Vaccinations are Important

Animal vaccinations are incredibly important. Vaccines are meant to protect animals against harmful diseases, including diseases that kill. Just because we don’t see certain diseases occur in high frequency does not mean they don’t exist or that vaccines aren’t necessary. Veterinary vaccinations are a preventative measure, much like a protective shield that guards pets against future health threats.

Veterinary vaccines are broadly categorized into two groups: core and non-core vaccines.

Core vaccines are recommended for all pets, regardless of their lifestyle or location. These vaccines protect against diseases that are widespread, have high rates of mortality, or pose a significant public health risk. For dogs, core vaccines typically include protection against canine parvovirus, canine distemper virus, hepatitis, bordetella, and rabies.

For cats, core vaccines safeguard against feline panleukopenia (feline distemper), feline calicivirus, feline herpesvirus type I, and rabies.

Non-core vaccines are administered based on a pet’s specific risk factors, such as their environment, lifestyle, and prevalence of certain diseases in their region. These might include vaccines for Lyme disease and canine influenza virus in dogs, and feline leukemia virus in cats.

It should be noted that leptospirosis ought to be considered a core vaccine but is still technically under the umbrella of “non-core” vaccines. Leptospirosis, a bacteria excreted in the urine of affected animals, can be contracted by ingesting water contaminated by this bacteria. Rats concentrate this bacteria and excrete it in very high levels, so urban-living pets should be protected against leptospirosis as much as the hiking/camping dogs. Leptospirosis is also a zoonotic disease, which means that humans can contract these nasty bacteria, as well. This is even more reason to keep your pets protected.

For information on specific disease risk/exposure, please visit Veterinary Partner and the Companion Animal Parasite Council’s websites.

Not all pets require the same vaccinations, nor do they need them at the same frequency throughout their lives. Decisions about which vaccines your pet should receive and how often they should be administered depend on multiple factors, including their age, medical history, lifestyle, and specific risks associated with their environment. Your veterinarian will help design a customized vaccination program that provides the best protection for your pet’s unique needs.

Appointments

Our lobby is now open for anyone not experiencing respiratory symptoms. If you or your pet are coughing, sneezing, have nasal discharge, or other cold, flu, or COVID-like symptoms, please call or text us at 510-523-1626 (option 1 if calling) to let us know you are here for your appointment and we will assist you curbside. Be sure to include your first name, last name, and your pet’s name. Everyone else is welcome to come inside and we will be with you as soon as we can.

Exams & Non-Urgent Questions

To schedule a non-urgent appointment, please text us or use the website widget to request an appointment. IF YOUR PET IS HAVING AN URGENT MEDICAL ISSUE, PLEASE CALL US AND CHOOSE OPTION 2 FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE.

We require 24-hour notice to cancel or reschedule an appointment to ensure we are able to provide care for as many patients as possible. If less than 24 hours is provided, there may be a late cancellation/no-show fee, even if we reschedule the appointment. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation.

New clients are required to pay a deposit for the first exam for each pet. If less than 24-hour notice is given to cancel or reschedule the first visit, the deposit will be waived. If more than 24-hour notice is received, the deposit will be applied to the first exam.

Prescription Refills

Prescription food and medication refills may be called in or texted to 510-523-1626 (option 3 if calling), or ordered via the website widget. Please allow at least 2 business days to process refills. If the medication or food is a special order, we will let you know when it is available for pick up. If the prescription is from another pharmacy, including online, please let us know and allow a week to process since we need to get doctor approval. We appreciate your patience.

Coronavirus Information

For the very latest information on COVID-19, you can check these sites:

CDC – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
WHO – World Health Organization
WSAVA – World Small Animal Veterinary Association