Essential Veterinary Care

Pet Vaccinations

Protect your pet against diseases

Vaccinations are hugely important for pets. They help to prime your pet’s immune system against diseases so that if they ever come into contact with the disease, they can fight off any illness. These diseases are often highly contagious and affect the body’s most important systems. Unfortunately in animals that are younger or immunocompromised and unvaccinated pets they are often fatal.

Puppy Vaccinations

Puppies should be vaccinated from at least 8 weeks of age with a second booster vaccine 4 weeks later. The vaccine given at this age covers the most common canine diseases; Distemper, Hepatitis, Parvovirus, Parainfluenza virus and leptospirosis, a range of diseases which can be fatal in a young puppy. Following the second booster vaccine, your puppy will be protected for one year and will require yearly booster vaccines. Vaccination for parvovirus alone can also be administered at 6 weeks of age if there are circumstances predisposing puppies to infection such as multi dog households.

Canine cough or Kennel Cough

Canine cough or Kennel Cough is another vaccine that can be given to protect your puppy from another bacterial species called Bordetella Bronchiseptica. This is a yearly vaccine that is normally given intranasally, but we now have oral and injectable versions too. Despite the name, any social dogs who interact with other dogs outside of their households can acquire and transmit this disease regardless of being in kennels. Once again a yearly booster is required. Most kennels require your pet to have the vaccine at least 2 weeks before their stay but its always best to check with the kennel you are using.

Kitten Vaccinations

Kittens should be vaccinated from at least 8 weeks of age followed by a booster vaccine 3-4 weeks later. We vaccinate kittens to protect them from Calicivirus, Rhinotracheitis, Panleukopenia and Feline Leukemia Virus, all of which can cause fatal disease. These diseases are highly contagious and even indoor cats need to be protected as they can often survive in the environment for many months. This means your cat does not need to come into direct contact with another cat to become infected. Following this course of vaccines, your kitten will need yearly vaccines.