A guide to vaccines, deworming and tick and flea treatment | Absolute Pets

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08June2017

by Admin Absolute Pets

There is a lot to consider when it comes to your pet’s health. In this article we give you a quick guide to the important aspects of vaccinations, deworming and tick and flea treatment. You should always consult your vet (especially regarding vaccinations) but we hope this gives you a good idea of what to expect and when.

Vaccines

Our Absolute Pets vet, Dr Cooper, advises to vaccinate against common, life-threatening, incurable diseases to protect pets from catching and spreading them. What and when to vaccinate depends on lifestyle and exposure which your own vet is best qualified to assess. However, below are some general guidelines on core, legally required* and strongly recommended vaccines.

Cat or dog	Age	Vaccine
Dog	8 weeks	Distemper, Hepatitis, Parvovirus, Parainfluenza virus
Cat	8 weeks	Rhinotracheitis virus, Calicivirus, Panleukopaenia
Dog and cat	12 weeks	Boost of 8 week vaccinations and first rabies vaccine*
Dog and cat	16 weeks	Boost of 12 week vaccinations and second rabies vaccine*
Dog and cat	12 months later...	Booster
Dog and cat	Every 1-3 years thereafter	Booster

*Rabies vaccination is a legal requirement

Other recommendations

For dogs:

Kennel cough vaccination is required by most dog day care facilities or kennels and you can choose between:

Intranasal vaccination - 3 days before going to a kennel or day care (then annually), or
injectable vaccination - first 4 weeks before going to a kennel or day care followed by a booster 2 weeks later and then annually.

For cats:

Dr Cooper also strongly recommends testing cats for FIV/FeLV and vaccinating against FeLV. The first vaccination would be immediately after testing followed by a booster 2 weeks later, then annually.

Deworming

Worms can cause many health problems in pets as they steal essential nutrients and can put your pet at risk of intestinal problems like diarrhoea, anaemia and skin issues. But don’t worry, deworming is easy and there are some excellent products on the market to choose from.

Cat and dogs	Age
✔	8 weeks (first treatment)
✔	12 weeks (second treatment)
✔	16 weeks (third treatment)
✔	Every three months thereafter*

*Some flea control products contain a mild dewormer (for example, Revolution). If using these products monthly, deworming can be stretched to every six months.

Deworming products to look out for:

Tasty chew: Milbemax.
Tick and flea treatment + mild dewormer: Revolution.
Fast-acting: Triworm

Tick and flea treatment

Pets should be protected against ticks and fleas all year round, particularly in many areas in South Africa where there is no dormant period due to humidity (like the Western Cape). They carry nasty parasites so it’s worth adding a note to your calendar to remind you about your cat or dog’s regular treatment.

Cat or dog	Product recommendation	How often	Benefits
Cat + Dog	Revolution	Monthly	Suitable for pets with flea allergies as the fleas don’t need to bite before they die. Quickly and easily applied to the base of the neck in front of the shoulder blades Quick-drying, odour-free, non-greasy.
Dog	NexGard	Monthly	Comes as a tasty chew. Fast-acting formulation which is safe and effective for 30 days.
Cat + Dog	Frontline	Monthly	Suitable for pets with flea allergies as the fleas don’t need to bite before they die. Quickly and easily applied to the base of the neck in front of the shoulder blades Quick-drying, odour-free, non-greasy.
Dog	Bravecto	3 months	Note: For use in dogs from 8 weeks of age only. One tasty chew with 12 weeks of flea and tick prevention.