Vaccination

Similar to human healthcare, animal vaccination has always been one of the most cost-efficient means of preventing diseases and improving animal health. Vaccines help to prevent infectious, debilitating, and life-threatening diseases in our pets, and contribute to public health by protecting us from certain zoonotic diseases (diseases that spread between humans and animals). 

Vaccines in dogs and cats

Vaccines can be split into two categories, core and non-core vaccines.
Core vaccines are defined as vaccines which all dogs and cats, regardless of circumstance or geographical location, should receive. A core vaccine protects an animal from severe, life-threatening diseases known to be present in Singapore.

In Singapore, core vaccines protect against the following: 

• Dogs Vaccines 
  • Canine distemper virus (CDV) 
  • Canine adenovirus (CAV)
  • Canine parvovirus (CPV) 
• Cats Vaccines
  • Feline parvovirus
  • Feline panleukopenia virus (FPV)
  • Feline calicivirus (FCV)
  • Feline herpesvirus (FHV)

Non-core vaccines are used to protect dogs and cats from diseases that differ based on location and environment. While all dogs and cats should be vaccinated with core vaccines, non-core vaccines should be considered under specific circumstances. For example, if you're planning on taking your dog overseas, a rabies vaccine may be necessary. Diseases may also be transmitted through unvaccinated dogs in countries who do not have the same core vaccination procedures, and catching one of these diseases from an infected animal can be lethal for your pet. Our veterinarian will assess possible risk factors and environments to customise a non-core vaccination programme to suit their needs. 

Here are some diseases that animal vaccinations can safeguard your pet from: 

• Dogs
  • Leptospirosis
  • Rabies
  • Kennel cough (Bordetella bronchiseptica (most common), parainfluenza virus, canine influenza virus, and others)
  • Canine coronavirus
• Cats
  • Feline leukemia virus (FeLV)
  • Rabies

Timing and frequency of vaccinations

Puppy and kitten vaccination series: 

The initial core vaccination should be given at 6 - 8 weeks of age. Subsequent boosters should be given every 2 - 4 weeks until 16 weeks of age or older.

First adult booster:

Booster vaccinations are routinely given at 52 weeks of age or within 1 year following the last dose of the puppy/kitten vaccination. This vaccine is crucial as it is protective for puppies or kittens that did not respond to any of the vaccines in the puppy/kitten vaccination schedule.

Subsequent vaccines for adult dogs and cats: 

The Singapore Vaccination Guidelines for dogs and cats has the following recommendations:

In Singapore, core vaccines are currently registered for annual booster intervals after the initial vaccinations. However, there has been increasing evidence that certain vaccine products may offer a longer duration of immunity. A veterinarian may recommend off-label booster intervals following an assessment of your pet and after discussing the pet’s lifestyle and risks with the client.

Alternatively, our veterinarian may suggest a serological testing to assess the immunity (antibody titre) level of your pet to better advise if the booster intervals may be extended, while taking into consideration the pet’s lifestyle, environment, and discussing the risks with the owners.