Preventive Care

Preventive care services are performed to help pets avoid disease and sickness and to ensure that they remain healthy. These services include vaccinations, parasite control, wellness exams, and weight management. Please click on any of the subheadings listed below to learn more about our services in preventive care.
Available Services
  • Because our pets age at a quicker pace than we do, it is important that they receive appropriate preventative care which includes early detection screenings to identify any health concerns or diseases in their earliest stages.

    Pets aged 7 years or older should visit their veterinarian twice a year for wellness exams. These exams are the key to detecting any health problems that could endanger your pet.... Read more

  • Our hospital carries a wide variety of flea and tick control products. Our doctors and staff will help you determine which product(s) best suit your pet’s needs.

    We carry topical flea/tick prevention for cats and dogs and topical tick repellent for dogs, as well as oral flea prevention for dogs.... Read more

  • Vaccines and regular health exams are key preventive care measures and are critical to the well-being of your pets to help protect them from potentially deadly infectious diseases.

    The process of immunization against disease begins in your pet’s body as a result of receiving vaccines, usually by injection.

    VCA veterinarians recommend:

    • Giving core vaccines to dogs (distemper, canine adenovirus, parvovirus and rabies)
    • Giving core vaccines to cats (panleukopenia, rhinotracheitis, calicivirus and rabies)
    • Starting a vaccine program between 6 and 9 weeks of age to begin proper lifelong protection
    • Giving vaccines every 3 weeks until a pet reaches 15 to 17 weeks of age.... Read more

  • Does your pet have a microchip?

    Each year, millions of pets go missing and many don't make it back home. Microchipping your pet is a simple, effective way to prevent this sort of tragic loss.

    About the size and shape of a grain of rice, identification microchips are encoded with your pet's vital information then implanted beneath your pet's skin, usually between the shoulder blades.... Read more

  • The decision to bring a new kitten or puppy into your life can be a momentous and life changing one.

    Like any new parenting, however, it can be both joyful and stressful at times. Our aim is to educate and support new owners during this critical time.... Read more

  • Our hospital offers guidance on a number of Parasite Control Programs. The most common parasites that afflict pets are fleas and ticks.

    Fleas and ticks are capable of transmitting infection and disease to pets through a bite.... Read more

  • Pets age much faster than we do, so even if your pet seems healthy, diseases and health problems could be lurking undetected.

    Early detection can improve your pet’s quality of life and help add more healthy years.

    VCA CareClub® helps ensure your pet gets the health care he or she needs all year.... Read more

  • Our hospital offers Vaccination Examinations because vaccinations are critical to the well-being of your pets. Vaccines protect against potentially deadly viral diseases like Distemper, Parvovirus, Leptospirosis and Rabies in dogs, and Panleukopenia, Feline Leukemia Virus and Rabies in cats.

    Dogs

    • Annual Rabies Vaccination - Rabies is always fatal (in both animals and humans).... Read more

  • At VCA Animal Hospitals we want to work with you to help your pets maintain a healthy weight, so they can live a long and happy life with you.

    Being overweight can be very dangerous for our pets - even a few extra pounds can potentially shorten their lifespan. Pet Obesity has become a national epidemic for our cats and dogs, and we’ve decided to help do something about it with our pet weight loss initiative called the Big Pet Project.... Read more

    • A wellness exam is an overall general health assessment that may include blood tests, urinalysis, and parasite screening.
    • A wellness exam is recommended for most pets at least annually.
    • Some veterinarians recommend wellness exams at least every 6 months for senior pets and pets with chronic health issues.... Read more

  • Wellness tests are important to assist the veterinarians in creating an overall portfolio of your pet's health.

    By including blood tests in your pet’s routine exams, it is possible to create a wellness “baseline” against which future testing can be compared. This can help to make any potential abnormalities or concerns be more easily detected.... Read more