Puppy Vaccination

Vaccination has revolutionised control of infectious disease in our dogs. It is essential that all dogs are adequately vaccinated to help protect the dog population as a whole.

At Mt Helena Vet we strongly recommend that your dog is vaccinated when young, with ongoing immunity then provided by annual booster vaccination. Sadly, there are a number of highly infectious (and potentially fatal) diseases that can affect your pet. Some have no effective treatment, but the good news is that you can provide protection with vaccination and regular annual boosters.

Puppies are ‘temporarily’ protected against many diseases by antibodies received through their mother’s milk (only if the mothers have also been vaccinated). These maternal antibodies decline in the first few months of their lives and from here we need to boost their immunity to ensure they are protected. This is why a series of vaccinations is necessary in a puppy.

In the first 14 weeks of your puppy’s life we will vaccinate them against the following diseases – Parvovirus, Distemper, Hepatitis and Canine Cough (kennel cough).

Until the course of vaccination has been completed, we do recommend that you keep your pet away from other animals where possible, in order to minimise the risk of infection.

The vaccination regime at Mt Helena Vet is carefully tailored to avoid over-vaccination, but if you do have concerns about this, then please feel free to discuss this with our vets. We also offer antibody titre testing (a blood test) to determine your pet’s level of immunity to some of the above diseases, and then decide on a vaccination regime based on the results.

If you are planning to use kennels in the future, you will need to provide vaccination certificates with evidence of up to date boosters, so please do remember to keep your records in a safe place!

Adult Dog Vaccination

The immunity from puppy vaccination weakens over time and your dog can again become susceptible to disease. Annual health checks and booster vaccinations, as required, will provide the best protection for the life of your dog.

After Vaccination Care

Following vaccination your dog may be off-colour for a day or two, or have some slight swelling or tenderness at the injection site. Access to food and water and a comfortable area to rest are usually all that is required for a quick recovery. However, if the response seems more severe, you should contact us for advice.