Vaccines
At Bramalea Animal Hospital, we put a strong emphasis on wellness and preventative care for pets because preventing health problems from occurring is always better – less harmful to pets and less expensive for you – than treating them after they arise.
Why Pet Vaccination Is So Important
Vaccines should be an integral component of every pet’s wellness and preventative care plan because they are one of the safest and most effective methods of preventing the spread of contagious diseases.
Vaccines prevent your pets from contracting highly dangerous and contagious diseases, many of which are not treatable and can be fatal. Additionally, vaccinating your pets also protects your human family members from a variety of zoonotic diseases that can be transmitted between animals and people.
Vaccination also reduces and limits the spread of contagious diseases between pets, people, and wild animals living in our community.
Which Vaccines Does Your Pet Need?
Vaccines are divided into two categories: core and non-core vaccines.
- Core vaccines include those that are required by law and/or strongly recommended for all pets. Core vaccines include those that protect pets against rabies, distemper, parvovirus, leptospirosis and more.
- Non-core vaccines are those that are recommended on a case-by-case basis depending on your pet's environment, lifestyle, and potential exposure risk. Non-core vaccines protect pets against diseases like bordetella (kennel cough), Lyme disease, feline leukemia virus, and others.
Your Pet's Vaccine Schedule
Kittens and puppies typically receive their first vaccinations at 8 weeks of age. Then boosters at 12 weeks and 16 weeks. They have a more frequent schedule of vaccinations during the first year of life to establish strong immunity.
Adult pets receive boosters on a one to three-year schedule, depending on the type of vaccine administered.
Wellness and Preventative Care for Pets in Brampton
If you’ve recently adopted a new pet or if your cat or dog is overdue for their vaccine boosters, we welcome you to schedule a wellness and preventative care appointment for your pet at Bramalea Animal Hospital.
We can talk with you about your pet’s disease exposure risk and recommend a complete schedule of vaccinations designed to keep your pet as safe and healthy as possible.
