At Friendship Hospital for Animals, immunizations are tailored to a pet's specific needs and age.

DogsCanine vaccinations and feline vaccines are available here

We follow the American Animal Hospital Association's guidelines for recommended dog vaccinations, including suggested annual dog vaccinations and spacing the canine distemper combination vaccination to every 3 years once the intial juvenile series has been completed. 

Vaccines that we recommend as core vaccines for dogs include:

  • Distemper-Adenovirus2-Parainfluenza-Parvo
  • Rabies

Canine vaccines that are considered non-core and are used only when determined to be needed include:

  • Bordatella (Kennel Cough)
  • Leptospirosis  (what's this?)

In accordance with AAHA recommendations, we do not recommend the canine giardia or coronavirus vaccines.  If your pet is planning to travel to the east coast, we may want to discuss the need for Lyme disease vaccination.

Cats

Based on the American Association of Feline Practitioners' recommendations, we recommend a similar protocol for feline FVRCP combination vaccines as we do for dogs (i.e. every three years once the juvenile series is completed). 

Vaccines that we recommend as core vaccines for cats include:
 

  • Feline Rhinovirus-Calicivirus-Panleukopenia combo
  • Rabies  (we use the Merial Purevax Rabies vaccine-- see below)

Feline vaccines that are considered non-core and are used only when determined to be needed include:
 

  • Feline Leukemia Virus         

In accordance with AAFP recommendations, we do not recommend feline immunodeficiency (FIV), feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), or coronavirus vaccinations for cats.
Core vaccines for cats and non-core feline vaccines are available
What's so special about the feline vaccines at Friendship Hospital for Animals? 
We administer the non-adjuvanted form of the feline leukemia vaccine as well as the Purevax recombinant rabies vaccine. These vaccines are less inflammatory than their adjuvanted counterparts. Reducing the inflammation associated with these vaccines helps reduce the risk of rare but serious vaccine-associated tumors.

At times, due to age or concurrent disease, it is determined that vaccination may not be advised for certain pets. Vaccine titres (antibody levels to specific diseases) can be evaluated for these patients. What are titres?