One of the most important things you can do to ensure your pet leads a long and healthy life is to vaccinate them against the common diseases they can contract which are highly contagious and can cause serious illness.
Puppies and Kittens get some protection against these diseases from their mother but it only lasts a short time. It is essential to give vaccinations to help your puppy or kitten develop their own immunity to these diseases and these vaccinations need to be updated usually every year to maintain immunity.
Vaccinations pose minimal risk to your pet and your Veterinarian will taper a vaccination protocol specifically for your pet dependant on their age and what vaccines they may have had previously.
The general diseases vaccinated against include:
DOGS
Canine Distemper: A highly contagious often fatal disease affecting many organs and the nervous system
Canine Hepatitis: A potentially fatal liver disease
Canine Parvovirus: Very contagious and often fatal causing overwhelming bloody diarrhoea
Canine Cough: A treatable ‘common cold’ type of bacterial and viral infection which is extremely contagious
CATS
Feline enteritis/panleukopaenia: A potentially fatal disease characterised by vomiting, diarrhoea and fever
Feline Respiratory disease (Cat Flu): Highly contagious upper respiratory tract infections with ulcers, fever, sneezing, weepy eyes caused by Rhinotracheitis and Calicivirus
Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV Cat AIDS): A debilitating immune system disease leading to chronic infections and organ decline spread via cat bites
Vaccines are usually administered via an injection between the shoulder blades and some can even be administered as a liquid into their nostrils. Side effects to vaccinations are not common and if your dog or cat does experience anything it will usually be a soreness at the injection site that will be mild and short lived. If you are at all worried about the side effects, please discuss this with your Veterinarian.
Up to date Vaccines are required for all Boarding facilities and Doggy Day care centres.
At Rose Park Veterinary Surgery, we follow the Vaccination guidelines of the World Small Animal Association.
We taper a Vaccination protocol to each individual pet dependent upon their age and exposure risk and their previous vaccine history.
Vaccinations cannot be 100% guaranteed however they are your pets best defence against disease and will be cost effective in the long run preventing costly and often serious treatment procedures.