Pet Vaccinations and Parasite Prevention
Vaccinations and parasite prevention are two of the simplest things you can do to keep your bud healthy. Prevention is always kinder than cure, and these are some of our most trusted tools for keeping common nasties like viruses, fleas, ticks, and worms well away from your bud.
Keeping your bud protected from the inside out
A lot of the health conditions we see in pets are preventable. Vaccines and parasite prevention work quietly in the background, building your pet’s defences and keeping them comfortable year-round. Getting the right protection in place early and keeping up with it as your bud grows is one of the best investments you can make in their long-term health and happiness.
Vaccinations for dogs and cats
Vaccines work by preparing your pet’s immune system to recognise and fight specific diseases before they ever encounter them. For most pets, this means a core vaccination schedule that starts in puppyhood or kittenhood and continues with regular boosters throughout their life.
At Hey Bud, we follow evidence-based vaccination protocols as a starting point and adjust from there based on your pet’s age, lifestyle, health history, and individual needs. We’ll talk you through exactly what we recommend and why, so you feel confident with the plan.
For dogs, core vaccinations typically cover:
- Distemper, hepatitis, and parvovirus (C3)
- Bordetella and parainfluenza, commonly known as kennel cough (to make up C5)
For cats, core vaccinations typically cover:
- Feline herpesvirus, calicivirus, and panleukopenia (F3)
- Option to add FIV for cats that may be at risk
Vaccination schedules vary depending on your pet’s age and history, so we’ll tailor a plan that’s right for them.
Parasite prevention
Parasites are more than just an inconvenience. Fleas, ticks, intestinal worms, and heartworm can all cause real discomfort and, in some cases, serious health issues for your bud. The good news is that with the right prevention in place, most of these are entirely avoidable.
We recommend year-round parasite prevention for all pets, and we’ll help you find a routine that works for you and your bud’s lifestyle.
For most adult dogs this includes:
- Flea and tick prevention through an annual injection
- Heartworm prevention via annual injection
- Intestinal worming with a 3-monthly tablet
For most adult cats this includes:
- Flea, tick and intestinal worming prevention through 3-monthly spot-on product
Puppies and kittens require more frequent flea, tick and worming at the start of their lives to get them up to speed, for more details on this, visit our Puppy Handbook here. We’ll factor in where you live, how your pet spends their time, and any specific risks in your area when making our recommendations.
When should my pet be vaccinated?
Puppies and kittens start their vaccination course from around six to eight weeks of age, with boosters given approximately every 4 weeks until they’re around sixteen weeks old. Completing the full course is an important step before they mix with other animals and start exploring the wider world safely. After that, annual boosters keep their immunity topped up throughout adulthood and into their senior years.
For more specifics on vaccination schedules, head to our Puppy Handbook here.
If your bud has missed a vaccination or you’ve recently adopted and aren’t sure of their history, don’t worry. Just get in touch and we’ll work out the best way to get them back on track.
What to expect at your pet’s vaccination appointment
A vaccination visit at Hey Bud is about a lot more than getting their vaccines and preventatives up to date. We’ll do a thorough nose-to-tail examination while your bud is with us, answer any questions you have, and make sure your bud feels as relaxed as possible throughout. It’s a great opportunity to chat through anything you’ve noticed at home too. For more details on what is included in their general health check, see our General Checkup page here.
Why stay up to date?
To keep your bud properly protected, vaccines and parasite prevention need to be given at the right times and kept up consistently. Immunity can wane over time without regular boosters, and as your bud moves through different life stages their needs can change too. Staying on top of it means the protection is always there when it matters.
The good news is that it doesn’t have to be complicated. We’ll help you find a prevention routine that’s as simple as possible, send you reminders when things are due, and check in on their status at every visit. You focus on living your best lives together and we’ll handle the rest.
We see every visit as a chance to get to know your bud a little better and make sure everything else is tracking well too.