Give a Bordetella vaccination if the dog is going to be boarded in a boarding kennel during your vacation. Remember to have your pet wormed every time it gets vaccinationed, especially when it is a puppy.

year old and every 3 years afterwards: Rabies Remember to have your vet worm you cat when you get the vaccinations; this is especially important in kittens.

City ordinance requires that all dogs, cats, and ferrets be vaccinated against rabies by 4 months of age, and then within each subsequent 12 month (365 day) period thereafter. Rabies vaccinations must be administered by a licensed veterinarian. There are several other vaccinations which are very beneficial for your pet, but are not required by law. They help protect your pet from serious diseases such as parvo, distemper, feline leukemia, etc.

None are required, but you may wish to contact your personal physician for his/her advice. Back to top

Dogs should receive vaccinations against Distemper, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza and Parvovirus. Normally puppies receive a series of vaccinations at 8, 12 and 16 weeks of age followed by revaccination at regular intervals (usually yearly). In some cases, additional vaccinations against diseases such as Leptospirosis, Lyme disease or Kennel Cough (Bordetella) may be recommended. Cats should receive vaccinations against Distemper, Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus and Rabies.

Puppies and kittens need vaccinations to help strengthen their immune system against deadly diseases. We normally begin the vaccine schedule at 6 to 8 weeks of age. It is important to start their vaccines at this age and to completely finish the series. (see also Why Vaccinate: Prevention of Canine Diseases and Why Vaccinate: Prevention of Feline Diseases.) You're pet will not be sufficiently protected with only 1 round of vaccines.

For the protection of all borders, we do not allow any pet to stay at TOP DOG if vaccinations are not current to the new vaccine protocol.

In order to protect all of our guests, no pets are admitted without proof of current vaccinations. For dogs: Rabies, DHLP and Bordatella. For cats: Rabies, FVR-CP, FeLV [feline leukemia-optional]. See our admission requirements page for specifics. Typically, the Rabies vaccines are good for three years and the others are good for one year. Your veterinarian can either give you copies of your pet's records or they can fax them to us.

In the state of Indiana, the animal most likely to carry rabies is the bat. Between 5 and 10 bats are diagnosed with rabies every year in this state. As bats sometimes like to live in houses, cats can very easily find these bats, particularly if the bat is ill from rabies. An unvaccinated animal in this situation can catch the disease and pass it on to unsuspecting family members. Treatment for rabies can cost thousands of dollars per person, and is fatal if not treated in time.

All children entering kindergarten, first and second grade must complete a hepatitis B vaccine series in addition to already required immunizations for:

Vaccinations protect pets from deadly diseases such as parvo, distemper, and Feline Leukemia. But vaccinations also carry significant risk. For decades, most veterinarians recommended giving several vaccines to every animal every year. At HouseCalls for Dogs & Cats, we believe there is a better way. No one protocol is appropriate for every dog or cat. That's why Dr. Taylor will work together with you to formulate a healthcare plan that is specifically designed for your pet.

We strongly discourage boarding any puppy or kitten that has not had its complete set of boosters. Puppies and kittens should be kept away from unknown animals until they have time to develop their own immunity to dangerous diseases. Dogs should be current on Bordetella (Kennel Cough), Rabies & DHPP. These vaccinations can be given when your dog comes in to be boarded. We typically give the Kennel Cough vaccination in the nose which gives protection almost immediately.