Cat and dog vaccinations: the schedule from the first month to adulthood

Vaccination is the simplest way to protect your pet from diseases that still occur in Moldova: canine distemper, parvovirus, feline panleukopenia and rabies. Below is a general schedule based on international veterinary guidelines (WSAVA). Your veterinarian chooses the exact scheme and vaccine.

Types of vaccines

Vaccines are divided into core (recommended for every animal) and non-core (depending on lifestyle and risk).

• Dogs — core: distemper, adenovirus, parvovirus and rabies. Non-core: leptospirosis and kennel cough.
• Cats — core: panleukopenia, herpesvirus, calicivirus and rabies. Non-core: feline leukaemia (FeLV), for cats that go outdoors.

Rabies occurs in Moldova among wild and stray animals, so all dogs and cats are vaccinated against it, including indoor pets. Without it your pet won't be accepted at shows or pet hotels and can't travel abroad.

Puppy schedule

• 6–8 weeks — first combination vaccine.
• Then every 2–4 weeks until the puppy is 16 weeks old. The last dose of the series should be given no earlier than 16 weeks, otherwise maternal immunity can block it.
• Rabies — usually at 12–16 weeks, one dose.
• Booster — at 6–12 months.
• Adult dogs get core vaccines every 3 years, leptospirosis every year, rabies according to the vaccine label (every 1 or 3 years).

Kitten schedule

• 6–8 weeks — first vaccine against panleukopenia, herpesvirus and calicivirus.
• Then every 3–4 weeks until 16 weeks or older.
• Rabies — at 12–16 weeks.
• Booster — at 6–12 months.
• Indoor adult cats get core vaccines every 3 years. For cats that go outside or stay in pet hotels, your vet may recommend more frequent boosters.

How to prepare your pet

1. 10–14 days before — deworming, if it wasn't done in the last three months.
2. Your pet should be healthy: no fever, diarrhoea or lethargy.
3. For 1–2 days after the shot, sleepiness and a small swelling at the injection site are normal. A swollen face, vomiting or laboured breathing mean you should see a vet right away.
4. Until the first series is complete, keep your puppy away from places where other dogs walk.

How not to miss the next vaccination

The hard part isn't the first vaccine, it's remembering the booster a year or three later. A date is easy to lose when it's written only in a paper passport.

In micamic you can log a vaccination in a minute: the vaccine, the date and the next due date. A few days before it, a reminder appears on your home screen and in the calendar. If your pet has several owners, everyone sees it.