Pet Vaccinations & Immunizations in Austin, Texas

Vaccines can be a tricky issue to tackle in both the human and animal medical spaces, with many tending to fall into an “all or none” category. At PAZ, we believe there’s a happy medium, and we like to take a risk assessment to determine what suits your pet’s lifestyle best.

For example, we’d likely only recommend the Bordetella vaccine for dogs that socialize with other dogs often or are boarded regularly. In other words, those are considered “non-core vaccines,” whereas others are considered “core vaccines.”

How Do Pet Vaccines Work?

Pet vaccines contain antigens that look like the organism that causes the disease but don’t. The pet’s immune system sees them as such and prepares the body’s immune system to fight this “invasion.” In turn, if that pet is ever exposed to the actual disease, their immune system is now set up to recognize and fight off the illness - or at least reduce the severity.

Core Vaccines for Dogs

The core vaccines we choose for dogs are:

We choose these to target the issues that most dogs face while leaving out unnecessary antigens. If we determine your dog needs further vaccines based on their lifestyle, we can recommend those to supplement the core vaccines. We should also note that our Rabies vaccines are Thimeserol free or free of any hard metals added to the vaccine.

Other core vaccines for dogs are:

  • Canine Hepatitis
  • Rabies

Non-Core Vaccines for Dogs

Non-core vaccines are those veterinarians don’t see as necessary in every case but may recommend based on your dog’s lifestyle.

Examples of non-core vaccines for dogs are:

  • Bordetella bronchiseptica
  • Borrelia burgdorferi
  • Leptospira bacteria

When you bring your dog in for their wellness exam, we’ll ask plenty of questions to help us make tailored vaccine recommendations and a vaccine schedule for your dog.

Core Vaccines for Cats

At PAZ, we use the “PureVax” brand for feline vaccines. These are longer-lasting, safer, and cause fewer reactions.

Some examples of core vaccines for cats are:

  • Panleukopenia (feline distemper)
  • Feline Calicivirus
  • Feline Herpesvirus type I (rhinotracheitis)
  • Rabies

As with dogs, we can partner with you to decide which cat vaccines are best for your cat when you bring them in for their annual wellness exam.

Non-Core Vaccines for Cats

Your cat may not need all vaccines, depending on whether they are around other cats, are indoor/outdoor cats, etc.

Some examples of non-core vaccines for cats are:

  • Bordetella
  • Chlamydophila felis
  • Feline immunodeficiency virus

Wellness Exams Are Critical for Proper Pet Vaccinations

We recommend annual wellness visits for dogs and cats of all ages and breeds to prevent illness or catch it early on. We'll discuss numerous diagnostics and preventatives at your yearly exams and ensure they make sense for you and your pet. We want to set our pets up for optimal health, allowing them to live the longest and healthiest lives possible!

Are There Any Risks Associated with Pet Vaccinations?

Pet vaccines are designed to mildly stimulate the animal’s immune system to protect them from specific diseases. Just as in humans, this stimulation can cause mild symptoms that range from injection site soreness to allergic reactions and fever. Please feel free to discuss your concerns with our veterinary team.

We will help you determine the proper vaccines for your pet’s lifestyle and a schedule that we choose based on your pet’s age, the type of vaccine, medical history, lifestyle, and environment.

Ready to get your pet vaccinated? Contact us today!

Book your pet's appointment at Paz North today!

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