Wellness Care for Adult Dogs & Cats: The Maintenance Years

For most dogs and cats, their adult years comprise the majority of their lives. While they do stop growing at some point, their bodies and systems never cease to evolve. At Meriden and Wallingford Veterinary Associates, we believe these adult years are the prime of your pet's life, making them highly important for maintaining overall health and vitality.

Roughly between the ages of 1 and 8 years, your pet is considered an adult. To ensure optimal growth, as well as proper maintenance of bones, organs and tissues, diet and exercise need to be managed and periodically adjusted. Boosters for the core pet vaccines, given to them as puppies and kittens, will be administered during checkups. We will also council you about the non-core vaccines and their relevance to your pet's health and lifestyle.

Booster Shot Schedule:

Distemper (1 year after puppy or kitten shots)
Parvo (1 year after puppy shots)
Rabies (1 year after puppy or kitten shots)
Bortadella (yearly for dogs only)

For dogs, rabies becomes a 3-year vaccination after the first-year booster. Distemper and parvo become 3-year vaccinations after the second-year booster.

For cats, distemper becomes a 3-year vaccination after the second-year booster. Rabies is a yearly booster.

Additional Testing

Your pet will also receive yearly testing regarding heartworm and other parasites. Due to the potential harm that can be caused by a bite from an infected parasite, we recommend year-round heartworm prevention and combination flea and tick control for both dogs and cats.

Dental Care

Your pet's adult years are when he or she becomes highly susceptible to tartar and plaque buildup. In turn, chances for periodontal disease also increase. As in humans, this can cause pain and infection, as well as lead to other more serious issues such as heart disease. Managing your adult pet's dental health involves both home and professional care, so we recommend visiting us for a yearly inspection and cleaning when needed.

For more information about caring for your adult pet, or to set an appointment, contact us today.

Pet Health

Testimonials:

I have brought my cats to Dr. Hallock for over 40 years. Because of his care and expertise both of them lived to be 20 years old. The staff at Meriden & Wallingford Veterinary Associates is friendly, knowledgeable, and always willing to help with any questions you may have. I highly recommend Dr. Hallock and his staff to take care of your pet.

— Pat S., Wallingford CT

Meriden and Wallingford Veterinary Associates is prompt with all appointments and the staff is very efficient in getting information from pet owners regarding their condition before the examination. The doctors and staff explain all procedures as well as treatment with medications and all pertinent side/adverse effects. Advanced procedures are performed by veterinary specialists right in the office, and staff members always contact pet owners to follow up. Everyone at Meriden and Wallingford Veterinary Associates is compassionate and caring.

— John and Debra L., Meriden CT

We are proud to be part of the Meriden & Wallingford Veterinary Associates family for the last 24 years. Dr. Hallock and his staff have always shown great compassion and treated our pets, and us, with extraordinary care and skill, offering the latest treatments available. For medical care and boarding, we highly recommend Meriden Veterinary Associates.

— Bob and Linda D., Meriden CT

Having been a client for over 13 years, our experiences with both the veterinary and kennel aspects of the MWVA staff have been outstanding! Their compassion and understanding in good times and hard have been exceptional. We could not be happier with the care our dogs have received.

— Rick and Donna B., Kensington CT

Meriden and Wallingford Veterinary Associates is our family's choice for pet care. The top-notch doctors and fully trained, compassionate staff make them a premier veterinary clinic. From medical services to boarding our pets we have always received the best care at Meriden & Wallingford Veterinary Associates.

— Rebecca H., Wallingford CT

We have entrusted the care of our basset hounds to Meriden & Wallingford Veterinary Associates for thirty-eight years. We have maintained this relationship with Dr. Hallock and his dedicated staff due to four major attributes that are hallmarks of his practice: Compassion, Care, Concern, and Competence.

— Ken and Joan G., Meriden CT

Monday:	8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Tuesday:	8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Wednesday:	8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Thursday:	8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Friday:	8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Saturday:	8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Sunday:	Closed