Vaccinations

Our vaccination prices include a full physical examination of your pet. We stock vaccinations for dogs, cats and rabbits. Vaccinations are important for protection against several preventable diseases.

Top Reasons For Vaccinating Your Pet

• Vaccinations protect against preventable diseases
• Vaccinations are substantially less expensive than the cost of vet treatment for the diseases they protect against
• Vaccinations protect your pet from transmissible diseases in boarding facilities, at parks and even when they visit the vet. If your pet has to be hospitalised for any illness, their immune system may already be compromised so you want to make sure they are protected.

Your pet’s health, lifestyle and where you live may affect which vaccinations are necessary, so our expert vets will work with you to develop a simple and effective vaccination program for your pet.

Vaccinating Your Dog
A puppy’s first vaccinations are at 6-8 weeks, then 12-14 weeks, 16-18 weeks, and annually after that. We encourage people to take their pups out with them, however, they can only socialise with friendly, vaccinated dogs until they complete their full puppy vaccination course. It is safe for your dog to go into puppy classes before they finish their course of vaccines as all puppies have to be vaccinated to attend. One week after the final puppy vaccination, your puppy can socialise with other dogs.

Canine vaccinations are known by the codes C3, C4 and C5, and the diseases that are commonly vaccinated against around Hurlstone Park and surrounding areas are:

• Distemper:  signs of infection can include fever, coughing, sneezing, nasal discharge, vomiting, diarrhoea and neurological signs such as muscle tremors and seizures. This diease is often fatal. Fortunately widespread vaccination has substantially decreased the incidence of this disease.

• Infectious Hepatitis: symptoms include high fever, depression, loss of appetite, diarrhoea and abdominal pain.

• Parvovirus:  a virus attacks the intestines causing bloody diarrhoea, uncontrollable vomiting and severe abdominal pain. Dogs can get dehydrated very quickly and die.

• Bordetella bronchiseptica and Parainfluenza: these two cause canine (kennel) cough. Affected dogs have an irritating dry hacking cough which can persist for several weeks. It usually causes an upper airway infection, but in some cases can lead to pneumonia. Any dog that mixes with other dogs can catch canine cough, they do NOT need to be in kennels.

• Parainfluenza: a viral disease causing a nasty cough.
• Leptospira Copenhageni (C2i) : Disease caused by bacteria called Leptospira which is spread by rats urine. Dogs get infected through dirty contaminated water and food. Symptoms may vary and can include vomiting, diarrhoea and lethargy. The C2i vaccination consists of an injection with another booster injection 2-4 weeks later.

Three-yearly Vaccinations for Dogs
Vaccinations are given at 8, 12 and 16 weeks of age and then annually. As an alternative to yearly vaccinations for adult dogs there is also a 3 yearly core vaccine available (protecting against distemper, infectious hepatitis and parvovirus). However dogs given this vaccine should still receive a YEARLY canine cough vaccine. Canine cough is a highly contagious respiratory disease. If your dog is on a 3 yearly vaccination regime, a yearly check up is still required and a yearly canine cough vaccination.

Vaccinating Your Cat

A kitten’s first vaccinations are at 6-8 weeks, then 12-14 weeks, 16-18 weeks, and annually after that. Please wait until one week after the final kitten vaccination to let your kitten outside and socialise with other cats.

The main feline vaccinations are known by the codes F3 and F4, and common cat vaccinations:

• Feline Enteritis (panleukopenia): a contagious disease affecting the gastrointestinal system, it can cause vomiting, diarrhoea and intestinal bleeding. It can be fatal.
• Rhinotracheitis (herpesvirus): affected cats can have sneezing, coughing, runny eyes, eye ulcers, nasal discharge, loss of appetite, fever.
• Calicivirus: causes sneezing, oral ulceration, fever, gingivitis and inflamed joints.

Additional vaccinations available for cats:

• Leukaemia: attacks the immune system with symptoms including loss of appetite, weight loss, apathy, vomiting, diarrhoea, leukaemia and tumours.
• Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV/Feline Aids):  a disease that affects a cat’s immune system in much the same way that HIV does in humans. It is not transmissible to humans. This virus is spread by cat bites. As this disease progresses it can lead to chronic infections, poor coat, weight-loss and sores in and around the mouth.
• Chlamydia: causes severe and persistent conjunctivitis.

Vaccinating Your Rabbit

• Calicivirus: this virus is spread by mosquitoes and is usually fatal.
• The current recommendations for rabbit vaccinations are:
  – Baby rabbits (kittens): 4, 8, 12 weeks of age, then 6 monthly for life.
  – Adult rabbits: 2 vaccinations one month apart, then 6 monthly for life.

No appointment is necessary, we have open consulting times. Click here to view our consulting times.