Vaccinating your pet
We all need our ‘jabs’, Pets too! We thoroughly recommend that all dogs, cats and rabbits are vaccinated against the serious diseases that can be protected against. The general rule is an initial course as a baby and then annual booster to keep the immunity levels high. The regimen required will depend on the type and age of your pet and some courses can start from as early as six weeks. So as soon as you have your new pet give the surgery a call and we will be more than happy to discuss the requirements with you. If you have any concerns about vaccination or the protocols and options for your specific pet, please call us!
Types of vaccines for animals
Vaccination plays a central role in protecting small animals from major infectious viral and bacterial diseases, which are can cause significant illness and be difficult to treat. All vaccines authorised for use in the UK have met quality, safety and efficacy standards as assessed by the independent veterinary regulator.
The core canine UK vaccines are CDV (for canine distemper), CPV (for parvovirus infection) and CAV (for infectious canine hepatitis). These vaccines are recommended for all dogs, to protect them against these serious diseases. There are additional / non-core canine vaccines which are sometimes recommended for puppies and dogs who are at risk of specific infections due to their geographical location, local environment or lifestyle (eg: canine leptospira, CPi and Bordetella bronchiseptica).
Vaccinations for cats and rabbits
The core vaccines against viruses and bacteria that cause important feline diseases include:
Feline Panleucopenia/Infectious Enteritis (Feline Parvovirus, FPV)
Feline Rhinotracheitis (Feline Herpesvirus, FHV)
Feline Calicivirus (FCV)
Other ‘non-core’ vaccines can be recommended for cats at risk of specific infections, again taking into account location, the local environment or their lifestyle.
Vaccines are recommended against the two main diseases of pet rabbits in the UK: myxomatosis and rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHD) type 1 and type 2.