Vaccinations are the most important preventive measure you can take for the health of your pet. Health threats vary from city to city and even in various sections of cities. Therefore, your veterinarian will tailor an immunization program for your pet based on local conditions. Your dog or cat generally can be immunized for the following diseases: Dogs can be immunized against distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis, parainfluenza, parvovirus, coronavirus, Bordetella, rabies, and rattlesnake bites. Cats can be immunized against feline panleukopenia (distemper), rabies, feline rhinotracheitis, calicivirus, chlamydia, and feline leukemia.
An equally important component of your pet’s annual visit to the veterinarian is the physical examination. Annual physical examinations are very important whether your pet is vaccinated annually or less frequently… Given his or her shorter life span, a pet ages much more rapidly than a human does. In addition, a pet does not always show signs of early disease, nor can he or she easily communicate discomfort to us.
Veterinarians can best detect and prevent problems such as heart disease, kidney and liver disease, dental disease, cancer, and parasites by examining a pet annually. In addition, questions about behavior, nutrition, and preventive care should be addressed on at least an annual basis. For these reasons, a physical examination is done at the time of the vaccination appointment.