dog vaccinations
Protecting Your Dog from Preventable Diseases
Looking for dog or puppy vaccinations in Sydney? At The Wild Vet, we provide comprehensive vaccination services for puppies and adult dogs, helping protect them against serious infectious diseases, including parvovirus, distemper, infectious canine hepatitis, kennel cough and leptospirosis.
Located in Glebe, our veterinary team follows current vaccination guidelines while tailoring recommendations to your dog’s age, vaccination history, lifestyle and individual risk factors. We are open 7 days a week, making it convenient to keep your dog’s vaccinations up to date.
What Vaccinations Does Your Dog Need?
C3
The C3 vaccination protects against three serious diseases:
Canine parvovirus: A highly contagious virus that can cause severe vomiting, diarrhoea, dehydration and potentially fatal illness, particularly in puppies.
Canine distemper: A viral infection that can affect the respiratory, gastrointestinal and nervous systems.
Infectious canine hepatitis: Caused by canine adenovirus, which can result in serious liver disease and other complications.
These vaccinations form the foundation of preventative healthcare for dogs.
Kennel Cough
Canine infectious respiratory disease complex, commonly called kennel cough, can involve several infectious agents, including Bordetella bronchiseptica and canine parainfluenza virus.
Vaccination helps reduce the risk and severity of disease, although it cannot prevent every cause of respiratory infection.
Kennel cough vaccination is particularly relevant for dogs attending boarding facilities, daycare, grooming salons, training classes or other environments where dogs mix.
Leptospirosis
Leptospirosis is a potentially fatal bacterial infection that can cause severe kidney and liver damage in dogs. It is also a zoonotic disease, meaning it can be transmitted from animals to humans. Dogs can become infected through contact with contaminated water, soil or environments exposed to the urine of infected animals, particularly rodents.
Following a series of fatal canine leptospirosis cases in Sydney’s Inner West and surrounding suburbs in 2019, the University of Sydney Veterinary Teaching Hospital recommended vaccination for dogs living within 5 km of Surry Hills, including areas such as Glebe, as well as other identified high-risk locations.
Given our location in Glebe and the history of leptospirosis in surrounding suburbs, The Wild Vet recommends leptospirosis vaccination for local dogs, subject to individual veterinary assessment.
Our veterinarians can advise on the appropriate vaccination schedule, including initial vaccinations and ongoing boosters to maintain protection.
Puppy Vaccinations
| Age | Recommended Vaccination |
|---|---|
| 6–8 weeks | First C7 vaccination |
| 10–12 weeks | Repeat C7 vaccination 4 weeks after the first dose |
| 16+ weeks | Additional C3 vaccination recommended under AVA and WSAVA guidelines, including for puppies receiving an early-finish protocol |
| 6 months | Optional additional C3 vaccination or antibody titre testing, as recommended by WSAVA. |
| Adult dogs (≥15 months) | Annual leptospirosis and kennel cough boosters; C3 vaccination every 3 years |
Can Puppy Vaccinations Finish at 10 Weeks?
Some puppy vaccines are licensed for an early-finish schedule, allowing the initial vaccination course to be completed at 10–12 weeks of age. Certain vaccines, including those used at The Wild Vet, have manufacturer-supported protocols for this approach.
However, maternally derived antibodies can interfere with vaccination, and the age at which these antibodies decline varies between puppies. For this reason, both the Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) and World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) recommend a final core puppy vaccination at 16 weeks of age or older, even when an early-finish protocol has been used.
Both organisations also support an additional core vaccination from approximately six months of age. WSAVA recommends antibody titre testing as an alternative to assess whether a puppy has developed an adequate immune response.
At The Wild Vet, we consider your puppy’s vaccination history, the products used and individual risk factors when recommending a schedule.
When Can My Puppy Go Outside?
Early socialisation is important for a puppy’s behavioural development, particularly during the first 12–16 weeks of life. However, puppies may not yet have developed full protection against infectious diseases such as parvovirus.
You don’t need to wait until your puppy has completed every vaccination before introducing them to new experiences. Controlled socialisation can begin earlier, provided exposure to infectious diseases is minimised.
Safer socialisation options include:
Meeting healthy, fully vaccinated dogs in private homes or gardens.
Carrying your puppy through public areas to experience different sights, sounds and people.
Attending a well-managed puppy preschool with appropriate vaccination and hygiene requirements. For more information about puppy preschool classes at The Wild Vet, click here.
Introducing your puppy to different people, surfaces and environments in controlled settings.
Avoid dog parks, heavily used public grass areas and contact with dogs of unknown vaccination status until your puppy has developed adequate vaccine protection.
At The Wild Vet, we can advise when your puppy can safely begin exploring public spaces based on their vaccination history, age and individual risk factors.
