Protection & Prevention
At Caring Hands Veterinary Hospital, we would rather prevent a serious illness from threatening your pet's health, than treat the disease once your pet begins experiencing symptoms.
That's why our vets encourage pet parents to bring their beloved companion animals in for regular wellness exams, pet vaccinations and parasite prevention.
Our team will work with you to create a custom preventive care plan for your cat or dog, tailored to their unique needs based on the lifestyle, breed and age of your pet.
We believe that preventive care gives your pet their best shot at a long, healthy life.
Pet Vaccinations & Reproductive Surgery Schedule
Keeping your dog or cat's vaccinations up to date is essential when it comes to protecting your furry friend from preventable, contagious, often serious, diseases. Having your dog or cat spayed or neutered 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. These reproductive surgeries may also help to prevent unwanted behaviors such as howling, scooting, roaming, and animal aggression.
Cat Vaccinations
Getting your kitten's shots done on schedule helps to protect your kitty from contracting a number of serious, sometimes life-threatening feline diseases which can be expensive to treat.
See below for our recommended kitten vaccination schedule:
- 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, 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 or stolen.
Dog Vaccinations
Having your puppy vaccinated according to the schedule below helps to protect your canine companion agains serious, sometimes life-threatening conditions. Routine puppy shots could help to prevent the need for expensive treatments later.
See below for our recommended puppy vaccination schedule:
- 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 or stolen.
- 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 both people and animals in the Thornton CO area. If left untreated, parasites can threaten the life of your cat or dog, and in some cases can even be transmitted to other pets or people living in your home. Parasite prevention products from our vets at Caring Hands Veterinary Hospital 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
These thread-like parasitic roundworms are spread through mosquito bites and make their homes in the heart, lungs and blood vessels of infected pets.
Hookworm
Hookworms live in the digestive tract of infected cats and dogs where they feed on the pet's blood. This parasite can lead to anemia and other serious conditions.
Roundworm
Roundworms live in the pet's intestines and feed on the intestinal contents. Roundworms 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 animal's feces. Whipworms pose a serious health risk to dogs and cats.