Protect Your Pet With Vaccinations and Parasite Prevention at Penfield Veterinary Hospital
When it comes to lifelong health and wellness, no conversation is complete without discussing appropriate vaccinations and parasite control.
Vaccination Frequency and Parasite Prevention
In general, the team at Penfield Veterinary Hospital believes the following are important for every cat and dog:
- Rabies (both cats and dogs)
- Canine distemper
- Canine hepatitis
- Canine leptospirosis
- Canine parvovirus infection
- Canine parainfluenza
- Feline panleukopenia
- Feline calicivirus infection
- Feline distemper
- Feline leukemia
- Feline viral rhinotracheitis
We also make specific recommendations based on the individual needs and lifestyle of each pet.
Fleas & Ticks
Heartworms
Heartworm disease is a potentially fatal condition caused by footlong worms that live in the heart, lungs, and related blood vessels. There is an effective treatment option for dogs; however, the same medication cannot be used in cats, making prevention critical for felines. We generally recommend having your pet tested annually since early detection is always the best defense against infection.
Intestinal Parasites
Because most intestinal parasites are invisible to the naked eye, we screen for infections via microscopic analysis in our laboratory. The Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC) recommends fecal analyses two to four times in the first year of life and one to two times per year for adults.
A number of heartworm preventives are also effective against certain other intestinal parasites. This includes hookworms, roundworms, whipworms, or tapeworms. However, no single treatment can eliminate every parasite. We recommend consulting one of our veterinarians to determine the appropriate choice for your pet.