1st Care vs. Vetco

Pet owners want the best for their pets, especially when it comes to pet health. We believe that a knowledgeable owner is the key to having a happy and healthy pet. We gathered the facts on the two leading mobile vaccination clinics in Southern California, and this is how 1st Care Vets and Vetco measure up. When it’s time for your pet’s shots, you should be well-informed on where to go.

1st Care Vets Dog vaccines are all Thimerosal free, and cat vaccines are all Thimerosal and Adjuvant free thus reducing inflammation or the risk of an adverse reaction in your pet. For cats that are genetically predisposed to getting vaccine-associated fibro sarcomas, this means less chance of a tumor forming secondary to the inflammation.
Vetco vaccines are not all Thimerosal and Adjuvant-free.

1st Care Vets follows AAHA (American Animal Hospital Association) guidelines for dogs. DHPP is recommended once every three years in adults.
Vetco vaccinates yearly for DHPP, which is unnecessary and may even be harmful.

1st Care Vets follows AAFP (American Association of Feline Practitioners) vaccination guidelines for cats. FVRCP is recommended once every three years in adults.
Vetco vaccinates yearly for FVRCP, which is not necessary and may even be harmful.

1st Care Vets does not vaccinate for Leptospirosis, or Coronavirus. Coronavirus is not recommended by AAHA, recent clinical studies do not prove a need for it. Leptospirosis is considered a non-core vaccine. The Leptospirosis vaccine recommendations vary based on the exposure risk to the animal. 1st Care Vets does not offer the Leptospirosis vaccine because there is a very low occurrence rate in southern California, and this particular vaccine is known to cause the most adverse reactions.
Vetco routinely recommends Leptospirosis be given annually with the DHPP vaccine, regardless of geographic area.

1st Care Vets prefers to separate certain vaccines for small dogs and cats, thus reducing the chance of an adverse reaction.
Vetco routinely does not.

1st Care Vets offers $20 microchips with free registration for the lifetime of the pet. You can also access and/or update your information as often as you want online at no additional cost.
Vetco charges $43 and an annual registration fee.

1st Care Vets does not charge a biohazard fee.
Vetco charges a $3 biohazard fee per animal.

1st Care Vets offers a single dose or a six pack of Trifexis.
Vetco only offers the six pack.

1st Care Vets offers domestic and international health certificates for pet travel.
Vetco does not.

1st Care Vets offers a general ear cleaning service, and will teach you how to clean your pet’s ears.
Vetco does not.

1st Care Vets offers nail clipping, and will teach you how to clip your pet’s nails.
Vetco does not.