Protection & Prevention
We focus on preventive care at Hermitage Animal Clinic to keep common diseases and disorders from developing in the first place.
Combined with regular wellness exams, puppy and kitten vaccinations and parasite prevention form the foundation of your animal's routine healthcare.
Preventive care ensures that your pet lives a long and healthy life. Our team will collaborate with you to develop a personalized preventive care plan for your cat or dog based on their specific needs.
Vaccination & Reproductive Surgery Schedule
A variety of contagious, often serious diseases can be prevented by keeping your kitten and puppy's vaccinations up-to-date. You can prevent unwanted litters by having your pet spayed or neutered. However, these routine veterinary procedures can also help protect your pet from certain deadly cancers. Animals that howl, scoot, roam or act aggressively may be protected by these collars.
Cat Vaccinations
Kittens require these shots during their first year of life in order to be protected from life-threatening diseases.
- 6 to 8 weeks
- Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, Panleukopenia, Chlamydia
- 10 to 12 weeks
- Booster: Rhinotracheitis, Calcivirus, Panleukopenia, Chlamydia
- Feline Leukemia
- 14 to 16 weeks
- Rabies
- Booster: Rhinotracheitis, Calcivirus, Panleukopenia, Chlamydia
- Feline Leukemia 2
- 5 to 6 months
While the following are not kitten vaccinations, spaying and neutering your cat help protect it from a variety of health problems and thus fall under the category of preventive health care.
- Spay (females) - Spaying your female cat prevents unwanted litters of kittens, protects your cat from serious illnesses and can help prevent heat cycle behaviors like howling and scooting.
- Neuter (males) -Neutering your male cat prevents him from having unwanted kittens, protects him from various illnesses, and can help him avoid territory marking (spraying), roaming, howling, and cat aggression.
Dog Vaccinations
Puppies require these shots during their first year of life in order to be protected from life-threatening 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)
While the following are not puppy vaccinations, spaying and neutering your dog help protect it from a variety of health problems and thus fall under the category of preventive health care.
- Spay (female) - Spaying your female dog will prevent her from having puppies, but it will also help to prevent certain cancers and regular heat cycles, which can attract roaming males to your property.
- Neuter (male) - Neutering your male dog prevents him from having unwanted puppies, protects him from various illnesses, and can help him avoid territory marking (spraying), roaming, howling, and dog aggression.
- 12 to 16 months
- Final Booster: DHPP (Distemper, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza, Parvovirus)
- Rabies
- Final Booster: Bordetella (Optional)
- Final Booster: Leptospirosis (Optional)
Microchipping
Microchips are a small device, about the size of a grain of rice, implanted between your pet’s shoulder blades. The electronics are housed inside a bio-glass sleeve and are safe for both animals and humans.
If your pet gets lost and someone takes them to the vet or pound, they can get scanned while there. The scan will allow you to know that our furry friend has been safe.
Installing a chip is easy and painless. Your pet shouldn't feel any more than a slight pinch, so you don’t have to hold them down or worry about soreness after the procedure finishes.
Parasite Prevention
Throughout the Hermitage region, parasites pose a serious health risk to both humans and animals. Once your cat or dog has been infected, parasites can spread to other people or pets in the house, posing a serious health risk if not treated right away. The following common parasites can be protected against using our parasite prevention products:
Fleas
Fleas are external parasitic insects that prey on birds and mammals. Fleas can quickly spread throughout your household if left untreated.
Ticks
These external parasites feed on mammalian blood and spread serious diseases to humans and pets.
Ear Mites
In the ear canals of dogs, cats, and other mammals, tiny, highly contagious ear mites live. These parasites continue to reproduce throughout their lives.
Heartworm
This thread-like parasitic roundworm is spread by mosquito bites and lives in infected animals' hearts, lungs, and blood vessels.
Hookworm
These parasites can be found in cats' and dogs' intestines, where they feed on the blood of the animal. Anemia and other serious conditions can be caused by hookworms.
Roundworm
This parasitic worm lives in the intestine and feeds on partially digested feces. This parasite can deplete your pet's vital nutrients.
Tapeworm
Tapeworms are spread by infected fleas eaten while grooming. Intestinal parasitic worms that look like hooks.
Whipworm
Whipworms are spread by ingesting soil that has come into contact with the feces of an infected dog. Whipworms are dangerous to dogs' health.