennels do not take pets on medications (rare but I have heard of it).
If you choose to use a kennel take the time to take a tour of the facility before it is time for you to start boarding. I actually recommend this with any facility that you choose, be it kennel or professional sitter. Ask the kennel what the schedule will be like when you pet is in attendance, such as feeding and exercise. Will they be in direct contact with other pets that are in the facility or are the exercised separately? Also find out if there is 24 hour a day care, not all facilities provide an overnight staff. These facilities are inspected generally by the county or the city and you should be able find out if they have ever failed an inspection for any reason.
Before I list questions that should be asked I feel that it is very important to touch on one topic. What happens in case of an emergency? We all know how easily a pet can be injured or become ill while in our own care so we need to take extra precautions to make sure that our pets have the same protection while in the care of a sitter or boarding facility. First make sure that they have your veterinarians’ information and have the appropriate paperwork in place that allows them to seek treatment for your pet and make sure that it is dated for the period that you will be gone. Establish what facility you prefer to have your pet treated at in an emergency but be aware that if that facility is not available the care giver may choose another location. When I worked for some of the veterinary hospitals I had clients whose pets had known medical problems and when they were out of town they made sure that we had the person who was caring for the pets’ information on file along with dates that they were allowed to seek treatment. Some of our special clients actually make sure we had their credit card information on hand and a dollar limit that the person was allowed to approve.
Questions to Ask:
What all is included in the boarding fee?
Are there extra charges for my pet to get extra exercise times?
Does the staff administer medications that my pet is taking?
Is there an additional fee for administering medications?
What vaccines are required for my pet to be boarded?
How often are they fed, played with, or exercised?
What emergency facility do you use?
How does your staff handle medical emergencies?
What is your policy regarding emergencies?
Am I allowed to bring some of my pets personal belongings?