Protect health by vaccines
Pet Vaccinations in Nanaimo & Vancouver Island – Boost Immunity, Prevent Disease
Diseases and viruses can be a threat to your pet’s health just as they can be for us. At Mahalo Veterinary Hospital in Nanaimo, we encourage discussion about pet vaccinations as early in your pet’s development as possible. Vaccines can play a significant role in your pet’s preventative and wellness care. During a vaccination visit, we also make sure you have enough parasite and flea and tick medications, as well as discuss other preventative medicine you may need to know about.
We create an individualized pet vaccination program that addresses the unique health needs of each of our pet patients. If your pet is due for updated vaccines or if you're not sure when your pet was last vaccinated, our team is here to help.
Why Vaccinate Your Pet
Pet vaccinations – non-infection versions of a disease organism – enable and encourage your pet’s body to produce natural antibodies against certain types of diseases and illnesses, thus reducing their contraction risk. A vaccine can help keep your pet protected for as long as the vaccine remains potent. Regular vaccinations can extend the life of your pet and help prevent an array of common infections and diseases that can be contracted at any point in its life.
Types of Pet Vaccinations
Core vaccines are those considered most important for animal wellness, whereas non-core vaccines are those recommended depending on a variety of factors. These factors include your pet’s lifestyle, breed, age, genetics, health history, location, and exposure to other pets that may carry disease. All of these situations can affect your pet’s risk for infection. While the types of vaccinations your pet requires depends on the type of pet you have, most young animals require a series of pet vaccinations because they are vulnerable and can easily catch disease.
Vaccinations for young pets typically begin when they are 8 weeks old and are scheduled every 4 weeks, with the final injections given when they are around 16 weeks old.
Vaccine Boosts
After a period of time (which may vary from vaccine to vaccine), the protection begins to fade. This is why your veterinarian in Nanaimo will advise on specific times your pet will need updates, or booster shots, to keep their disease immunity consistently strong.
A booster – or annual exam – visit is a great time to discuss any questions or concerns you may have about your pet. We’re happy to go over anything from diet to training. Something you mention might tell us to look closer at something you may not realize is symptomatic; we can then run tests, if necessary, to investigate the problem.
