Vaccinating your pet is one of the most important things you can do, as a pet owner, to ensure they lead a healthy life.

Vaccinations protect against preventable diseases; namely those transmissible by other pets in boarding facilities, parks, and even vet hospitals. If your pet has to be hospitalised for any illness, their immune system may already be compromised – vaccinations work to ensure that they are protected in these environments. Vaccinations are also dramatically less expensive than the cost of treatment for the diseases they protect against.

Our vets will work with you to develop a vaccination schedule that takes into account your pet’s lifestyle, your environment, and general health – in order to best protect them.

Your Dog

A puppy’s first vaccinations are at 6-8 weeks, then 12-14 weeks, 16-18 weeks, and annually after that. These are necessary to protect your pup and to boost their immunities, the last of which should be administered at least one week before they are socialised with other dogs.

Canine vaccinations are known by the codes C3, C4, and C5, and are commonly administered to protect pets from:

• Parvovirus: causes potentially fatal diarrhoea, especially in dogs under 2 years
• Distemper: couging, diarrhoea and occasional twitching, seizures, loss of balance, and blindness
• Hepatitis: vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, and possible liver failure.
• Canine cough: also known as Kennel Cough, which can still be transmitted outside a boarding facility.
• Parainfluenza: a viral disease causing a nasty cough
• Bordatella bronchiseptica: bacteria causing a hard, dry cough, and lethargy.

Your Cat

A kitten’s first vaccinations are at 6-8 weeks, 12-14 weeks, 16-18 weeks, and annually beyond that. The last of these kitten vaccinations should be administered at least one week before your cat is allowed outside socialising.

Feline vaccinations are known by the codes F3 and F4 and are administered to protect against:

• Enteritis (Feline Panleukopenia): can be very severe especially in unvaccinated kittens under 12 months. Causes fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, liver failure, and sudden death.
• Feline Calicivirus: part of the cat flu
• Chlamydia: a bacterial disease causing conjunctivitis, respiratory disease, infections, arthritis, and even abortion.
• Feline Rhinotracheitis (Feline herpes virus): another part of cat flu that can lead to permanent nasal and sinus infection.
• Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV or Feline Aids): must be vaccinated against if your cat ever goes outside. It is a potentially fatal disease spread between cats via bites, for which there is no treatment or cure.