Pet Vaccinations
Pet Vaccinations
Dogs
We routinely vaccinate dogs against 5 major infectious diseases. The vaccination schedule is as follows:
- 6-8 weeks C3
- 10 weeks C5 + leptospirosis
- 12 weeks C5 + leptospirosis
- Annual booster thereafter
Struggletown uses the most up to date vaccines giving the highest level of protection. This means we still see your dog for a full health check and vaccination annually, however the C3 component is only given once every 3 years, while the canine cough booster is given annually.
A C3 consists of protection against:
- Parvovirus: causes haemorrhagic (bloody) diarrhoea and vomiting and can be fatal, especially in young dogs.
- Distemper: causes neurological and respiratory disease.
- Hepatitis: an infectious cause of liver disease.
A Canine cough vaccinations (which makes up a C5 when added to a C3) consists of protection against:
- Bordatella: causes kennel cough which is a highly contagious cough that dogs often contract when in close contact with other dogs, for example in boarding kennels. The disease causes signficant discomfort to dogs (and their owners) but is rarely serious or life-threatening.
- Parainfluenza: a viral cause of kennel cough
Currently due to the risk in the Eastern Suburbs, Inner West & Inner Sydney suburbs (as well as the South coast and Newcastle region), the recommendation by the Australian Veterinary Association is that all puppies/dogs are also vaccinated again a disease called Leptospirosis which is transmitted and harboured by rats. This is an aggressive disease with a high mortality rate, and it can also be passed to humans. Because of this Struggletown highly recommends adding this to the usual C5 vaccine and yearly health check for all dog owners.
Update as of Dec 2024: We are now stocking the latest vaccine available for this condition which now covers more strains and is a more effective vaccine than the old one. We will be transitioning all dogs across to this vaccine who are already vaccinated when they are next due, but all puppies and any dogs who are not currently vaccinated will be started on this newer vaccine. Due to the nature of this disease, we highly recommend any adult dogs not already vaccinated against this disease (or who’s vaccine protection has lapsed) to come and see us to get up to date ASAP.
Vaccination takes about 1 to 2 weeks to stimulate immunity. If your dog was not previously vaccinated then he or she should be isolated from other dogs in this period.
Puppies: can begin socialisation one week after the 10 week vaccination. Struggletown uses a vaccination which is more effective in younger dogs than the older types of vaccinations. This is because we wish to encourage early socialisation of puppies and attendance at Puppy School.
Cats
Cats are vaccinated routinely with an F3 vaccination against 3 core feline diseases, but also optionally can be given an FIV vaccination (Struggletown highly recommends this vaccine for any cat that goes outdoors and potentially contacts other cats).
The kitten vaccination schedule is as follows:
- 8 weeks
- 12 weeks
- 16 weeks
Followed by an Annual booster thereafter for adult cats with a full yearly health check.
An F3 consists of protection against the following:
- Feline enteritis: a serious infection causing diarrhoea and vomiting as well as bone marrow suppression
- Calicivirus: a virus causing sneezing, ocular and nasal discharge (‘cat flu’), sometimes oral ulceration, as well as occasionally causing joint swelling and pain with fever
- Herpesvirus: also causes cat flu; in addition can cause ocular and oral ulceration. Rarely can cause a severe inflammatory skin condition
FIV and vaccination:
‘Feline Immunodeficiency Virus’ is similar to the human immunodeficiency virus in that it causes suppression of the immune system and increased susceptibility to infections. However, FIV is not transmissible to humans
The disease is contracted primarily by fighting with other cats and is more common in roaming, male cats. FIV is estimated to be present in approximately 15% of the NSW cat population. The area around Randwick is likely of higher risk than some areas due to the high number of stray and feral cat colonies close by, hence we highly recommend that owners consider this vaccine for any outdoor cats.
Many cats remain healthy while infected for many years, while others can show a wide variety of symptoms and illness within months of infections which include:
- Loss of apetite/weight loss
- Fever
- Poor coat health
- Lethargy/tiredness
- Swollen lymph nodes (glands)
- Anaemia
- Gingivitis and stomatitis (inflammation of the gums and mouth) which is sometimes very severe
- Chronic or recurrent respiratory, ocular, and intestinal disease
- Nervous system disease
- Chronic, recurrent, and sometimes atypical infections
- Higher chance of developing certain cancers
For at risk cats, there is vaccine available that has been shown to be effective at reducing the risk of infection in an Australian field study by up to 66%. For such a potentially harmful disease, why would you not vaccinate your cat to keep them safe, especially since there is currently no effective treatment for FIV.
The initial vaccination course consists of 3 vaccines 2-4 weeks apart, followed by a yearly booster.
Update as of Feb 2025: The FIV vaccine has unfortunately been unavailable in Australia for the better part of 2 years now. However, the good news is that it is NOW BACK IN STOCK!
If you have a new kitten, or an outdoor cat who has never had the vaccine, or has lapsed in vaccinations, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our friendly team to discuss whether the FIV vaccine is right for you and your cat.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What vaccinations does my puppy need?
