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Preventive medicine · Dogs and cats
What does your pet actually need this year?
Vaccination is one of the most effective tools against serious disease. But vaccinating does not mean giving everything, to everyone, every year. We start from your pet's age, lifestyle and current scientific recommendations to decide what genuinely matters.
Where to start?
A puppy or a kitten
The first-vaccine series, to complete before 16 to 18 weeks.
An adult pet
The annual check-up decides which boosters are genuinely needed.
Bring their health record: we work from their history, never from scratch.
The foundation
The exam first
A vaccine protects against one specific disease. An annual health exam evaluates everything: weight, dental health, heart, lungs, abdomen, skin, eyes and ears. It is the foundation of preventive medicine, and it is this visit that lets us tell you what your pet truly needs that year.
“Your pet may not need all of their vaccines every year. Only a veterinarian can determine this.”
Our approach
Vaccinating with judgment
Three principles guide every recommendation, to protect without overloading.
Core vaccines for all
Some vaccines are recommended for every animal, regardless of lifestyle: rabies, parvovirus, distemper and infectious hepatitis in dogs; panleukopenia, calicivirus, herpesvirus and feline leukemia in kittens.
Lifestyle-based vaccines
Others depend on real exposure: leptospirosis, Bordetella, Lyme disease and canine influenza in dogs; FeLV in adult cats with outdoor access. We recommend them if, and only if, the risk justifies it.
Boosters when needed, not out of habit
We do not boost everything, automatically, every year. Frequency depends on the vaccine, the lifestyle, and AAHA and AAFP protocols. At each annual exam, we reassess what is genuinely needed for your companion that year.
The life calendar
Each age, different needs
Age changes everything: what is urgent in a puppy becomes a matter of judgment in an adult, then a case-by-case call in a senior.
The puppy and the kitten
Young animals inherit maternal antibodies that protect them in the first weeks but also block vaccination. That is why a series of closely spaced vaccines is essential until 16 to 18 weeks: active protection must take hold the moment maternal antibodies fade.
A single dose is not enough in a puppy or kitten. The complete series is essential.
The adult pet
Once the core series is done, everything runs through the annual check-up. We reassess the pet's lifestyle and exposure, then boost only the vaccines that genuinely help that year. This is where 'protecting intelligently' truly applies.
The senior pet
With age, the immune system can respond differently. For seniors, we assess case by case: health status, lifestyle and exposure risk guide every recommendation. There is no one-size-fits-all answer.
The detail
Vaccines, by species
What we offer, depending on whether your companion is a dog or a cat. Core vaccines are recommended for all; the rest depend on lifestyle.
Dogs
Core vaccines
DA2PP : Distemper, hepatitis (adenovirus), parvovirus, parainfluenza
Series during puppyhood, then spaced boosters based on assessment.
Rabies : Strongly recommended; required for travel and by some municipalities
From 3 months. Booster frequency depends on the product used.
Exposure-based vaccines
Leptospirosis : Recommended for most dogs in Quebec
Annual, after two initial closely-spaced doses.
Bordetella : Kennel cough: dogs in contact with other dogs
Annual (or before boarding, daycare). Intranasal route preferred.
Lyme : Dogs exposed to ticks in endemic areas
Annual. Ticks are confirmed in several Montreal parks and the Montérégie region; the risk is real for active dogs.
Canine influenza : Dogs that board, attend daycare or are groomed often
Based on exposure. Two initial doses, then annual.
Cats
Core vaccines
FVRCP : Rhinotracheitis (herpesvirus), calicivirus, panleukopenia: serious respiratory and digestive diseases in cats
Series during kittenhood, then spaced boosters based on assessment.
Rabies : Recommended; required in certain situations
From 3 months. Based on local requirements and lifestyle.
FeLV : Feline leukemia; recommended for all kittens
All kittens under 1 year. Adults based on assessment.
Exposure-based vaccines
FeLV (adult) : Cats with outdoor access or contact with other cats
Annual risk assessment. Annual if exposure is significant.
Bordetella : Cats in multi-cat environments or boarding
Based on exposure. Intranasal route.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
1My pet has missed several boosters. Do we need to start over?
In most cases, no. If your pet has previously been vaccinated but missed one or more boosters, we work from their history, not from scratch. Depending on the vaccine and how much time has passed, a single booster is often enough to re-establish protection. Bring their health record to the next visit and we will assess together what is genuinely needed.
2Can we test whether my pet is still protected?
Yes. For certain vaccines (parvovirus, distemper, panleukopenia), antibody titer tests are available. They help decide whether a booster is needed, especially for pets that have reacted to a vaccine before or where we want to avoid over-vaccination. Ask our team.
3Are there risks associated with vaccination?
Reactions are rare and generally mild: slight discomfort, passing fatigue, mild fever. Severe reactions (anaphylaxis) are very rare. In cats, there is a rare risk of injection-site sarcoma, which is why we document the exact site of every vaccine and follow the AAFP protocol.
4My pet is older: should they still be vaccinated?
With age, the immune system may be less responsive. For senior pets, we do a case-by-case assessment: health status, lifestyle and exposure risk all guide our recommendation. There is no one-size-fits-all answer.
Let's plan your companion's annual exam
The annual exam remains the best starting point: it is where we assess their vaccine needs, and much more.