In the UK, it is recommended that dogs, cats and rabbits are vaccinated using ‘core vaccines’ every year which will protect them against some of the most common, and serious, infectious diseases we encounter such as Parvovirus, Feline Leukaemia Virus and Myxomatosis.
For dogs and cats, a primary course is typically recommended when your pet is a puppy or kitten, or if your pet’s vaccines are out of date. This consists of two vaccinations given two to four weeks apart, depending on the vaccine used.
Rabbits only need one vaccination for their primary course before they are fully protected. Your vet will then usually recommend a booster vaccination every year to ensure your pet stays protected. Alternatively if you have a dog, you can have a blood test that will check the level of antibodies in their blood and if the levels remain high enough, your pet will not need a booster vaccination that year.
You will need to do the blood test every 12 months and currently, it is not possible to check for Leptospirosis antibodies so as a minimum, your dog would require this vaccination each year.