Puppies need a course of vaccinations to protect them against serious and potentially fatal infectious diseases. At Struggletown, our routine puppy program includes protection against parvovirus, distemper and hepatitis (C3), as well as canine cough caused by Bordetella and parainfluenza. We also strongly recommend leptospirosis vaccination because this potentially fatal disease, which is spread largely through rats and their urine, has occurred in Sydney and surrounding areas and can also infect people.
Our usual schedule is:
- 6–8 weeks: C3 vaccination
- 10 weeks: C5 vaccination plus leptospirosis
- 12 weeks: C5 vaccination plus leptospirosis
The exact schedule may vary depending on your puppy’s age, previous vaccinations, the vaccine products used and their individual risk factors.
What vaccinations does my kitten need?
Kittens require a course of F3 vaccinations, which protect against three important infectious diseases: feline herpesvirus, feline calicivirus and feline panleukopenia (feline parvovirus/enteritis). These diseases can cause severe respiratory disease, gastrointestinal illness and, particularly in young kittens, can sometimes be fatal.
At Struggletown, kittens are generally vaccinated at approximately 8, 12 and 16 weeks of age, followed by ongoing boosters as adults.
For cats that go outdoors or may come into contact or fight with other cats, we may also recommend vaccination against Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) after assessing their individual lifestyle and risk.
How often does my dog need vaccinations?
We recommend that every dog has an annual vaccination and preventative health appointment. Not every component of your dog’s vaccination necessarily needs to be given every year.
At Struggletown, the core C3 vaccination is generally given every three years once the initial vaccination course has been completed, while canine cough vaccination is required annually. Leptospirosis vaccination also requires regular boosters annually, for dogs where ongoing protection is recommended. Your veterinarian will tailor the vaccination program to your dog’s age, health, lifestyle and disease risk.
Even in years when fewer vaccinations are required, the annual health examination remains very important, as it gives us the opportunity to detect changes in your pet’s health early and review their preventative care.
Do indoor cats still need vaccinations?
Yes. We still recommend core F3 vaccination for indoor cats. Although an indoor cat’s exposure risk is generally lower, it is not zero. Cats may escape unexpectedly, encounter another cat, require boarding or hospitalisation, and some infectious organisms can survive in the environment or be transferred on contaminated objects. Core vaccination is therefore recommended for cats regardless of whether they normally live indoors.
Additional vaccines such as FIV vaccination are usually based on lifestyle and exposure risk, so a completely indoor cat may not require the same additional vaccines as a cat that roams outdoors.
When can my puppy go outside after being vaccinated?
Early socialisation is extremely important for puppies, so we try to balance protection from infectious disease with the behavioural benefits of safely experiencing the outside world.
Because of the vaccination protocol used at Struggletown, puppies can generally begin light, controlled socialisation and walks one week after their 10-week vaccination. At this stage, however, we recommend avoiding higher-risk areas heavily used by unknown dogs — such as dog parks, doggy day care and similar environments — until one week after the final puppy vaccination.
Safe socialisation before full vaccination can include puppy school (puppies can join our puppy school from 9 weeks of age), meeting healthy fully vaccinated dogs you know, car trips, being carried through different environments and meeting a variety of people. The Australian Veterinary Association emphasises that appropriate early socialisation is important even before the puppy vaccination course has been completed, provided sensible precautions are taken.
What happens during a vaccination appointment?
A vaccination appointment at Struggletown is much more than simply giving an injection. Every vaccination visit includes a full physical examination to make sure your pet is healthy enough to be vaccinated and to identify any health concerns that may otherwise have gone unnoticed.
Your veterinarian will also review your pet’s vaccination history, age, lifestyle and individual disease risks and discuss other important areas of preventative healthcare such as parasite prevention, dental health, nutrition, weight, behaviour and any concerns you may have. The appropriate vaccines are then selected specifically for your pet. Australian vaccination guidelines similarly recommend that vaccination programs be tailored to the individual animal rather than using exactly the same protocol for every pet.
My pet's vaccinations are overdue. What should I do?
Don’t worry — simply contact us and arrange a vaccination appointment as soon as you can. How we bring your pet back up to date depends on which vaccinations are overdue, how long it has been since their last vaccination, their age and their previous vaccination history.
Being overdue does not necessarily mean that every vaccination course has to be started again. Some vaccines may require only a booster, while others may require additional doses to restore reliable protection. If your pet’s vaccination history is uncertain, bring along any vaccination certificates or previous veterinary records you have and we can work out the most appropriate schedule.
Until an unvaccinated or significantly overdue pet has been assessed, it is sensible to avoid high-risk exposure such as dog parks, boarding facilities or contact with animals of unknown vaccination status.
Get In Touch!
Address:
148 Barker St,
Randwick NSW 2031
Hours:
Mon to Fri: 7:30am - 9:00pm
Sat: 9:00am - 5:00pm
Sun: 9:00am - 1:00pm
Providing Quality Vet Care Near:
Randwick, Coogee, Kingsford, Daceyville, Kensington, Bronte, Waverley, Queens Park, East Gardens, Pagewood, Hillsdale, Maroubra.