Vaccination is one of the most effective preventive steps there is: it protects your pet against serious diseases — some of them fatal, many with no treatment. And the protocol is not set in stone: we tailor it to each animal and its lifestyle.

What do we vaccinate against?

The core vaccines vary by species:

  • Dogs: distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus, leptospirosis; rabies for travel.
  • Cats: feline infectious enteritis (panleucopenia) and cat flu for all; feline leukaemia (FeLV) for cats that go outdoors; rabies for travel.
  • Ferrets: distemper (often fatal in this species); rabies for travel.
  • Rabbits: myxomatosis and viral haemorrhagic disease (VHD).

Other vaccines exist (piroplasmosis, Lyme disease…) depending on exposure: do talk to us if your pet is at risk.

How often?

A mother’s antibodies protect her young until around 8 weeks of age; we then begin the primary vaccination course, given as several injections. Regular boosters maintain protection for life; how often depends on the vaccine and on lifestyle (rabies, in particular, remains valid for longer). Together we draw up the right schedule and record it in the passport.

When to seek help quickly — Slight tiredness or a small lump at the injection site is normal and settles within a day or two. A swollen face, vomiting or marked lethargy in the hours after an injection, on the other hand, means you should see a vet without delay.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Skipping boosters: the protection fades and your pet becomes vulnerable again.
  • Believing an indoor cat needs no vaccines at all: some diseases walk in on our shoes.
  • Vaccinating a sick or very young animal without advice: the right timing is decided in consultation.

Prevention

Keep the record book or passport up to date, stick to the booster schedule, and tell us about any trip abroad (rabies is often required, sometimes with a waiting period: plan ahead). Ideally, every vaccination comes with a health check.

The key points: vaccination protects effectively against serious diseases — provided the boosters are kept up. The right protocol is individual: we adapt it to your pet and its life.