Family Vet Limited
A big part of our local community - Our Veterinary Practice has been an integral part of our local community since February 2010. In that time, we’ve helped thousands of our clients cats & dogs, rabbits, rats and even a few birds.
Vaccination helps protect dogs from serious infectious diseases. At Timaru’s Family Vet, we tailor each vaccination programme to the dog’s age, health, previous vaccination history, lifestyle and likely exposure.
We use Nobivac DHP for core protection and Nobivac KC or Canigen KC for protection against important causes of canine cough.
Canine distemper is a serious viral disease that can affect the respiratory, digestive and nervous systems. Signs may include fever, coughing, nasal or eye discharge, vomiting, diarrhoea, weakness and neurological problems.
Infectious canine hepatitis is caused by canine adenovirus type 1. It can affect the liver and other organs and may cause fever, abdominal pain, vomiting, bleeding problems and severe illness.
Canine parvovirus is highly contagious and can cause severe vomiting, diarrhoea, dehydration and life-threatening illness, particularly in puppies and inadequately vaccinated dogs.
The virus can remain infectious in the environment, so direct contact with a visibly sick dog is not required.
Nobivac DHP is an injectable vaccine protecting against:
Following an appropriate primary vaccination course, the manufacturer lists protection lasting at least three years for the DHP components.
Dogs should still have a regular health examination even in years when their DHP vaccination is not due.
Canine cough is often called “kennel cough”, but dogs do not need to stay in kennels to catch it. It spreads readily wherever dogs meet, including:
Canine cough can be caused by several different viruses and bacteria. Vaccination targets important causes and can reduce the likelihood and severity of disease, but it cannot prevent every possible cause of coughing.
Nobivac KC is the intranasal canine cough vaccine most commonly used at Timaru’s Family Vet. It is administered into one nostril rather than by injection.
It provides protection against:
The manufacturer lists protection lasting for at least 12 months. Protection against Bordetella bronchiseptica develops more quickly than protection against parainfluenza, so vaccination should not be left until immediately before boarding or another higher-risk activity.
Canigen KC is an injectable canine cough vaccine protecting against:
It may be used when an injectable vaccination is more appropriate for an individual dog.
Dogs receiving Canigen KC for the first time require a primary course of two injections. Annual revaccination is then required. We will advise you of the correct timing for your dog.
Puppies require a primary vaccination programme rather than a single injection. Antibodies received from their mother can interfere with early vaccination, so vaccinations are given at carefully selected intervals while the puppy’s own immunity develops.
The number and timing of vaccinations will depend on:
We will provide an individual schedule at your puppy’s first appointment.
Until we advise that your puppy has developed suitable protection, avoid areas with a high risk of contamination by unknown or inadequately vaccinated dogs. Safe, controlled socialisation remains important during this period.
Adult dogs do not necessarily receive every vaccine each year.
DHP vaccination is generally given less frequently once an appropriate primary programme has been completed. Canine cough protection is normally renewed annually when ongoing protection is required.
Dogs with an unknown or significantly overdue vaccination history may require an additional dose or a new primary programme.
Boarding kennels, daycare providers and training organisations may have their own vaccination requirements.
Check their requirements and contact Timaru’s Family Vet well before your booking. Some vaccines need time to develop protection, while an injectable canine cough vaccine requires two initial doses.
Some dogs may be quieter than usual or have mild tenderness at an injection site for a short time. Mild sneezing or nasal discharge can occasionally occur following an intranasal vaccination.
Please contact us if you are concerned about your dog following vaccination. Seek prompt veterinary advice if your dog develops facial swelling, breathing difficulty, repeated vomiting, collapse or another significant reaction.
Last reviewed: September 2026
A big part of our local community - Our Veterinary Practice has been an integral part of our local community since February 2010. In that time, we’ve helped thousands of our clients cats & dogs, rabbits, rats and even a few birds.
