Complete Health Care for Every Stage of Your Pet’s Life
At Caring Hands Animal Hospital, we prioritize preventative care and wellness visits for pets of all ages. From the playful puppy and kitten years to adulthood and the senior stages, regular check-ups help prevent diseases and detect illnesses early, ensuring your pet lives a long, healthy life.
Individualized Medicine
Preventive care at Caring Hands Animal Hospital is personalized for each pet based on their age, lifestyle, and environment. Our veterinarians will typically recommend the following as part of your pet’s long-term wellness plan:
Puppies & Kittens puppies and kittens should have their first visits around 8, 12, and 16 weeks for a full physical exam, fecal testing, parasite deworming, vaccinations, and to begin flea, tick, and heartworm prevention. For more details on Puppy & Kitten Care, please click here.
Spaying/Neutering We recommend spaying or neutering dogs and cats around 6 months of age to prevent unwanted pregnancies, reduce overpopulation, and eliminate the risk of uterine and testicular cancer.
Adult Pets pets aged 1 to 6 years should visit annually for a physical exam, fecal testing, vaccine boosters, and continued flea, tick, and heartworm prevention. Dental care will also be discussed at each visit, with potential dental cleanings if tartar or gingivitis is present. To learn more about dental care, please click here.
Senior Pets for pets aged 7 and older, semi-annual wellness visits are recommended. These visits include a physical exam, fecal testing, vaccine boosters, ongoing parasite prevention, and lab work (blood and urine tests) to monitor health and detect age-related conditions. For more about Senior Care, please click here.
Preventatives
At Caring Hands Animal Hospital, we strongly recommend year-round protection against fleas, ticks, and heartworms for all pets, whether they are indoor or outdoor. Fleas and ticks are present year-round in our climate and can easily hitch a ride indoors on your shoes or clothing. By administering a veterinarian-approved treatment like Nexgard, Simparica, Bravecto, or similar options, you can keep your pet protected from these pests and the diseases they carry.
Heartworms, transmitted by mosquitoes, can infect both dogs and cats, leading to asthma-like symptoms and potentially fatal consequences. Preventing heartworms is simple with a monthly treatment in the form of a liquid, topical, or flavored chew. Depending on your pet’s needs, Caring Hands may recommend products like Interceptor, Heartgard, or Revolution for ongoing heartworm prevention.
For more information on parasites, please visit the Companion Animal Parasite Council website. To learn more about heartworms, we recommend the American Heartworm Society. All of these preventatives are available through our competitively-priced online pharmacy.
Secure Their Future: Microchipping in Rockville
At Caring Hands Animal Hospital, we believe the best way to care for your pet is to ensure they can always find their way back to you. Microchipping is a cornerstone of responsible pet ownership and an essential safety measure for the modern pet.
A microchip is a tiny, biocompatible device—about the size of a grain of rice—placed safely beneath your pet's skin. This chip serves as a permanent digital ID that can be read by scanners at shelters and veterinary clinics nationwide, providing a reliable link between you and your companion.
Why Every Pet Needs a Microchip:
- A Permanent Safety Net: Collars can break and tags can fall off, but a microchip is a lifelong form of identification that cannot be lost or altered.
- Simple and Stress-Free: The implantation is a quick, routine procedure similar to a vaccination. It is virtually painless and requires no downtime for your pet.
- Faster Reunions: If your pet wanders away from home, a microchip is the fastest way for rescuers to identify them and contact you immediately.
- Protection for Every Stage of Life: From curious kittens and puppies to senior dogs, microchipping provides essential security for pets of all ages and activity levels.
Vaccinations
Your veterinarian is the best resource to guide you in selecting the right vaccinations based on your pet's lifestyle. Below, you'll find a list of available vaccinations at Caring Hands Animal Hospital. Click on each one to learn more detailed information.
1. Rabies
Rabies is a deadly viral disease spread by wildlife and other mammals in our region. It is zoonotic, meaning it can be transmitted from animals to humans.
The disease is primarily spread through the saliva of an infected animal, usually via a bite.
Both Virginia and Maryland state laws require rabies vaccination for all dogs and cats.
Symptoms:
- Fever
- Seizures
- Change in behavior (over excitability, shyness, aggression)
- Excessive salivation
- Paralysis
- Inability to swallow
Cats and dogs receive the rabies vaccination annually as a 1-year vaccine, and then every 3 years for dogs.
2. Distemper (DHPP and FVRCP)
Distemper is a highly contagious viral disease with no known cure, affecting dogs, cats, ferrets, and certain wildlife animals.
The disease can spread through both direct contact and indirect exposure.
