Vaccinations

Vaccinating your pet is crucial to prevent major life threatening diseases. Vaccinations have helped reduce illness and death caused by a range of serious infectious diseases.

Vaccinations for dogs

We suggest that your puppy is vaccinated at eight weeks old, with their second dose two to four weeks later, followed by annual boosters.

We vaccinate against parvovirus, distemper, hepatitis and leptospirosis.

Canine parvovirus is a highly contagious virus which causes severe bloody diarrhoea, resulting in dehydration, immunosuppression and associated metabolic changes that are often life-threatening.

Distemper can cause a wide range of clinical signs including fever, nasal discharge, thickened pads, diarrhoea and fits, and is often life-threatening.  Survivors often have neurological conditions later in life.

Viral hepatitis affects the liver causing fever, lethargy and abdominal pain and can be fatal.

Leptospirosis is a bacteria spread by rodents and causes Weil’s disease in humans. Infected dogs can potentially infect humans. Clinical signs vary, but in severe cases the liver and kidneys can be damaged leading to organ failure which can be life-threatening.

Vaccinations for cats

We suggest that your kitten is vaccinated at eight or nine weeks old, and then receive their second dose two to four weeks later, followed by annual boosters.

We vaccinate against feline parvovirus, calicivirus, feline herpes and feline leukemia virus.

Feline parvovirus causes severe gastroenteritis and depletion of white blood cells making up the immune system.

Feline calicivirus is highly contagious and causes flu-like symptoms of sneezing, strange scabs and lesions of the nose and mouth, nasal discharge and conjunctivitis.

Feline herpesvirus can cause flu symptoms such as sneezing, nasal discharge and in severe cases ulceration of the eyes. Once infected cats are persistently infected for life as the virus becomes latent, much like herpes in humans.

Cats with feline leukaemia virus shed the virus in saliva so it can be spread by biting or grooming. Cats can become persistently infected and can get severe disease from the virus such as anaemia, immunosuppression and cancer.