Vaccination

Serious diseases that can be easily vaccinated against cause unnecessary misery and distress in both pets and owners, and can be fatal or cause serious ongoing medical complications.

Unfortunately, many preventable diseases are still seen commonly in veterinary practice. We recommend following a vaccination schedule laid out by your veterinarian to best protect your pet!

  • Fortunately, due to vaccinations many pet owners never see these diseases in their pets. However, the risk of your unvaccinated pet contracting these diseases still exists within the community today. Parvovirus, for example, is a potentially fatal disease that stays within soil and the environment for many months and doesn’t require direct contact with an infected animal to result in disease. We saw our most recent local parvovirus cases in 2024 secondary to outbreak at a local clinic and shelter.

  • Vaccinations begin between 6 and 8 weeks of age and the first shot should be completed by your breeders vet prior to the sale of a pet. A course of several vaccinations at a young age is required to achieve sufficient immunity, so once you’ve got your new pet it will be up to you to continue those vaccinations. Vaccinations are then boosted on a yearly (or 3-yearly) basis, dependent on manufacturers’ recommendations, to maintain a strong immune system.

  • This vaccination is considered the ‘standard’ basic vaccination for dogs and is a requirement for admission to boarding kennels, training schools and for admission to our hospital for non-emergency procedures. It protects against the following diseases:

    • Distemper

    • Hepatitis

    • Parvovirus

    • Canine Parainfluenza Virus

    • Bordetella bacteria

  • The F3 vaccine is the standard vaccination for cats and is required for catteries and for admission to our hospital for non-emergency procedures. It protects against the following fatal and potentially fatal diseases:

    • Feline Enteritis

    • Feline Calicivirus

    • Feline Rhinotrachetis virus

    Additional vaccination protection can also be provided for cats who spend time outside, or are known to get into fights, for Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV, aka Feline Aids).

  • We know that some people are cautious about 'over vaccinating' their pet, however the risk of vaccination is minimal compared to the risk of contracting one of the covered diseases. Most animals have no side effects at all, a small proportion may experience mild side effects such as lethargy or formation of a lump at the vaccination site. Very few animals can experience a severe reaction to vaccination such as vomiting, fever and anaphylaxis which requires medical treatment. We are happy to discuss the relative risks of different vaccines and the risk of not vaccinating.

  • A blood test can be taken to determine if certain vaccinations are required, by assessing your pet’s antibody levels. This is known as a ‘titre test’. Based on these results, tailored vaccination plans can be made depending upon your pet’s individual health status and local environment. Please make an appointment with your vet to discuss and develop an alternate plan.

  • We vaccinate Rabbits against Calicivirus (Viral Haemmorhagic Disease). Current recommendations are for 12-monthly vaccination. Unfortunately there is no available vaccine against myxomatosis.