Symptoms:
- Weight loss
- Lethargy
- Fever
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Nasal discharge
The available vaccines combine protection against common, species-specific viruses.
For dogs, the vaccine protects against intestinal viruses like Distemper, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza, and Parvovirus.
For cats, the vaccine provides protection against upper respiratory viruses such as Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, and Panleukopenia.
These vaccines are commonly abbreviated as DHPP for dogs and FVRCP for cats.
Distemper vaccines are administered as a series to puppies and kittens, annually to young adults, and every 3 years for older pets and seniors.
3. Leptospirosis
Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection spread through the urine of infected wildlife, often transmitted via contaminated water sources like puddles, retention ponds, and slow-moving creeks. Your veterinarian will discuss your pet’s lifestyle to assess whether they are at risk for Leptospirosis and if vaccination is necessary.
Commonly known as "Lepto," the disease can lead to kidney and liver failure. It is also a zoonotic disease, meaning it can be transmitted from animals to humans.
Symptoms:
- Fever
- Lethargy
- Decreased appetite
- Increased thirst
- Vomiting
- Unusual amounts of urine (larger or smaller)
- Muscle and joint pain
- Bleeding or brusing
The Lepto vaccine is given as a series of two, and then annually to adult and senior dogs.
4. Lyme Vaccine
Lyme disease is a common infectious disease transmitted by ticks to both humans and dogs, particularly prevalent in the Northern Virginia area. Depending on your pet’s lifestyle, your veterinarian may recommend the Lyme vaccine.
Ticks typically acquire the bacteria from wildlife and pass it to your pet when they feed. For transmission to occur, the tick must be attached for at least 48 hours. However, ticks carrying the disease are often small and hard to spot, making tick prevention and vaccination essential.
Unlike humans, dogs rarely develop the "bull's-eye" rash. Many dogs don’t show symptoms of Lyme disease immediately (or at all), which makes it harder to detect.
If Lyme disease is diagnosed, antibiotics may be prescribed to help manage the infection. While antibiotics can help alleviate symptoms, it’s challenging to fully eliminate the bacteria, meaning a low-level infection may remain in the body.
Symptoms:
- Some dogs can show no symptoms at all (asymptomatic)
- Pain
- Limping
- Lameness
- Inappetence
- Fever
- In severe cases, kidney and heart disease can develop
Lyme vaccines are given to puppies as a series of two, and then annually to adult and senior dogs.
5. Bordetella
Bordetella, commonly referred to as "Kennel Cough," is a highly contagious upper respiratory disease in dogs.
It spreads easily through direct contact or the air, making vaccination important for dogs that interact with others in environments such as neighborhoods, boarding and daycare facilities, dog parks, and grooming salons.
Puppies, young dogs, or dogs with weakened immune systems may experience more severe symptoms if they are unvaccinated.
Symptoms:
- A dry, hacking cough
- “Honking” cough
- Nasal discharge
- Decrease in appetite
- Lethargy
- Fever
The Bordetella vaccine can be administered either through injection or intra-nasally (in the nose) every 6-12 months. It is advisable to confirm the specific requirements of the facility where you are taking your pet.
6. Canine Influenza
Canine Influenza, a new virus that emerged in 2012 from a mutated strain, quickly spread to dogs, as it was a new and unfamiliar threat.
A vaccine has since been developed to protect dogs from this virus, and it is available if needed. Fortunately, Canine Influenza is not contagious to humans.
Symptoms:
- Discharge from the nose or eyes
- Coughing (can be productive or non-productive)
- Labored breathing or increased rate
- Lethargy
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Decrease in appetite
Please consult with your pet's boarding, grooming, or day care facilities to determine if they require the Influenza vaccine before your pet's visit. Additionally, speak with your veterinarian to assess if your pet's lifestyle necessitates this vaccine. The Influenza vaccine is administered in two doses initially, followed by an annual booster for adult and senior dogs.
7. Feline Leukemia
Feline Leukemia (FeLV) is a viral infection transmitted between cats through saliva, feces, and during lactation.
Kittens that nurse, feral or outdoor cats, and those living in multi-cat households are at a higher risk of infection. Unfortunately, there is no known cure for Feline Leukemia.
A blood test can be performed at our clinic to determine if your cat is infected with FeLV.
Symptoms:
- Some cats can show no symptoms at all
- Respiratory symptoms (coughing, sneezing, discharge from nose or eyes)
- Decrease in appetence
- Lethargy
- Fever
- Loss of weight
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
The leukemia vaccine is administered in two doses to kittens and then annually to adult and senior cats.