Pet Vaccinations

Why we recommend vaccinating your pet?

Why are vaccinations important for pets?

Vaccinations protect pets from potentially deadly diseases.

The injections contain a weak or man-made version of a disease. This triggers your pet’s body to produce antibodies to fight the disease. If they catch the same disease in the future, their body will recognise it and fight it off much more effectively.

Use of vaccinations – or ‘jabs’ – has helped to stop pets getting sick and has saved millions of lives over the last few decades.  If owners stop vaccinating their pets, we’ll see a lot of these dangerous conditions coming back and more seriously ill pets will be in need of lifesaving treatment.

Find out more about how vaccinations protect your pet on the PDSA website:

Primary vaccinations: protecting young pets

It’s important that young pets are vaccinated early to protect them. This is called their ‘primary vaccination course’. Your pet will need two rounds of injections before they’re fully protected and are able to safely mix with other animals.

Young pets are at a much higher risk of catching serious illnesses. When young pets do get ill, these diseases are more likely to be fatal and, even for the lucky pets who fight off the disease, can cause lifelong health issues.

Booster vaccinations: protecting your pet for life

Your pet will need regular booster injections throughout their life to maintain their level of protection. Some boosters are needed every year and others every 3 years. Speak to us about when your pet needs their next booster.

If your adult pet hasn’t had regular booster shots or you’re not sure about their vaccination records, they may need to start their primary vaccination course again. Speak to us for more advice.

If your pet is not vaccinated there is a chance that they could pick up some very horrible diseases.  As well as protecting your pet you are reducing the likelihood of major outbreaks of disease in the population as a whole.

Vaccination is one of the most common procedures carried out by us because clients understand it is an easy and quick way of protecting their pets.  We also get a chance to check over your pet with a free health check which we offer alongside the vaccination.

Your pet should come in for his or her “boosters” every year. However your vet will not give your pet every vaccine every year. Your vet will assess with you the best vaccination regime for your pet based on his or her lifestyle, health and age amongst other factors for instance whether your pet goes abroad on holidays with you or stays in kennels or cattery.