Vaccinations

Avoid Infection by Protection

Maintaining regular dental care, worming and flea treatments, are just a few of the many ways that can help towards your pets’ well-being. Another very important part in their general healthcare, are their primary vaccinations and annual boosters, as these are protection against potentially infectious diseases.

How important are vaccinations?

We all want to protect our pets from illness and keep infectious diseases at a low level in the animal community. Infectious diseases are spread via direct contact with or where an infected animal has been, so vaccination is vital for our pets. Cats are independent creatures that roam freely in the outside world and are therefore likely to come into contact with unvaccinated stray or wild felines. Should your pet have zero protection, they could be at risk from distressing and sadly often fatal diseases such as:

Feline Leukaemia Virus (FeLV)
Mainly spread via the saliva through sharing food bowls, mutual grooming, and fighting. The virus infects cats by entering the body through the mouth and nose, where it then spreads into the bloodstream. Signs of infection may take months to develop, and can range from poor appetite and recurring diarrhoea to anaemia and tumours.

Immunol Deficiency Virus (Cat Aids)
Infection is via close contact bites and scratches. This virus suppresses the immune system, so the cat is more susceptible to various problems, and unable to effectively fight illness.

Feline Infectious Respiratory Disease (Cat Flu)
Another unpleasant disease where the virus is spread from cat to cat in the saliva and nasal discharge through sneezing, sharing food bowls and direct contact. Cats feel very poorly when experiencing Cat Flu, and symptoms can include a runny nose, sore watery eyes, sneezing, coughing and in more serious cases difficulty breathing.

Feline Panleucopenia (Enteritis/Parvovirus)
This is a very hardy virus, which survives in the environment for long periods of time and can be transmitted via clothing, on shoes, food bowls and litter trays. Signs are lack of appetite, lethargy, temperature, vomiting and bloody diarrhoea, which result in dehydration.

When to Vaccinate

A kitten’s primary course can begin at nine weeks with two vaccinations given not less than three weeks apart, which are quick and simple to administer. If you have just acquired a new adult cat, or feel your pets’ annual boosters have lapsed, please do not hesitate to contact us for advice or for further information on vaccinations.

Avoid Infection by Protection

Maintaining regular dental care, worming and flea treatments, are just a few of the many ways that can help towards your pets’ well-being. Another very important part in their general healthcare, are their primary vaccinations and annual boosters, as these are protection against potentially infectious diseases.

How important are vaccinations?

We all want to protect our pets from illness and keep infectious diseases at a low level in the animal community. Infectious diseases are spread via direct contact with or where an infected animal has been, so vaccination is vital for our pets. Your dog is a social creature that enjoys walks, playing with other canine friends, and having a good sniff around. Should your pet have zero protection, they could be at risk from distressing and sadly often fatal diseases such as:

Canine Distemper (Hardpad)
Spread from dog to dog via tiny airborne droplets, and can produce fever, pneumonia coughing, heavy nasal/eye discharge to diarrhoea and seizures. It can also affect the nervous system.

Leptospirosis (Weil’s Disease)
This is contracted via infected urine or water where rats have been. It affects the liver, but can also involve the kidneys. Signs can include lethargy, vomiting, bloody diarrhoea and jaundice. Unfortunately in severe cases, it can be fatal within hours.

Leptospirosis Canicola
Spread via the infected urine of foxes and dogs. Symptoms range from loss of appetite to vomiting, with the kidneys affected. If they survive the illness, kidney failure can follow in later years.

Canine Parvovirus
Spread via infected faeces, this virus can survive in the environment for long periods of time. It is particularly unpleasant and distressing for the animal and produces severe vomiting, bloody diarrhoea and a reluctance to eat or drink. It is often fatal, especially for puppies.

Canine Viral Hepatitis
Transmitted through dog-to-dog contact and causes fever, loss of appetite, vomiting, depression and jaundice, plus long-term liver damage should the dog survive.

Kennel Cough
A type of infectious bronchitis, spread by airborne droplets, especially where canines gather at boarding kennels, training classes and dog shows, where there is lots of nose-to-nose contact. Kennel cough is not fatal, but can infect dogs of all ages, and unfortunately in some cases, serious complications may arise in the young, weak or elderly. It causes a dry, hacking and unpleasant cough, sometimes accompanied with sneezing and a runny nose, which can last for many weeks.

Canine Parainfluenza
A virus, which is one of the main causes of Kennel Cough and in very young, old or weak dogs it can develop into pneumonia.

When to Vaccinate

A puppy’s primary course can begin at eight weeks, with two vaccinations given not less than two weeks apart, which are quick and simple to administer. If you have just acquired a new adult dog, or feel your pets’ annual boosters have lapsed, please do not hesitate to contact us for advice or for further information on vaccinations.