Vaccinations

Vaccination is one of the simplest and most effective ways to protect your pet or farm animal from serious, and sometimes fatal, infectious diseases.

Why vaccinate?

  • Protects against diseases that can be fatal, especially in puppies, kittens and young farm animals.

  • Reduces the spread of disease within the local pet and farming community.

  • Many boarding kennels, catteries, groomers and dog walkers require up-to-date vaccination records.

  • Some diseases we vaccinate against can also affect humans (zoonotic risk), such as leptospirosis.

Dogs

Core vaccines (recommended for all dogs):

  • Canine Distemper Virus

  • Infectious Canine Hepatitis (Adenovirus)

  • Canine Parvovirus

  • Leptospirosis

Non-core / lifestyle vaccines (depending on risk):

  • Kennel Cough (Bordetella bronchiseptica and Parainfluenza) – recommended for dogs attending kennels, daycare, training classes or shows

  • Rabies – required for travel abroad

Vaccination schedule:

  • Puppies: primary course typically starts from 6–8 weeks of age, with a second dose 2–4 weeks later

  • Adult dogs: annual booster (some components, like leptospirosis, need yearly boosting; others may be less frequent depending on vaccine brand)

Cats

Core vaccines (recommended for all cats):

  • Feline Panleukopenia (Feline Infectious Enteritis)

  • Feline Herpesvirus and Calicivirus (Cat Flu)

  • Feline Leukaemia Virus (FeLV) – recommended for cats that go outdoors or live with an FeLV-positive cat

Non-core / lifestyle vaccines (depending on risk):

  • Rabies – required for travel abroad

Vaccination schedule:

  • Kittens: primary course typically starts from 9 weeks of age, with a second dose 3–4 weeks later

  • Adult cats: annual booster

Rabbits

  • Myxomatosis and Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease (RHD1 and RHD2)

  • Recommended from 5 weeks of age, with annual boosters

  • Important even for indoor rabbits, as myxomatosis can be spread by biting insects

Farm Animals

We offer tailored vaccination protocols for cattle, sheep and other livestock as part of our herd and flock health planning, including cover for:

  • Clostridial diseases

  • Pneumonia (respiratory disease complexes)

  • Leptospirosis

  • Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) – see our BVD page for more information

  • Enzootic abortion and other reproductive diseases

Because farm vaccination programmes depend heavily on your individual holding, stocking density and disease history, we recommend a herd health visit to discuss the right protocol for your animals.

What to expect at a vaccination appointment

  • A full health check, since vaccination appointments are also a good opportunity to pick up early signs of other health issues

  • A discussion about your animal's lifestyle and any additional risk factors

  • Advice on parasite control, nutrition and any other preventative care due

Still have questions?

Every animal is different, and vaccine requirements can change depending on lifestyle, travel plans or local disease risk. If you're unsure what your pet or farm animal needs, give our team a call on 01797 252321 and we'll be happy to advise.