Vaccinating our pets is the best thing we can do to help protect them from serious or potentially fatal diseases, and also help prevent the spread of these diseases to the wider pet population. A vaccination stimulates the immune system to help fight against that specific disease, and although it may not prevent our pet from actually contracting the disease, it will help to reduce the severity of the symptoms and make the disease easier to treat.
When pets are young or old, they are more vulnerable to contracting diseases because their immune systems are compromised – either they haven’t fully developed yet if they are young, or they are weakened because they are older, so vaccinations mean they will be better equipped to fight off infection should they pick something up.
Vaccinations For Dogs
In Australia, there are two main categories of vaccines for dogs: Tri-annual vaccinations (core vaccines) and Annual vaccinations (non-core vaccines). This distinction helps pet owners understand both the importance and timing of each type.
Tri-annual vaccinations (Core vaccines):
These are essential for every dog in the country to protect them from serious and life-threatening diseases. They are usually combined into a single injection known as the C3 vaccine, which is generally required only every three years after the initial puppy series and first booster.
Canine distemper – highly contagious and causes serious illness, affecting the respiratory, gastrointestinal and nervous systems. Dogs that recover often suffer permanent neurological damage.
Canine hepatitis (adenovirus) – leads to inflammation of the liver and respiratory issues.
Canine parvovirus – highly contagious, causing severe gastrointestinal illness and often fatal in puppies.
Annual vaccinations (Non-core vaccines):
These are recommended depending on your dog’s lifestyle, environment, and level of exposure to other animals. They are typically administered every year.
Kennel cough (bordetella and parainfluenza) – recommended for dogs that visit parks, day care facilities, or boarding kennels. It is highly contagious and causes a persistent, hacking cough along with sneezing, runny nose, and eye discharge.
Leptospirosis – considered a non-core vaccine with geographical considerations. It is recommended for dogs who swim frequently, live on farms, or come into regular contact with wildlife, as the bacterium is found in stagnant water, soil, or animal urine.
Your vet may also recommend other annual vaccines based on your dog’s individual risks.
Core and Non-Core Vaccines for Cats
Core vaccines: the F3 vaccine is a combined injection that protects your cat against the three major illnesses: feline herpesvirus and feline calicivirus, which both cause respiratory infections in cats, and feline infectious enteritis (feline panleukopenia virus), which is highly contagious and causes severe diarrhoea and vomiting.
Non-core vaccines are recommended depending on your cat’s lifestyle, including fighting habits and exposure to other cats. These can include feline leukaemia virus (FELV), feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and chlamydia felis.
Vaccines Throughout Pets’ Lives
Puppies and kittens are at most risk of infection as their immune systems are still developing, so they require a course of vaccines at various stages, usually between 6-8 weeks and up to 16 weeks, then boosters every 1-3 years, depending on the vaccines used by your vet. A vaccine plan can be tailored to suit your pet’s lifestyle to keep them safe and healthy throughout their lives.
