Protection & Prevention

Our Citrus Heights vets focus on preventive care to keep common diseases and disorders from developing in the first place.

When combined with routine wellness exams, pet vaccinations and parasite prevention form a solid foundation to your animal's annual healthcare.

Preventive care gives your dog or cat their best chance at a long, healthy life. Our team will work with you to create a custom preventive care plan for your cat or dog, tailored to their unique needs.

Pet Vaccinations & Parasite Prevention Services

Pet Vaccination & Reproductive Surgery Schedule

Keeping your dog and cat's vaccinations up-to-date is essential when it comes to protecting your four-legged friend from a range of contagious, often serious, diseases. Having your pet spayed or neutered not only prevents the birth of unwanted litters; these common veterinary surgeries can also help to protect your pet against a number of different cancers. These procedures may also prevent undesirable behaviors such as howling, scooting, roaming, and animal aggression.

Cat & Kitten Vaccinations

Kittens need the following shots during their first year of life to help keep them healthy and happy now and as they get older.

6 to 8 weeks
- Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, Panleukopenia, Chlamydia
10 to 12 weeks
- Booster: Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, Panleukopenia, Chlamydia
- Feline Leukemia
14 to 16 weeks
- Rabies
- Booster: Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, 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.

Puppy & Dog Vaccinations

Puppy shots given based on the schedule below will help to protect your young dog from a range of serious conditions.

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
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

Parasites pose a serious health threat to people and animals throughout the Greater Citrus Heights and Carmichael area. Left untreated, parasites can threaten the life of your cat or dog, and in some cases can even be transmitted to other people or pets living in your household. Our parasite prevention products 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. 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

Highly contagious, ear mites reside in the ear canals of dogs, cats and other mammals. These tiny parasites reproduce continuously throughout their lifespan.

Heartworm

A thread-like parasitic roundworm spread through the bite of infected mosquitos that and makes its home in the heart, lungs and blood vessels of infected animals.

Hookworm

These parasites live in the digestive tract of cats and dogs, where they feed on the pet's blood. Hookworms can lead to anemia and other serious conditions.

Roundworm

This parasitic worm lives in the intestine and feeds on partially digested intestinal contents. This parasite 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 dog's feces. Whipworms pose a serious health risk to dogs.

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Pet Vaccinations & Parasite Prevention