Question: We have a new pet in our family, should we have him neutered? If so, at what age?
Answer: Puppies and kittens should be spayed or neutered for several reasons. First, it is important in controlling the pressing issue of pet overpopulation and unnecessary euthanasia. There are thousands of dogs and cats that are euthanized daily due to pet overpopulation. Second, by spaying and neutering your pet you can decrease the incidence of some serious medical issues that your pet may encounter later in life. Neutering your pet can reduce the chances of getting cancers such as prostatic cancer and mammary cancer, and can completely eliminate the chances of getting testicular or ovarian cancer. We recommend that your pets be spayed or neutered at or before the age of six months or as soon as their vaccination series is completed.
Question: When can I give the new 3 year Rabies shot to my pet?
Answer: Texas passed a law in the summer of 2003 that gives each county the option allowing rabies booster shots to be given at 1, 2, or 3 year intervals. Guadalupe county currently retains the 1 year interval for rabies boosters.
Question: We live in the country, do we need to put our dog on heartworm preventative?
Answer: All dogs and some cats are susceptible to heartworm infection. Since heartworms are transmitted from on dog to another by mosquitos, we recommend that all dogs receive a heartworm preventative. There are several options for preventative that range from Heartguard and Interceptor
monthly pills to a 6 month shot called Proheart.
Question: My puppy received its puppy shots from the breeder, does it need any more?
Answer: Most puppies or kittens receive a shot or 2 from the breeder. However, most puppies or kittens need several shots to stimulate their immune system. We recommend the following schedule:
Puppies;
Distemper/Hepatitis/Parvo/Parinfluenza/Corona Virus shot between 6-8 weeks of age.
A booster shot with Lepto added between 10-12 weeks of age.
A final puppy booster also with Lepto between 14-16 weeks of age.
Kittens;
Rhinotracheaitis/Calicivirus/Panleukopenia Virus shot between 6-8 weeks of age.
A booster shot with Leukemia Virus added between 10-12 weeks of age.
A final booster with Leukemia between 14-16 weeks of age.
Rabies shots are given between 3 and 4 months of age for both puppies and kittens.
