Vaccination Explained

This page is a summary of our specific vaccination schedules at Walkerville.

Now find your pet below: Dog vaccination | Cat Vaccination | Rabbit Vaccination | Ferret Vaccination

1. Dogs

All our vaccines for dogs use the latest technology and allow for final puppy vaccination at 10 weeks and extended duration immunity.

What Vaccination Does My Puppy Need?

Australian dogs should be vaccinated for Parvovirus, Distemper and Hepatitis. Social dogs also need Parainfluenza and Bordetella protection.

How we do this depends on:

  1. The age of the dog
  2. When the dog had his or her last vaccination and the brand used
  3. Whether you want to come back for a 4 week booster
  4. Whether the dog will tolerate an intranasal spray

For Puppies under 10 weeks of age

  1. Puppies between 6 and 9 weeks of age should receive a C3 vaccination to protect them against Parvovirus, Distemper and Hepatitis. This will then be boosted at 10 weeks of age with a C5.
  2. If between 9 and 10 weeks of age, we recommend waiting until 10 weeks, when the puppy can receive their 10 week vaccine. See below.

Remember, puppies must always be kept away from public areas and unvaccinated or unknown dogs until their final 10 week vaccine. This is true even if they have had a vaccine before 10 weeks old.

For Puppies at 10 weeks of age

We give a Nobivac C5 vaccine as soon as possible after 10 weeks of age, which allows safe walking and socialising one week after it is given. Part of this vaccine will be squirted via a short nozzle up the nose and part will be given by injection.

At 16 weeks our nurses will give your puppy a parvovirus booster.

We offer this early puppy vaccination course as part of a package supplying all the essential treatments up to 6 months of age. This includes full intestinal worming and a box of Revolution, which is a good heartworm, flea and mite control treatment. The cost of this package is typically less than buying all the components separately.

For Dogs who are due their annual vaccination

It depends on the previous vaccine given:

  1. If they have been given a Triennial C5 vaccine 1 or 2 years ago (in Australia, Duramune or Nobivac brands are most widespread), they only need Canine Cough protection. This is only two of the five components of a C5 vaccine.
  2. If they have been given a more common annual C5, or if it is three years since the last triennial C5  they need the whole C5 vaccine. At Walkerville Vets we only use the triennial C5, which will cost slightly more but the following two years’ vaccines will be cheaper.

For Dogs who have not had a vaccine for 15 months or more

There are two choices:

  1. A fully injectable C5 the same as that given to dogs not overdue can be given. This will require a repeat canine cough injectable vaccine in 4 weeks before the dog is fully immune.
  2. The same injectable + intranasal vaccine combo as given to 10 week puppies will also provide 12-month immunity without a 4 week booster. It costs more than standard C5 vaccines but costs less than the overall cost of an injectable  C5 and a 4 week canine cough  booster.

2. Cats

All current vaccines protect cats for the same 12-month interval. Therefore, the previous brand used is not important.

What Vaccinations Does My Kitten Need?

All cats need the F3 vaccine for herpesvirus, calicivirus (both called cat flu) and feline enteritis. Cats with any outside access should also be protected against feline AIDS (FIV). Feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) is very rare in Adelaide; we do not routinely recommend this vaccine.

To decide the right course of vaccination we need to know:

  1. The cat’s age
  2. Their previous vaccination history
  3. Whether they go outside

For kittens under 8 weeks of age

These kitties need three doses of the F3 vaccine given at 4-weekly intervals. If FIV protection is added, the three doses are done at the same visits.

For kittens 8 weeks or older

These kitties need two doses of the F3 vaccine given 4 weeks apart. If FIV protection is added, the first two doses are done with the F3 and the third is given in a further 4 weeks.

For adult cats more than 15 months from their last vaccination

These cats will need to have the same protocol as kittens: ie two F3 doses and three FIV doses given at 4-weekly intervals.

For adult cats due but not overdue for vaccination

These lucky cats receive a single dose of the required vaccine, whether F3 or F3 and FIV.

3. Rabbits

Rabbits of all ages over 12 weeks

Rabbits receive a single vaccine for Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease (also called rabbit calicivirus) every 12 months.

4. Ferrets

Ferrets of all ages over 12 weeks

Ferrets receive a single annual vaccine for distemper .