The vaccines thereafter are C4 vaccines- this covers all the 4 main viral diseases and is considered a standard vaccine- we add leptospirosis in- we don’t count that as part of our vaccine count as it is standard with all our vaccines not an extra.

THE FAMOUS FIVE:

There are five different types of disease that can be prevented by vaccination.

1. Distemper.- It is rare these days, however older practitioners used to see four to five cases a day. The virus is usually fatal. Symptoms include coughing, diarrhoea, seizures, loss of balance and blindness.

2. Hepatitis. This is another disease that can be fatal. When it isn’t, hepatitis usually results in permanent and irreversible liver damage. Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal pain.

3. Parvovirus. Known to cause fatal diarrhoea, the types of dogs that are especially susceptible are puppies, dogs that are immunosuppressed, dogs that are exposed to a large number of other dogs and geriatric dogs. There is also a less common cardiac pathogenicity for this disease.

4. Parainfluenza. A viral component of kennel cough, this disease is not fatal, however it can cause debilitation that leads to other fatal diseases. Even with treatment there will usually be permanent damage to the respiratory system. This is a highly contagious and extremely debilitating disease.

5. Bordetella bronchiseptica. This is a bacterial component of kennel cough.
Kennel cough has both a bacterial and a viral component to the disease, if you only cover the bacterial component by getting a C3 + bordetella then your dog will still be exposed to kennel cough- and that part of it (viral) is not treatable.

C4 + bordetella covers for kennel cough. We add in leptospirosis Australis and leptospirosis Spp (or general species) as we consider this to be essential protection for this area. We don’t count it in our vaccine count as this is not how vaccines are marketed.