We strongly recommend you have you pet vaccinated against several diseases all of which can be fatal. This should start from 6 weeks in puppies and 9 weeks in kittens and continue annually.
At each vacination visit we always also perform a thorough health assessment or 'MOT' with the aim of picking up small problems before they get a chance to turn into big ones such as signs of early heart problems, arthritis, tumours or dental disease. Plenty can be done about these if caught at an early stage - but if left untreated all of these could cause pain, discomfort, imfirmity and even premature death.
When it comes to health and wellbeing prevention is better than cure but this is only possible with regular checkups by your vet - Your Pet's Health Professional.
Please read on for information on vaccinations for your pet.
There are several diseases which your pet can get - all of which can be fatal - for which we can administer vaccines. These vaccines are very very effective at preventing infection should your pet be exposed to these diseases and can thus save the life of your pet. Prior to the availability of thee vaccines thousands of animals died every year. Now thanks to widespread vaccination of pets we see only small numbers of animals dying from these disease. Simple as that.
Furthermore all good boarding kennels and catteries will not admit your pet without their vaccines being up to date. A list of the disease we vaccinate for is available here for dogs and here for cats.
At what age can my baby pet be vaccinated at?
Puppies and kittens need to receive a course of 2 (or occasionally 3) injections to ensure they are fully protected.
The first injection can be given at 6 weeks of age for puppies or 9 weeks of age for kittens followed by a second injection 2-4 weeks later. Your pet has to be at least this age before the vaccines will be effective so there is no point in giving the vaccines any earlier. The exact timing of this second vaccine and whether or not they need a third vaccine depends on the age and breed of your pet - we will let you know what needs to be done and when at your first visit.
What if I have an older pet that has never been vaccinated?
No problem - we just administer a full vaccination course as we would to a puppy or kitten. It is never too late to vaccinate your pet - just because they have never picked up one of these diseases does not mean they will not in the future. If in doubt about what is best to then just pick up the 'phone and have a chat with one of our nursing team.
Then what is needed in the years after the first vaccinations?
Because the immunity your pet gets from his/her first vaccinations does not last longer than a year for some of the diseases he/she will need annual vaccinations to ensure he/she continues to be fully protected.
We do not need to vaccinate for every disease annually but we do need to vaccinate for some diseases every year. Exactly what your pet receives depends on what your pet received in the previous years and what age he/she is. We discuss this with you at the time of the visit but rest assured your pet receives only those vaccines needed to maintain protection. Our primary objective is to use the minimum number of vaccine components necessary while at the same time ensuring optimum protection for your pet.
What if my pet hasn't been vaccinated for years?
If this is the case then your pet may now have little or no immunity to any of the disease we vaccinate for and can thus catch these diseases and become ill.
However there is no problem - we can get everything going again very quickly and ensure he/she is safe. Depending on how long ago it has been since the last vaccine we will need to either administer one or two shots to get the immunity back up to where it need be. We will discuss this when you are in and make the decision that is best for your pet.
Are the vaccines safe?
Yes they are. As with any drug there is always the possibility of an adverse reaction but they are so rare that neither of our vets have seen any severe reactions to vaccinations. Furthermore the risk of not vaccinating is far far higher than any potential risk from administering the vaccines.
In summary we have seen plenty of dogs and cats get very ill and die from not having been vaccinated but we have seen no deaths or severe illness from being administered vaccines.
For more information please see this document produced by Intervet - the world's leading manufacturer of animal vaccines.
