Pet Vaccinations & Parasite Prevention

Vaccination & Reproductive Surgery Schedule

Up-to-date cat and dog vaccinations are key when it comes to protecting your furry friend against a range of highly contagious, and often serious, diseases. Likewise, having your companion spayed or neutered prevents the birth of unwanted litters. These procedures can also help to protect your pet against some serious forms of cancer. They may prevent undesirable behaviors to manifest in your pet too, like roaming, scooting or animal 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, Calcivirus, Panleukopenia, Chlamydia
• 10 to 12 weeks
  • Booster: Rhinotracheitis, Calcivirus, Panleukopenia, Chlamydia
  • Feline Leukemia
• 14 to 16 Weeks
  • 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. It also protects your feline friend against a wide variety of serious reproductive illnesses as well as curbs behaviors like scooting or howling 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)

  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) - Neutering your male dog will help to prevent them from fathering unwanted puppies and protect them from a number of serious diseases like some kinds of cancer. Your male dog's risk of exhibiting problematic behaviors like aggresison or roaming will also be significantly reduced. 
  • 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 animals and people in the Des Moines area. If untreated, parasites can also threaten the life of your dog, cat or exotic pet. In some instances, these health issues are even transmissible to other pets or people living in your home. Our parasite prevention treatments can help to protect your pet from any of the following common parasites.