Vaccines
When it comes to keeping your pet healthy, there are many things to consider. Annual wellness exams, diet, exercise, Pet Dentistry…The list goes on and on, but one of the most important aspects of your pet’s overall preventive health care is vaccinations, commonly referred to as dog shots and cat shots. Pet vaccines help protect your dog or cat from viruses and diseases—some of which can be fatal and/or transferred to humans. That’s why we recommend that they be updated on a regular basis. Michigan City Animal Hospital is proud to be an AAHA Accredited animal hospital, which means we are committed to providing the absolute best care for our patients. This includes pet vaccines. We offer AAHA-recommended core and non-core vaccines to accommodate the lifestyle of every pet we meet. With that in mind, you can be confident that your pet will receive only the vaccines and care they need.
1 for 1: For every vaccine, your pet receives through Michigan City Animal Hospital, a dose of rabies is donated to the Afya Project for Mission Rabies to eradicate this deadly disease around the world.
Core and Non-Core. What’s the Difference?
In veterinary medicine, there are two types of vaccines available for pets: core and non-core. Core vaccines are for illnesses that are much more serious than others, and/or that can be transmitted to humans. The rabies vaccine is an example since rabies is 100% fatal and can affect both animals and humans. In many states, including Indiana, this vaccine is even required by law. Core vaccines are considered “essential” for a pet’s health. Non-core vaccines are considered optional vaccines and are usually recommended only if a pet has a high exposure risk to a certain virus or disease. For example, Bordetella (kennel cough) and Canine Influenza are contagious diseases that can be transmitted from dog to dog. Therefore, it’s usually recommended and often required before boarding. The feline leukemia vaccine is usually recommended for cats that spend time outdoors, where they may come in contact with other cats.
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Canine and Feline Vaccines (Pet Shots)
The following are examples of some of the core and non-core vaccines we carry for dogs and cats here at Michigan City Animal Hospital:
Canine Core and Non-Core Vaccines
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Rabies (core)
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Distemper/DHLPP (core)
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Influenza (non-core)
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Bordetella (non-core)
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Lepto (non-core)
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Lyme (non-core)
Feline Core and Non-Core Vaccines
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Rabies (core)
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Feline Distemper (core)
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Chlamydia (non-core)
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FELV (non-core)
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FIP (non-core)