Vaccinations

Keeping up to date with vaccinations is an essential part of being a responsible pet owner. Vaccines act by stimulating your pets’ immune system to protect them against life-threatening diseases and illnesses. Only healthy animals should be vaccinated to ensure that this protective response develops properly.

Vaccinating your Cat

For cats our vaccine protocol provides cover against the following diseases:

  • Feline Panleucopenia (enteritis)
  • Feline Calicivirus
  • Feline Rhinotracheitis
  • Feline Leukaemia virus
  • Feline Chlamydia virus

Primary vaccination for non vaccinated cats and kittens requires 2 injections given 3-4 weeks apart from 9 weeks of age or older.

Thereafter a booster vaccination is given annually to ensure ongoing protection.

Vaccinating your Dog

In our practice we use a multivalent vaccine which is used in dogs and puppies to protect against the following diseases:

  • Canine Parvovirus
  • Infectious Canine Hepatitis
  • Canine Parainfluenza virus
  • Canine Distemper
  • Leptospirosis
  • Canine Coronavirus

Puppies require a primary vaccination course. This consists of 2 injections given 2-4 weeks apart. Puppies can start their vaccination course from 6 weeks of age, but they must be at least 10 weeks old when they receive their second injection. The onset of immunity is 2 weeks after the second injection, when it is then safe to take your pup out and about. Your pup will then require a ‘booster’ vaccination one year after the second vaccination.

Thereafter adult dogs require an annual booster vaccination to maintain immunity.

Kennel Cough Vaccination

Protection against kennel cough requires a separate vaccine from your pets’ normal booster. This is an intranasal vaccine which provides immunity from 72 hours after administration and which lasts for one year.

Kennel cough in dogs is a syndrome which can be caused by several different viruses and bacteria. It is very infectious and can spread rapidly from dog to dog. As the name suggests it is common in kenneled dogs, but also in any environment where dogs are in close contact such as shows, training classes or even on a busy beach.

Rabies Vaccination – dogs, cats and ferrets

Vaccination against rabies is compulsory in many countries due to the risk of passing this dangerous and fatal disease to humans. Currently we are lucky to be free from rabies in the UK. However if you are planning to take your pet abroad then rabies vaccination will be required as part of the UK Pet Travel Scheme (PETS). For more information see our Pet Passport page.

Vaccinating your Rabbit

We recommend a vaccine protocol to protect against the following diseases:

  • Myxomatosis
  • Viral Haemorrhagic Disease (VHD)

Myxomatosis is primarily a disease of wild rabbits. In the early stages the virus causes runny eyes, but this rapidly progresses to severe conjunctivitis, swollen eyes and genitals, blindness and ultimately death. The virus can be spread to pet rabbits via biting insects including the rabbit flea and mosquitoes. Pet rabbits which are most at risk are those living outside or those affected by fleas. Sometimes the cheyletiella mite can also be a vector for spread of the disease.
Vaccination is therefore recommended. Rabbits can be vaccinated from 6 weeks of age. The onset of immunity is for 2 weeks after injection and lasts for 6 months. It is recommended that rabbits should be then re vaccinated annually in May/June which is just prior to the british myxomatosis season. Rabbits which are at high risk of myxomatosis infection should be vaccinated every 6 months.

VHD is a very serious, fatal disease if wild and domestic rabbits. There is no cure once a rabbit is infected and often the first sign of disease may be sudden death. VHD is spread via direct contact between rabbits but also indirectly, e.g. via contaminated bedding, insects or on the wind.
Vaccination can be given from 10-12 weeks of age, followed annually by a booster vaccination.

Vaccination against myxomatosis and VHD must be given at least 14 days apart.