Dog Vaccinations C5

Serious canine diseases that can cause permanent damage and death in your pet are preventable with routine vaccination. When scheduling your dog vaccinations C5 and C3 are the most commonly used immunisations to protect against serious diseases.

The C3 vaccination is a core vaccine that protects against distemper, adenovirus and parvovirus. The C5 vaccination is a non-core vaccine that immunises your dog against five types of canine diseases, including:

• The symptoms of this virus include fever, seizures, blindness and loss of balance. It is a virus that affects the spinal cord, brain and respiratory system. Although rarer now due to an increase in immunisation, distemper can result in paralysis, brain damage and death.
• Hepatitis (adenovirus). This virus leads to permanent liver damage and can be fatal. Symptoms include fever, severe abdominal pain, diarrhoea, loss of appetite and coughing.
• Parvovirus. With the ability to spread quickly through contact with soil and contaminated faeces, this virus is very contagious and can be fatal. Puppies, immunosuppressed dogs and older dogs are particularly vulnerable. Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhoea, fever, and abdominal pain.
• A highly contagious virus that spreads through nasal secretions.
• Bordetella bronchiseptica (kennel cough). This canine flu virus causes kennel cough in dogs, with symptoms such as a hacking cough, a runny nose and watery eyes.

If you’re thinking about when to schedule your dog vaccinations, specifically C5 vaccinations are usually given to puppies as a second shot at approximately 12 weeks old (following their C3 vaccination at 6-8 weeks) with another vaccination around 16 weeks of age.  This vaccine protocol is in line with WSAVA and AVA guidelines for puppy vaccinations. 

Annual vaccinations and health checks are recommended for all dogs following puppy vaccinations.  Speak to us regarding options including three year C3 vaccinations and titre testing to see if vaccination is actually required.