Protection & Prevention
At Spring Animal Hospital, we focus on preventive care to keep common diseases and disorders from developing in the first place.
When combined with regular wellness exams, cat & dog vaccinations and parasite prevention can 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 unique pet, tailored to their unique needs.
Cat & Dog Vaccinations & Reproductive Surgery
Up-to-date 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 unwanted litters; these common veterinary surgeries can also help to protect your pet against some serious forms of cancer. They may prevent unwanted behaviors such as howling, scooting, roaming, and animal aggression.
Cat Vaccinations
In their first year of life, kittens need the following shots to protect them from serious diseases.
- 6 to 8 weeks
- Rhinotracheitis, Calcivirus, Panleukopenia, Chlamydia
- 10 to 12 weeks
- Booster: Rhinotracheitis, Calcivirus, Panleukopenia, Chlamydia
- Feline Leukemia
- 14 to 16 weeks
- Rabies
- Booster: Rhinotracheitis, Calcivirus, Panleukopenia, Chlamydia
- Feline Leukemia 2
- 5 to 6 months
While these 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 prevent unwanted 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 separated.
Dog Vaccinations
In their first year, puppies need these shots to protect them from dangerous 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 can help protect your dog against 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 can pose a serious health threat to people and animals in the Long Beach area. Left untreated, parasites can harm your cat or dog, and in some cases can even be transmitted to other people or pets living in your household. Our parasite prevention products can help protect your dog or cat from the following common parasites:
Fleas
External parasites that feed on the blood from birds and mammals. Untreated, fleas can quickly spread throughout your household.
Ticks
External parasites that consume the blood of mammals. Responsible for the spread of a number of serious conditions in people and pets.
Ear Mites
Tiny, highly contagious and reside in the ear canals of dogs, cats and other mammals. Reproduce continuously throughout their lifespan.
Heartworm
Thread-like parasitic roundworm that spreads through mosquito bites. Lives in the heart, lungs and blood vessels of infected animals.
Hookworm
Live in the digestive tract of cats and dogs where they feed on the pet's blood. Can lead to anemia and other serious conditions.
Roundworm
Lives in the intestine, feeding on partially digested intestinal contents. Can rob your pet of vital nutrients necessary to stay healthy.
Tapeworm
Spread through ingestion of infected fleas during grooming. Hook-like parasitic worms that live and grow in your pet's intestines.
Whipworm
Spread through the ingestion of soil that has been in contact with an infected dog's feces. Pose a serious health risk to dogs.