Vaccinations

Dogs
Puppies are usually vaccinated from eight weeks old and should not be allowed out into public places until they are fully protected. The second vaccine can be given two to four weeks later and only then should you walk your pet outside. It is important to follow this up with yearly boosters.
They should be protected against:

• Distemper, a virus disease causing chest and gastro-intestinal damage which can cause brain damage or even death
• The potentially fatal liver disease viral hepatitis
• Bacterial Leptospira canicola causes kidney damage and leptospira icetrohaeemorrhagiae, which affects mammals including humans causing severe liver and kidney damage.
• Parvovirus which causes severe gastroenteritis and is fatal in almost half of cases

Also, if your dog is staying in kennels, don’t forget kennel cough which is necessary if you are leaving your pet in a boarding establishment.

Cats
Cats should be vaccinated from nine weeks of age to safeguard against flu, enteritis and leukaemia. This involves a course of two injections three weeks apart followed by a yearly booster to ensure your cat is kept fully vaccinated always.

Feline viral enteritis carries a considerable risk of fatality but thanks to vaccination is rare these days. Very few cats, which develop the disease, will survive. FeLV is a virus spread between cats. There is no treatment to get rid of the virus.

Rabbits
Vaccinations are given against two rabbit disease – myxomatosis and viral haemorrhagic disease (VHD).

There is nothing worse than having a sick pet. It is distressing for both you and your animal but in many cases, this can be avoided with a proper vaccination regime.