Vaccines

​Protect Their Health. Help Them Live Their Best Lives.

Vaccinations are an important part of keeping your pet healthy and protecting them from preventable infectious diseases. Some diseases, such as rabies and leptospirosis, can also pose risks to people.

At Bar S Animal Clinic, we tailor vaccination recommendations to your pet’s age, health, lifestyle, and potential exposure risks. Whether you’re welcoming a new puppy or kitten or keeping an adult pet up to date, our team is here to help you make informed decisions about their care.

Vaccines help protect dogs against serious infectious diseases. The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) classifies canine vaccines as core or non-core based on current recommendations and individual risk.

Core vaccines

These vaccines are recommended for most dogs:

• DHPP — Protects against canine distemper, adenovirus, parvovirus, and parainfluenza when included in the combination product. The core components are distemper, adenovirus, and parvovirus.
• Rabies — Protects against rabies, a fatal disease that can affect animals and people.
• Leptospirosis — Recommended as a core vaccine for most dogs under updated AAHA guidelines.          *Bar S only recommends this vaccine based on lifestyle of the dog. 

Additional vaccines based on lifestyle and risk

Depending on your dog's activities, environment, and exposure risks, your veterinarian may also recommend:

• Bordetella (kennel cough) — Particularly important for dogs who board, attend daycare, visit groomers, or interact with other dogs.
• Canine influenza — May be recommended for dogs with increased exposure to other dogs.
• Lyme disease — May be appropriate for dogs exposed to ticks in areas where Lyme disease is a concern.
• Western diamondback rattlesnake toxoid — May be considered for dogs with a significant risk of rattlesnake encounters.

Puppies need a series of vaccinations to build protection as their maternal antibodies decrease.

• 6–8 weeks: Begin the DHPP vaccination series.
• Every 3–4 weeks: Continue DHPP boosters until at least 16 weeks of age, with additional doses as needed based on risk.
• During the puppy series: Discuss leptospirosis and other lifestyle-based vaccines with your veterinarian.
• Around 16 weeks: Rabies vaccination is typically administered according to vaccine labeling and applicable requirements.
• After the initial series: Booster vaccines based on recommendations. 

Dogs with an incomplete or unknown vaccination history may need an individualized catch-up schedule. Depending on the vaccine and your pet’s history, this may include an initial dose followed by a booster several weeks later.

Our team can review your dog's records and help determine which vaccinations are due.

Cats can be exposed to infectious diseases even when they spend most of their time indoors. Vaccination recommendations depend on age, health, household environment, outdoor access, and contact with other cats.

Core vaccines

• FVRCP — Protects against feline viral rhinotracheitis (feline herpesvirus), calicivirus, and panleukopenia.
• Rabies — Helps protect against rabies, a fatal disease that can affect cats and people.
• Feline leukemia (FeLV) — Recommended for kittens and young cats under 1 year of age because of their increased susceptibility. Continued vaccination for adult cats depends on exposure risk.

Additional vaccines when appropriate

• Feline leukemia (FeLV) for adult cats — May be recommended for cats who go outdoors or have contact with cats of unknown or positive FeLV status.
• Chlamydia felis — May be considered in certain higher-risk environments when exposure is a concern.

Kittens need a series of vaccinations to develop reliable protection.

• Around 6–8 weeks: Begin the FVRCP series, as appropriate.
• Every 3–4 weeks: Continue FVRCP vaccinations until at least 16–20 weeks of age.
• Starting around 12 weeks: FeLV vaccination may be recommended, typically as a two-dose initial series.
• Around 16 weeks: Rabies vaccination is generally administered according to the product label and applicable requirements.
• After the kitten series: Booster timing varies by vaccine and your veterinarian's recommendations.

Adult cats with unknown or incomplete vaccination histories may need a different schedule based on their previous vaccines and individual risk factors.

We believe preventive care should be personalized to every pet. Our team will help you understand which vaccines are appropriate, when boosters are due, and how to keep your pet protected as their needs change.

Keeping your pet's vaccinations current is an important step toward a healthier life.

Contact Bar S Animal Clinic to schedule an appointment or discuss a vaccination plan for your dog or cat.