Cat & Dog Vaccinations & Parasite Prevention in Santa Barbara
Our Santa Barbara veterinary team focuses on preventive care in order to keep common diseases, conditions or disorders from ever developing in your pet in the first place.
Combined with regular wellness exams, pet vaccinations and parasite prevention form the foundation of your animal's routine healthcare.
Preventive care gives your pet their best opportunity for a long, healthy and happy life, Our veterinarians will work closely with you in order to craft a customized preventive care plan to meet your pet's needs.
Pet Vaccinations & Reproductive Surgery Schedule
Keeping your cats' or dog's vaccinations current are critical when to comes to protecting your four-legged family member from a wide variety of serious and contagious diseases. Likewise, having your pet neutered or spayed can not only prevent the birth of unwanted litters, but can prevent unwanted behaviors like aggression or scooting and protect your pet against some serious forms of cancer.
Cat Vaccinations in Santa Barbara
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 procedures aren't kitten vaccinations, microchipping, spaying and neutering all help to protect your cat from a number of different health issues. Because of this, they fall under the preventive 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 will prevent them from fathering kittens and will also protect him from a wide variety of serious diseases. This procedure can also reduce unwanted behaviors, including roaming, spraying, 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 Santa Barbara
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) - Spaying your female dog will prevent her from mothering puppies and can also prevent serious illness and reduce unwanted behaviors or heat cycles.
- 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 - Microchipping your dog is a way of giving them permanent identification placed under your pet's skin. Microchipped pets have a much higher 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 at San Roque Pet Hospital
Parasites pose a serious health risk to animals and people in the Santa Barbara area. If left untreated, parasites can even threaten the life of your dog or cat or be transmitted to other pets or people living in your household. Our parasite prevention products and treatments can help to protect your cat or dog 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
This thread-like parasitic roundworm is spread through mosquito bites 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 while grooming. These parasites grow and live in your pet's intestines.
Whipworm
Whipworms are spread through ingesting soil that contains feces from an infected dog. Whipworms are dangerous to your dog's health.