Core Vaccines at Bluestar Pet Hospital in St. Johns and Jacksonville, FL

When it comes to protecting your pet’s health, making sure your pet’s core vaccines are up-to-date is one of the best ways. At Bluestar Pet Hospital in Jacksonville and St. Johns, FL, we recommend core vaccines for all pets, regardless of his or her lifestyle. These vaccines are designed to prevent dangerous illnesses in cats and dogs, like rabies and distemper.

Puppy Vaccinations

You should start your puppy vaccinations between the ages of six and nine weeks or as soon as your puppy is weaned. Puppies typically require multiple vaccination appointments in order to be fully inoculated. Puppies should receive several core vaccines between the ages of six and 16 weeks of age. These vaccines include distemper, parvovirus and adenovirus. These vaccinations are often given as a single injection with a combination vaccine. As soon as your pet reaches three months of age, he or she should receive the rabies vaccine.

Kitten Vaccinations

Pet parents should bring their kitties in for their kitten vaccinations between the ages of six and 16 weeks. The first round of inoculations should include distemper, feline herpes and calicivirus. Kitties will need additional boosters every three to four weeks until they have reached four months of age. The rabies vaccine can be given at two months of age.

Adult Dog Vaccinations

Adult dogs need the same dog vaccinations as their puppy counterparts, including rabies, distemper, parvo and adenovirus. The difference is that adult dogs only need one or two initial doses and then booster shots every one to three years, depending on the type of vaccine.

Adult Cat Vaccinations

Adult cat vaccinations include rabies, distemper, herpes and calicivirus. Adult cats only need two initial doses of these vaccines three to four weeks apart. Afterwards, adult cats should receive boosters every two to three years.