Pet Vaccinations

Pet Vaccinations in Scarsdale, NY

Caring for a dog or cat in Scarsdale, New York requires the right treatment. Bringing a puppy or kitten into your home requires a round of vaccinations and initial treatments to keep your pet healthy. As your pet ages, you need to obtain appropriate booster shots to keep the vaccinations up-to-date. At Central Animal Hospital in Scarsdale, a veterinarian recommends treatments and vaccinations based on your pet’s age and specific health needs.

Why Vaccinate Your Pets?

The reason you want to consider our Scarsdale pet hospital for animal vaccinations is the health of the animal. The core pet vaccinations we provide at our hospital focus on common health concerns. The core vaccinations for dogs protect against rabies, distemper, parvovirus and adenovirus. For cats, the core vaccinations protect against rabies, feline distemper, feline herpes and calicivirus. It is a basic set of vaccinations for a pet and complies with the legal standards set for your pet’s health and well-being. Our Scarsdale animal hospital can provide the vaccination at an appropriate age when your pet is ready for the shots.

Our Scarsdale veterinarian may recommend non-core vaccinations when a pet is at risk of certain health concerns. For example, if you take a dog on hunting trips, then non-core pet vaccinations in Scarsdale may protect against the risk of Lyme disease or similar health concerns due to the activity and potential exposure to the virus. Non-core vaccinations are not required by law, but may be recommended for certain pets.

What Pet Vaccinations to Consider

As a general rule, pet vaccinations confer immunity and are important to ensuring your pet’s health.  There are core vaccines (ie: distemper and parvovirus for dogs, and distemper for cats) and vaccines that are recommended depending upon a pet’s lifestyl (ie: bordatella, lyme, flu, leptospirosis).  New York State Law requires all cats and dogs must obtain the rabies vaccination when pets are 16 weeks old and must obtain booster shots 12 months after the initial vaccination. 

Discussing Options with Our Scarsdale Veterinarian

Before starting a round of shots and vaccinations, discuss the needs of your pets with a vet. At Central Animal Hospital in Scarsdale, we assist pet owners throughout the process of we make sure you have the tools to decide when to consider additional vaccinations. We also help you determine the best timing for shots based on the age of your pets and their specific healthcare needs. If you bring an adult dog or cat into your family, then we assist with booster shots and make sure your pets have up-to-date immunities against specific health risks.

Vaccinations are an essential part of your pet’s health and safety. Legally, pet owners must vaccinate pets against rabies and we generally recommend additional shots for common ailments and illnesses. For more information about available vaccinations or to set up an appointment to see a vet at Central Animal Hospital, contact us today at 914-723-1250 or request an appointment HERE.

Young animals are like kids–it’s a never-ending job to keep them safe and happy. Vaccinating your pet is a relatively inexpensive but very important way to protect his or her health. In addition to preventing many life-threatening illnesses, vaccinations can prevent diseases prevalent in wildlife and those that can be passed to humans. It’s important to administer vaccinations when pets are puppies and kittens because their young immune systems are still developing and need protection to stay healthy.

While any medical treatment involves some degree of risk, in the case of vaccinations, the benefits far outweigh any potential side effects. Adverse reactions are rare and usually mild and short-term when they do occur.

Which vaccines should your pet have? “Core” vaccines are those recommended—and possibly mandated by law—for most pets. Core vaccines include:

• Rabies (dogs and cats)
• DA2PPV – Distemper, Hepatitis, Adenovirus 2, Parvo and Parainfluenza (dogs)
• FVRCP – Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus and Panleukopenia (cats)

Other non-core, but highly suggested vaccinations for cats include FIV for feline immunodeficiency virus and FeLV to protect against feline leukemia. For dogs, bordetella and canine influenza shots are recommended if they frequent dog parks, boarding kennels, or any place where they’re socializing with other canines.

It’s also important to note that even pets who live primarily indoors should be vaccinated, as they can still be exposed to a disease.

Pet Vaccinations In Scarsdale, New York

Your Central Animal Hospital veterinarian can advise you which vaccinations are required or recommended for your pet based on age, health, and lifestyle. For more information or to schedule an appointment for pet vaccination in Scarsdale, call us at (914) 723-1250.