Dogs

C3: A C3 vaccine is the minimum level of coverage and is often what is given by breeders to puppies before they go to their new home.  For adults we use a triennial (lasting 3 year) vaccination. A C3 vaccine gives coverage against:

• Canine Distemper Virus: A difficult to treat and often fatal disease which is becoming more prevalent in Australia, particularly in southern states. Distemper is most commonly spread through droplets from the nose or mouth of infected dogs.  Symptoms may include nasal discharge, fever, coughing, vomiting, diarrhoea, convulsions/seizures, jaw-chewing movements and paralysis in its later stages.
• Canine Parvovirus: This virus primarily attacks the gastrointestinal tract of dogs, with the most recognisable symptoms being bloody diarrhoea and vomiting. It is often fatal due to the rapid destruction it causes. Parvovirus is extremely contagious and can survive in the environment for up to 9 years following contamination with infected faecal material.
• Canine Infectious Hepatitis: This virus is shed in all secretions of infected dogs including urine, saliva and faeces. Symptoms may include nasal discharge, seizures, swelling or spontaneous bleeding. Canine hepatitis has the most significant impact on the liver and kidneys and can cause life-long damage or be fatal in some cases.

C5: A C5 vaccine offers more comprehensive coverage that a C3 and is recommended for most dogs. A C5 gives coverage against:

• Canine Distemper Virus
• Canine Parvovirus
• Canine Infectious Hepatitis
• Canine Parainfluenza & Bordetella bronchiseptia: Parainfluenza the viral component of canine kennel cough, while Bordetella bronchiseptia is the bacterial component. Symptoms can range from a mild, hacking cough through to fatal pneumonia in more severe cases. Canine cough is transmitted through airborne particles, and dogs may be exposed in any setting where there is a congregation of dogs including boarding facilities, off-leash parks, cafes or groomers. This vaccine needs to given yearly and is recommended for dogs who socialise.

C7: A C7 vaccine offers the highest level of coverage against the most common infectious diseases dogs may be exposed to. It may be recommended depending on your lifestyle or geographic location. A C7 gives coverage against:

• Canine Distemper Virus
• Canine Parvovirus
• Canine Infectious Hepatitis
• Canine Parainfluenza & Bordetella bronchiseptia
• Leptospirosis: There are a number of strains of Leptospira bacteria present in soil and water which can cause Leptospirosis in mammals, including dogs and humans. Symptoms vary, but the disease most commonly effects the liver and kidneys and is often fatal. Risk factors include exposure to rodents, travel to at-risk regions (such as the inner west of Sydney, the NSW South Coast and tropical northern Australia) and exposure to still water. The vaccine we use in clinic covers two strains of leptospira and has to be given yearly.

Cats
F3: A F3 vaccine is recommended for cats as it offers coverage against diseases which are most contagious and likely to causes serious health problems for pets.  It is a requirement for boarding and recommended for any cat that may have contact with others. It needs to be administered yearly  and gives coverage against:

• Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis: This highly contagious virus causes upper respiratory tract infections (cat flu). Symptoms include sneezing, eye and nasal discharge, a fever and coughing. Effective treatment is limited, and once a cat has become infected, it is a carrier for life.
• Feline Calicivirus: Another viral cause of upper respiratory tract infections (cat flu). Symptoms include fever, ulcers and blisters on the tongue and pneumonia in more severe cases.  Cats infected with calicivirus can suffer from chronic illness and infect other cats even after recovery.
• Feline Panleukopaenia: This virus causes gastrointestinal disease in cats, with symptoms including vomiting, diarrhoea, dehydration and fevers. It is extremely infectious and resistant and can last in contaminated environments for over 1 year.

 
Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV): In some cases, particularly for outdoor cats, a vaccination against FIV may be recommended. FIV is transmitted through bite wounds and scratches from infected cats. The virus attacks the immune system, leading to compromised immunity for life in infected individuals. This needs to be administered yearly.

​Rabbits
Filavac: In Australia, biological agents such as strains of calicivirus are used for the control of wild rabbit populations. Pet rabbits should therefore be vaccinated against these agents to avoid significant disease. The price of a vaccine for pet rabbits has gone up in recent years to provide protection from the two strains of calicivirus which are now present in wild populations, when previously just one was covered. As the government continues to release these strains into the wild population, vaccination is essential to protect your pet rabbit. This vaccine should be given yearly.

These days it’s pretty common to travel with our pets, but it you are looking at travelling a little further afield or making planning for a lap of Australia then there’s a few things to think about to ensure you furry companions stay in tiptop health.
Vaccinations:
You’ll need to ensure your pooch’s standard vaccines are up to date, so they don’t get parvo from the soil and are covered if you need to pop them into board while visiting national parks. These days more pet-friendly accommodation and caravan parks also require proof of vaccination for the stay. It’s worth having a chat with the vet team about where you are headed and the risks of a disease called leptospirosis. We can vaccinate again the most common strains, but depending on where you are going (mainly tropical Australia) and how long for, there’s an additional vaccine you may want to get topped up with a local vet in that region.

​Ticks:
Just like in the Blue Mountains, the rest of the East coast and northern part of Australia has paralysis ticks. Nexgard, Simparica and Bravecto all provide excellent coverage for this parasite but when it comes to the Brown Dog Tick, which can carry the blood borne parasite Ehrlichia, a Seresto collar works best. Both types of products can be used together to give top level coverage when you are travelling through northern Australia.
Heartworm:
Monthly heartworm prevention works well at protecting so long as they are given exactly on time. Because we are all prone to human error, failure to give a dose on time, even if only by a few days, in high risk areas (north/east Australia) could allow infection. Yearly heartworm injections give superior protection if you are spending an extended amount of time in that region.

