Vaccinations for Dogs and Cats

Vaccination against the Rabies Virus is required by Illinois law for all cats and dogs. Rabies vaccinations protect your pet against the fatal rabies virus. Humans can also get the rabies virus if they are bitten or scratched by a rabid animal so properly vaccinating your pet also protects you and your family. 

SmartVet requires all of our patients to have a current rabies vaccine. (We do make exceptions for pets that are very old or very ill.) We offer 1 year and 3 year rabies vaccines.

If you live in McLean County, SmartVet will collect the County Rabies Registration fee and issue a rabies tag during your visit.  If you live outside of McLean County, SmartVet will give you a copy of your pet’s Rabies Certificate so that you can properly register and get a tag in your county.

Core Vaccines versus Lifestyle Vaccines

We know that every pet is special and every pet has different vaccine needs. Our doctors will talk to you about your pet’s lifestyle and make vaccine recommendations based on what is best for your pet. We don’t believe in one-sized-fits-all vaccinations! We also offer titer checks instead of some vaccines and we encourage you to ask our doctors about the benefits and limitations of titers.

Canine Vaccines

Distemper Vaccine – This vaccine is a ‘combo’ vaccine that protects your dog against distemper virus, adenovirus types 1 & 2, parainfluenza, and parvovirus. We recommend this vaccine for all dogs. We offer 1 year and 3 year distemper vaccines.

Lyme – This vaccine helps protect your dog against Borrelia burgdorferi which is transmitted by ticks. We recommend the Lyme vaccine for all dogs that live in Central Illinois because of the abundance of ticks in our area. The Lyme vaccine is only available as a 1 year vaccine.

Lepto – This vaccine helps protect your dog against 4 serovars of Leptospira. Lepto is transmitted through the urine of infected wildlife. We recommend the Lepto vaccine for dogs that hunt, travel, or enjoy an outdoor lifestyle. The Lepto vaccine is only available as a 1 year vaccine.  

Bordetella – This vaccine helps protect your dog against “kennel cough” caused by Bordetella Bronchiseptica. Bordetella is highly contagious and spreads easily when many dogs are in the same space. We recommend this vaccine for dogs that go to boarding kennels, doggy daycare, or grooming. The Bordetella vaccine is administered via nose drops every 6 months.

Influenza – This vaccine helps protect your dog against 2 strains of Canine Influenza. Influenza is a highly contagious virus that causes coughing, sneezing, difficulty breathing, and in some cases pneumonia. We recommend this vaccine for dogs that go to boarding kennels, doggy daycare, or grooming. The Influenza vaccine is only available as a 1 year vaccine. 

Feline Vaccines

 “Distemper” – This vaccine helps protect your cat against Rhinotracheitis (herpes virus), Calici virus, and Panleukopenia virus. This vaccine may be written as FVRCP or RCP or HCP. It helps protect your cat against 3 different types of contagious respiratory infections. We recommend this vaccine for all cats. We offer 1 year & 3 year RCP vaccines. 

Feline Leukemia – This vaccine helps protects your cat against the feline leukemia virus which can cause anemia, lymphoma, and suppresses the immune system which leaves the cat susceptible to potentially deadly infections. Feline Leukemia is transmitted from cat to cat through saliva, blood, and urine. We recommend this vaccine for cats that go outdoors or live in a multi-cat household where any of the cats go outdoors. We offer 1 year FeLV vaccines.