Protection & Prevention
Our Hopkinsville vets place an emphasis on preventive care to keep common diseases and disorders from developing in the first place.
Combined with regular wellness exams, pet vaccinations and parasite prevention form the foundation of your animal's routine healthcare.
Preventive care gives your pet the best chance at a long, healthy life. Our team will work with you to create a preventive care plan that is customized to your pet's unique breed, age, and lifestyle needs.
Pet Vaccinations & Reproductive Surgery Schedule
Keeping your dog or cat's vaccinations current is essential when it comes to protecting them from contagious diseases. As part of the preventive care umbrella, we also suggest that pets be microchipped and spayed or neutered. Spay and neuter procedures prevent unwanted litters, can protect against some forms of cancer, and may prevent unwanted behaviors such as howling or aggression.
Cat Vaccinations
In their first year, these kitten shots and preventive measures are needed to protect them from dangerous diseases.
- 6 to 8 weeks
- Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, Panleukopenia, Chlamydia
- 10 to 12 weeks
- Booster: Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, Panleukopenia, Chlamydia
- Feline Leukemia
- 14 to 16 weeks
- Rabies
- Booster: Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, Panleukopenia, Chlamydia
- Feline Leukemia 2
- 5 to 6 months
While the following are not kitten vaccinations, spaying, neutering and microchipping help protect your cat from a number of health issues, and therefore fall under the preventive health care umbrella.
- Spaying & Neutering - Spaying (females) and neutering (males) procedures prevent the birth of unwanted litters, protects your cat against serious illnesses, and can help to prevent unwanted behaviors.
Learn More - Microchipping - A microchip is a permanent form of identification that is about the size of a grain of rice and placed under your pet’s skin. Pets that are microchipped have a better chance of being reunited with their owners if they are lost.
- Spaying & Neutering - Spaying (females) and neutering (males) procedures prevent the birth of unwanted litters, protects your cat against serious illnesses, and can help to prevent unwanted behaviors.
Dog Vaccinations
In their first year, these puppy shots and preventive measures are needed to protect them from dangerous diseases.
- 6 to 8 weeks
- DHPP (Distemper, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza, Parvovirus)
- 10 to 12 weeks
- Booster: DHPP (Distemper, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza, Parvovirus)
- Bordetella (Optional)
- Leptospirosis (Optional)
- 14 to 16 weeks
- Booster: DHPP (Distemper, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza, Parvovirus)
- Rabies
- Booster: Bordetella (Optional)
- Booster: Leptospirosis (Optional)
Although the following are not puppy vaccinations, spaying, neutering, and microchipping help protect your dog from a number of health issues, and therefore fall under the preventive health care umbrella.
- Spaying & Neutering - Spaying (females) and neutering (males) procedures prevent the birth of unwanted litters, protects your dog against serious illnesses, and can help to prevent unwanted behaviors.
Learn More - Microchipping - A microchip is a permanent form of identification that is about the size of a grain of rice and placed under your pet’s skin. Pets that are microchipped have a better chance of being reunited with their owners if they are lost.
- 12 to 16 months
- Final Booster: DHPP (Distemper, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza, Parvovirus)
- Rabies
- Final Booster: Bordetella (Optional)
- Final Booster: Leptospirosis (Optional)
Parasite Prevention
Parasites pose a serious health threat to people and animals in the Hopkinsville area. Left untreated, parasites can threaten the life of your cat or dog, and in some cases can even be transmitted to other people or pets living in your household. At we offer parasite prevention products that can help protect your dog or cat from the following common parasites:
Fleas
Fleas are external parasites that feed on the blood of birds and mammals. Left untreated, fleas can quickly spread throughout your household.
Ticks
These external parasites consume the blood of mammals and are responsible for the spread of a number of serious conditions in people and pets.
Ear Mites
Tiny, highly contagious ear mites reside in the ear canals of dogs, cats and other mammals. These parasites reproduce continuously throughout their lifespan.
Heartworm
This thread-like parasitic roundworm is spread through mosquito bites and makes its home in the heart, lungs and blood vessels of infected animals.
Hookworm
These parasites live in the digestive tract of cats and dogs where they feed on the pet's blood. Hookworms can lead to anemia and other serious conditions.
Roundworm
This parasitic worm lives in the intestine and feeds on partially digested intestinal contents. This parasite can rob your pet of vital nutrients necessary to stay healthy.
Tapeworm
Tapeworms are spread through the ingestion of infected fleas during grooming. These hook-like parasitic worms live and grow in your pet's intestines.
Whipworm
Whipworms are spread through the ingestion of soil that has been in contact with an infected dog's feces. Whipworms pose a serious health risk to dogs.