​Oral toxins:
Cane toads are synonymous with Queensland but these days they can also be found in Northern NSW and the Northern Territory. If dogs are unfamiliar with these toxic hoppers, then they can get themselves into a pickle, especially if they enjoy the ‘buzz’ that a small dose of their poison gives. Many national parks and forest areas utilise baits to control wild dog and fox populations. Exploring pet dogs can come across baits if they have been dragged away from their intended location.
If you are spending a lot time in these regional areas it can be worth taking the time to train your dog to a basket muzzle so there’s no risk of accidental poisoning. 

Spirocerca:
This random little parasite is not very well know but hangs out in Northwest Qld – think Mount Isa and surrounds. It’s normal host is a dung beetle but it can cause pretty nasty ongoing illness in dogs that accidentally eat it. If you have a poop-eating pooch (of any variety of poo, especially cow dung), it’s worth looking at basket muzzles and regular worming with Milbemax or equivalent generic products.
Registration:
The final thing to do before hitting the road is to check that your pet’s microchip details are up to date, especially you’re on-the-road contact information. Because the NSW Pet Registry is not easily accessible by vets and council rangers outside of NSW, it’s worth making sure that you dog has a collar and/or tag with your phone number on it, plus it some states it’s a legal requirement.

What is a zoonosis? Unfortunately, it's not a fun outing to Taronga, but instead any disease that infects or is carried by animals, which can also infect or be spread to people.
 
An estimated 60% of human infectious diseases around the world are zoonoses. And there's one that has the potential to do a lot of damage to chooks and humans: Bird flu, or Avian Influenza (AI), which has its reservoir in wild birds (they carry it without getting sick). AI comes in multiple varieties including Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, (HPAI). An example of HPAI is H5N1, which has lately smashed everything from parrots to penguins on every continent except Australia. 
 
Preparations for the worst are being made. What preparations can owners of backyard chooks make?
 
NSW has an excellent fact sheet here: https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/factsheets/Pages/avian-influenza.aspx
 
...with the main take-aways being that bird flu is endemic in wild birds; that is, they carry it in their bodies all the time, and may not show any symptoms or get sick from it, but when they mix with domestic birds, such as your free-ranging leghorns, or contaminate your backyard by coming down to your birdbaths or chook feed dispensers, the virus can be passed to you, not to mention your budgie or your bantam.
 
What to do? Rehome your birds? If your household has immunocompromised people in it (eg young children, the elderly, anyone on chemo or other immunosuppressing medications) this is a valid step. Not just on account of AI, but other endemic zoonoses such as psittacosis, aka parrot fever, which has frequent outbreaks in the Blue Mountains due to our love affair with feeding native species. 
 
If you've ever worked at a big poultry producer, you'll know pet birds at home aren't allowed, because of biosecurity, ie the risk that your pet bird may be invisibly carrying something nasty. Poultry farmers have had the experience of driving vehicles through troughs of disinfectant, to keep contaminated soil out, and of performing a complete shower and change of clothes when passing in or out of the buildings.
 
This kind of barrier between your kitchen and backyard may not be practical. But you can try to approximate it by regularly washing hands with soap and water, wearing coveralls, and disinfecting your gumboots before and after attending to your chooks, even if you don't go the full PPE including P2 mask.
 
If you have a birdbath, situate it well away from areas that your chickens have access to. Fully emptying and disinfecting any food and water vessels every day is ideal. Always choose water containers that can be scrubbed and sterilised over a pond or waterfall which can never be cleaned and which will attract wild waterfowl.
 
Use netting, covered water and feed dispensers, and rat-proofed coops to reduce the chances of wild bird contact and/or contamination. 
 
Be careful around wild birds - enjoy watching them but don't encourage them to land on you, come into human-frequented spaces, or share your food.
 
Love your chooks and your aviary birds but don't kiss them!
 
Keep your annual human flu vaccination up to date. This reduces the chances a bird flu virus and a human flu virus can coexist in your body, potentially swapping genetic material with each other to mutate into the superflu that causes the next pandemic.
 
And if you notice a swathe of sudden deaths, coughing and sneezing, or other symptoms in your backyard flock, refer to this Bird Life Australia handout: https://birdlife.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Avian-Influenza-Fact-Sheet-Sep-2024.pdf
 
...and AVOID, RECORD, & REPORT to the Animal Disease Hotline.

Have you had your blood pressure checked? For the humans in your household, the answer would be of course, yes. But what about your furry family members? Particularly in cats, high blood pressure or hypertension is a common disease that is easy to overlook. But this can result in catastrophic consequences such as sudden blindness, seizures, kidney damage or heart disease.

Cats with pre-exisiting kidney or thyroid disease are particularly prone to developing hypertension and dogs aren’t exempt from the problem.

Fortunately, with a little bit of cooperation, diagnosis is easy. A blood pressure cuff (similar to ours, just quite a bit smaller!) is put on the leg or tail and either using an electronic monitor or listening to the blood flow, the pressure can be measured.
We use several different devices to measure the blood pressure, as with each style their accuracy can depend on the size of the patient and how stressed they are. Oscillometric non-invasive blood pressure monitoring machines are quiet and easy but can be a little temperamental (they do use a computer after all). Doppler monitors can be a bit noisy but allow us to hear the heart beat at the same time. We use a combination of monitors for tracking our patients’ blood pressure both as outpatients or when they are undergoing anaesthesia.
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If we do detect that a pet has hypertension, the good news is that there are several medications that we can use to help control it and keep your pet safe.