Prevent & Protect
At Laguna Hills Animal Hospital, our veterinary team focuses on preventive care to help protect cats and dogs from developing diseases and disorders in the first place.
Combined with routine wellness exams, pet vaccinations, and parasite prevention establish the foundation of your pet's regular healthcare.
Preventive care provides your furry companion with their best chance at a long and healthy life. Our vets will work with you to develop a preventive care plan that is customized to meet the individual needs of your cat or dog.
Canine Influenza Virus
California has recently been impacted by the Canine Influenza Virus. Due to this, we strongly recommending that all dogs be vaccinated against this virus. Even if your dog leads a rather sheltered life and only walks your neighborhood, it is still at risk. Contact us to book an appointment to have your dog vaccinated or boostered.
Pet Vaccination & Reproductive Surgery Schedule
It's essential to keep your dog or cat's vaccinations on schedule when it comes to protecting your four-legged from a variety of contagious, often serious, illnesses. Getting your pet spayed or neutered doesn't just prevent the birth of unwanted litters; these routine veterinary surgeries may also help keep your animal safe from some serious types of cancer. They can also prevent undesirable behaviors including roaming, scooting, howling, and animal aggression.
Cat Vaccinations
Before their first birthday, kittens require these shots to protect them from serious 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 below isn't a list of kitten vaccinations, spaying, neutering, and microchipping help keep your cat from a handful of health issues, falling under the preventive health care umbrella.
- Spay (females) - Spaying your female cat keeps them from birthing unwanted kittens, protects your kitty against serious illnesses, and could help prevent behaviors such as howling and scooting that accompany heat cycles.
- Neuter (males) - Neutering your male cat prevents your pet from fathering unwanted kittens, protects your cat against various illnesses, and can help to prevent territory marking (spraying), roaming, howling, and cat aggression.
- Microchipping - A microchip is a permanent identification method that's about the size of a grain of rice and is placed beneath your cat’s skin. Pets that have a microchip have better odds of being reunited with their owners if they get lost.
Dog Vaccinations
During their first year, puppies need the following shots to keep them safe from dangerous diseases.
- 6 to 8 weeks
- DHPP (Distemper, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza, Parvovirus)
- Bordetella
- 10 to 12 weeks
- Booster: DHPP (Distemper, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza, Parvovirus)
- Canine Influenza
- Leptospirosis
- 14 to 16 weeks
- Booster: DHPP (Distemper, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza, Parvovirus)
- Rabies
- Booster: Canine Influena
- Booster: Leptospirosis
- 12 to 16 months
Even though these aren't puppy vaccinations, spaying, neutering, and microchipping your dog can protect them from a number of health issues, falling under the umbrella of preventive health care.
- Spay (female) - Spaying your dog will keep your female dog from mothering puppies, and can also help to prevent certain cancers and regular heat cycles which could attract roaming males to your property.
- Neuter (male) - Having your male dog neutered can help prevent them from fathering unwanted puppies, as well as protect your pup from a few serious types of cancers, and help reduce their risk of roaming and dog aggression.
- Microchipping - A microchip is a permanent type of identification that's placed under your pup's skin which is roughly the size of a grain of rice. Dogs that are microchipped have a better chance of being found by their owners if they are lost.
Parasite Prevention
Parasites are a serious threat to the health of both people and animals in the Laguna Woods area. If they aren't treated quickly parasites can threaten the life of your pet, and in some situations could even be spread to other people or pets in your home. Our parasite prevention products can help protect your cat or dog from these common parasites:
Fleas
Fleas are external parasites that eat the blood of mammals and birds. If they go untreated, fleas can spread quickly throughout your home.
Ticks
Ticks are external parasites that feed on the blood of mammals and are responsible for spreading a range of serious conditions in pets and humans.
Ear Mites
Tiny, very contagious ear mites live in the ear canals of dogs, cats, and other mammals. These parasites continuously reproduce during their lifespan.
Heartworm
Heartworms are thread-like parasitic roundworms that spread through mosquito bites and live in the heart, lungs, and blood vessels of infected animals.
Hookworm
Hookworms make their home in the digestive tract of cats and dogs and feed on the pet's blood. They can cause anemia and other serious conditions.
Roundworm
This parasitic worm resides in the intestine and eats partially digested intestinal contents. This parasite can steal the vital nutrients your pet needs to be healthy.
Tapeworm
Tapeworms spread when infected fleas are ingested 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 are a serious health risk to dogs.