Protection & Prevention
At Powder Springs Animal Clinic, we firmly believe that preventing disease from striking is far better than treating a condition once your pet gets sick.
Regularly scheduled vaccinations for your dog or cat, combined with routine checkups and parasite prevention form the foundation of your pet's annual preventive healthcare routine.
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 or dog, tailored to their unique needs.
Pet Vaccination & Reproductive Surgery Schedule
Up-to-date pet vaccinations are essential when it comes to protecting your dog or cat from a range of highly contagious, often serious, diseases. Spaying or neutering your pet not only prevents the birth of unwanted litters; these common veterinary surgeries can also help to protect your pet against some serious forms of cancer and may prevent undesirable behaviors such as howling, scooting, roaming, and animal aggression.
Cat Vaccinations
Your kitten should receive their first-year shots according to the schedule below in order to help protect your new feline friend from a number of highly contagious, serious diseases.
- 6 to 8 weeks
- Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, Panleukopenia, Chlamydia
- 10 to 12 weeks
- Booster: Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, Panleukopenia, Chlamydia
- Feline Leukemia
- 14 to 16 weeks
- Rabies
- Booster: Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, Panleukopenia, Chlamydia
- Feline Leukemia 2
- 5 to 6 months
While the following are not kitten vaccinations, spaying, neutering and microchipping help protect your cat from a number of 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 behaviors 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.
Dog Vaccinations
Puppies should receive their first-year shots according to the schedule below in order to help protect your canine companion from a number of potentially deadly diseases.
- 6 to 8 weeks
- DHPP (Distemper, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza, Parvovirus)
- 10 to 12 weeks
- Booster: DHPP (Distemper, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza, Parvovirus)
- Bordetella (Optional)
- Leptospirosis (Optional)
- 14 to 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 a number of 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 a number of 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.
- 12 to 16 months
- Final Booster: DHPP (Distemper, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza, Parvovirus)
- Rabies
- Final Booster: Bordetella (Optional)
- Final Booster: Leptospirosis (Optional)
Parasite Prevention
Parasites pose a serious health threat to people and animals in the Powder Springs area and across Georgia. Left untreated, parasites can threaten the life of your cat or dog, and in some cases can even be transmitted to other pets and people living in your household. 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.