Every Puppy Vaccination Includes a Comprehensive Health Check
Every puppy vaccination at The Wild Vet includes a comprehensive veterinary examination. Alongside administering vaccinations, our veterinarians assess your puppy’s growth and development, checking for congenital abnormalities and other health concerns that may not be obvious at home.
What Do We Check During Your Puppy’s Examination?
Our puppy health checks include an assessment of:
Heart: Listening for heart murmurs and signs of heart problems present from birth.
Eyes: Checking for problems with the eyes, eyelids and vision.
Mouth and teeth: Looking for cleft palates, misaligned jaws and problems with developing teeth.
Reproductive organs: Checking that everything is developing normally, including whether both testicles are descending in male puppies.
Bones and joints: Checking how your puppy walks and moves, including signs of patellar luxation (slipping kneecaps), abnormal limb alignment and other developmental joint problems.
Hernias: Checking for umbilical and inguinal hernias, where an opening in the abdominal wall allows fat or other tissues to protrude, causing a lump around the belly button or groin.
Skin and ears: Looking for infections, parasites and abnormalities.
Growth and development: Monitoring your puppy’s weight, body condition and overall development.
Why Are Early Puppy Health Checks Important?
Identifying health concerns early can make a significant difference to your puppy’s long-term wellbeing. Some congenital conditions require prompt investigation or treatment, while others simply need monitoring as your puppy develops.
Puppy vaccination appointments also provide an opportunity to discuss nutrition, parasite prevention, behaviour, socialisation and desexing.
Adult Dog Vaccinations & Boosters
Vaccinations remain important throughout your dog’s life. Although immunity against some diseases can last for several years, other vaccines require more frequent boosters to maintain protection.
At The Wild Vet, we recommend an individual vaccination schedule based on your dog’s age, vaccination history, lifestyle and risk of exposure.
How Often Do Adult Dogs Need Vaccinations?
C3 (distemper, hepatitis and parvovirus): Generally every three years following completion of the initial vaccination course and first booster.
Kennel cough (Bordetella and canine parainfluenza): Generally annually, depending on the vaccine used and your dog’s exposure risk.
Leptospirosis: Annual boosters are recommended for dogs at risk, particularly in areas where leptospirosis has been reported, including Sydney.
The first adult leptospirosis and kennel cough boosters are generally due 12 months after the final puppy doses, often from approximately 15 months of age.
Can Antibody Titre Testing Replace Vaccinations?
Antibody titre testing measures antibodies against certain infectious diseases and can help determine whether a dog has maintained protection following vaccination.
For dogs, titre testing is particularly useful for assessing immunity against the three core C3 diseases: canine distemper, infectious canine hepatitis (adenovirus) and parvovirus. It cannot currently be used as a reliable alternative to leptospirosis or kennel cough vaccinations.
At The Wild Vet, we can discuss whether titre testing is appropriate for your dog, particularly if you wish to avoid unnecessary repeat core vaccinations.
What If My Dog Has Missed a Vaccination?
If your dog is overdue for a vaccination, they may not necessarily need to restart their entire vaccination course. The appropriate approach depends on which vaccines were missed, how long they have been overdue and your dog’s previous vaccination history.
C3 vaccinations: Dogs that have previously responded to core vaccinations generally maintain long-lasting immunity. Even if a booster is overdue, a single C3 vaccination may be sufficient rather than restarting the initial course.
Leptospirosis and kennel cough: These vaccines require more frequent boosters. Depending on the vaccine product and how long the vaccination has been overdue, restarting the primary course may be necessary to restore protection.
If you’re unsure when your dog was last vaccinated, our team can review their vaccination records and recommend an appropriate catch-up schedule. Antibody titre testing may also be useful when assessing protection against the core C3 diseases.
Are Heartworm and Parasite Prevention Part of Dog Vaccinations?
Heartworm prevention is often discussed during vaccination appointments, but the annual heartworm injection is not a vaccine. It is a long-acting preventative medication that protects dogs against heartworm infection.
Unlike vaccinations, which stimulate the immune system to recognise specific infectious diseases, heartworm preventatives work by eliminating susceptible stages of the parasite before they can develop into adult worms.
Dogs also need protection against other parasites, including fleas, ticks and intestinal worms. The most appropriate products and treatment schedules depend on your dog’s age, lifestyle and individual risk factors.
At The Wild Vet, we can recommend a parasite prevention plan tailored to your dog’s age, weight, lifestyle and individual risk factors. Not all parasite prevention products protect against the same parasites, so choosing the right combination is important.
For more information, visit our Parasite Prevention page
Why Choose The Wild Vet for Your Dog’s Vaccinations?
Keep your dog protected with vaccinations tailored to their age, lifestyle and individual needs.
At The Wild Vet in Glebe, we provide puppy vaccinations, adult dog boosters and vaccination advice. We’re open 7 days a week, making it easy to keep your dog’s preventative healthcare up to date.