Understanding the vaccine requirements of individual animals takes time and experience. Vaccines must be given in a very specific way in order to be effective in protecting our animals from disease, often at differing times in an animals life. We follow the American Veterinary Medical Association's guidelines for vaccinating dogs and cats at various life stages. Some vaccinations are considered to be critical, or core vaccines, while others are based upon the lifestyle and medical history of the individual animal. Our doctors and staff are experienced and going over each patient's past history and risk factors, to come up with an individually tailored set of recommendations designed to best protect the pet, while minimizing the risks that can be experienced with over vaccinating. This is accomplished by carefully timing the vaccinations and the boosters that may be required, spacing out vaccination series in order to minimize the risk of complications, and thoroughly discussing the needs of each patient, making sure that both owners, doctors, and staff all have a clear understanding of what the needs of each patient are.