Protection & Prevention
At Kitimat Veterinary Hospital, we focus on preventive care aimed to keep common diseases and disorders from developing in the first place.
When combined with regular wellness exams, pet vaccinations and parasite prevention form the foundation of your animal's routine healthcare.
Preventive care gives your pet the best chance at a long, healthy life. Our team will work with you to create a custom preventive care plan for your cat, dog, or other pet, tailored to their unique needs.
Vaccination & Reproductive Surgery Schedule
Current dog and cat vaccinations are essential when it comes to protecting your furry friend from a range of contagious, often serious, diseases. Having your pet spayed or neutered not only prevents the birth of the unwanted litter, but these common veterinary surgeries can also help to protect your pet against some serious forms of cancer. They may also prevent unwanted behaviours such as howling, scooting, roaming, and animal aggression.
Cat Vaccinations
In their first year, kittens need the following shots and preventive treatments to protect them from serious diseases.
- 9 weeks
- Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, Panleukopenia, Chlamydia
- Feline Leukemia
- 12 weeks
- Booster: Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, Panleukopenia, Chlamydia
- Feline Leukemia 2
- Rabies
- 6 months and up
While the following are not kitten vaccinations, spaying, neutering and microchipping help protect your cat from several 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 behaviours 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.
- Annually
- Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, Panleukopenia, Chlamydia
- Feline Leukemia
- Rabies
- Deworming
- Kittens should be dewormed every 2 weeks from 2 weeks of age until 3 months of age, then once a month from 3 months to 6 months. If they spend time outside, adult cats should be dewormed 4 times per year.
Dog Vaccinations
In their first year of life, puppies need these shots and preventive treatments to protect them from dangerous diseases.
- 8 weeks
- DHPP (Distemper, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza, Parvovirus)
- 12 weeks
- Booster: DHPP (Distemper, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza, Parvovirus)
- Bordetella (Optional)
- Leptospirosis (Optional)
- 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 several 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 several 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.
- Annually
- DHPP (Distemper, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza, Parvovirus)
- Rabies
- Bordetella (Optional)
- Leptospirosis (Optional)
- Deworming
- Puppies should be dewormed every 2 weeks from 2 weeks of age until 3 months of age, then once a month from 3 months to 6 months. Adult dogs should be dewormed 4 times per year.
Parasite Prevention
Parasites pose a serious health threat to people and animals in the Kitimat area. 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 if left untreated. The Council on Parasite Control recommends families with young children deworm pets monthly to prevent potential blindness due to abnormal migration of worm larvae.
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. 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 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.