Whether your pet is a baby or a fully grown canine or feline friend, staying updated with their vaccination schedule is essential. Here’s the situation regarding vaccination!

What vaccinations should my pet receive?

Your pet must stay current with at least their core vaccinations – these are common infectious diseases worldwide that can potentially cause severe unwellness or even death.

For cats, the core vaccinations comprise the F3 vaccine, which protects against feline panleukopenia and two common causes of cat flu (feline herpesvirus and calicivirus).

In dogs, the core vaccinations make up the C3 vaccine, which protects against canine parvovirus, infectious hepatitis, and distemper.

Additional non-core vaccinations in both species are recommended case-by-case, depending on your pet’s lifestyle and the areas they visit. These include the kennel cough and leptospirosis vaccines in dogs and the chlamydia and feline leukaemia virus vaccines in cats, plus in some areas the feline immunodeficiency virus vaccine as well.

How often should my pet be vaccinated?

Most vets will recommend kittens and puppies receive three sets of vaccinations: at 6-8 weeks old, 10-12 weeks old, and 16-18 weeks old. Depending on your pet’s particular risk factors, we may recommend they receive an additional vaccination at six months.

After that, your pet will require vaccination every 1-3 years to stay up to date with their vaccinations, depending on the vaccines in use.

What should I do if my pet has become overdue for vaccination?

Should your puppy or kitten miss a vaccination during their initial triple vaccine series, they may need two additional vaccinations to achieve a sufficient immune response.

If your adult pet is overdue for vaccination, it’s best to chat with our veterinarians. Their recommendation will depend on your pet’s particular prior vaccination history.