Core Vaccines for Cats and Dogs: What They Protect Against
Core vaccines guard against diseases that are common, serious and sometimes fatal. Here is what they cover and how a typical schedule works.
Vaccines are one of the simplest ways to protect your animal from diseases that are hard, expensive or impossible to treat once they take hold.
Core vaccines for dogs
- Canine distemper - affects the lungs, gut and nervous system.
- Canine parvovirus - severe vomiting and diarrhoea, especially dangerous for puppies.
- Canine adenovirus (hepatitis) - damages the liver.
- Rabies - fatal, and transmissible to people.
Core vaccines for cats
- Feline panleukopenia - a severe, highly contagious gut and blood infection.
- Feline herpesvirus and calicivirus - the main causes of "cat flu".
- Rabies - recommended for cats as well, including indoor cats that may slip outside.
How a typical schedule works
Puppies and kittens usually start their first vaccines at around 6 to 8 weeks of age, then receive boosters every few weeks until they are about 16 weeks old. A booster follows at around one year, and adult boosters are then given on a schedule your vet sets for your animal's lifestyle.
Non-core vaccines - for example kennel cough for dogs that board or attend groups - depend on your animal's risk. Ask your vet which ones make sense.
Before and after the visit
- Bring any previous vaccination records, especially for adopted animals.
- Mild tiredness or a sore spot for a day is common.
- Facial swelling, repeated vomiting or difficulty breathing after a vaccine needs a vet straight away.
Keep your animal's vaccination record up to date in your VetoHub account so you always know when the next dose is due. Book a vaccination visit.