All animals will acquire a certain amount of
immunity via their mother. This is called
maternal immunity and is usually present until
approximately 10 weeks of age. The protection
provided by this immunity will depend upon the
mother's immunity. It is therefore essential that
if you are planning on breeding from your bitch
or queen, you ensure that they are fully
vaccinated. If puppies or kittens are born to
unvaccinated mothers, be aware that they may
be vulnerable and an extra early vaccination
may be appropriate.
The diseases which we vaccinate dogs against
are all potential killers. The viral diseases can
rapidly make a puppy or vulnerable adult
dog seriously ill, requiring prompt, intensive
veterinary intervention. Vaccination offers
protection from these diseases which, although
not common, are a huge risk to the wellbeing
of your pet.
In general, dogs are usually vaccinated as
puppies between 8 and 12 weeks old, with
kittens being vaccinated between 9 and 12
weeks. Boosters are required every year. To
establish exactly how long immunity lasts it
would be necessary to blood sample the
animal and vaccinate accordingly. It is well
established that for most vaccine brands,
immunity to Distemper, Parvovirus and Canine
hepatitis will last for 3 years. Immunity to
Leptospirosis however, is not long lived and it
is advisable to vaccinate every year. Distemper
and Canine Hepatitis are seen particularly in
areas of high density dog populations.
Leptospirosis is always a risk, particularly in
rural areas with water courses readily
accessible. Parvovirus has caused major
problems in the past and in recent years has
become more controlled. However, beware
that numbers of cases of this disease are on
the increase, and we are once more seeing
puppies dying from Parvovirus.
Cat Flu is always a potential problem, both
for the acutely sick cat, but also for the longer
term welfare of the chronically ill cat and
incontact cats. Recovered cats will often
become carriers, and with the distance that
rural cats travel, any unvaccinated cat is
vulnerable. Feline Leukaemia is a silent killer.
The virus can remain dormant for many years
often becoming active and causing disease
later in life. A cat that has a leukaemia
associated disease is very difficult to treat
and many die or are euthanased on humane
grounds. Leukaemia virus is commonly present
in apparently healthy cats therefore initial
infection may happen without your knowledge.
Rabbits are routinely vaccinated against Viral
Haemorrhagic Disease (VHD) and Myxomatosis.
VHD is rapidly fatal often with very few signs of
illness, and Myxomatosis causes a miserable
lingering illness which is also invariably fatal.
Direct contact with other rabbits is not
necessary to become infected, so vaccination
is the only reliable option for prevention.
Prevention of disease is much cheaper, easily
performed and significantly more reliable than
treatment. We would therefore always
recommend both primary vaccinations in the
young animal, and booster vaccinations to
maintain an adequate level of immunity
throughout life.
If you would like to discuss this further please
contact your veterinary practice.
by
Ann Noble VetMB, MRCVS,
Paragon Veterinary Group
SPRINGTIME
feature...
The importance
of Vaccination!
Whether to vaccinate and what we should vaccinate against has in recent years caused
a lot of debate in human medicine. A similar debate has taken place in the veterinary field.
Our aim is always to provide adequate protection for our pets without 'over vaccinating'.
practice
news...
Small Talk
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www.westmorland-vets.co.uk
EASTER
BUNNIES!
Starting from Easter and continuing
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answer any questions you may have.
We are also offering 10% off neutering
which we strongly recommend because
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Welcome to the practice Jen Claridge,
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Jen works part time at the Kendal
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her three rescue dogs.
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