Vaccinations

There are a number of infectious diseases that our dogs can catch. Although most of them are rarely seen these days, the main reason for this is that people regularly vaccinate their dogs. Through regular vaccination we can keep these diseases at bay. However, if the number of vaccinated dogs drops below a certain level, there is a good chance one or more of these diseases would arise again.

Our vaccination protocol protects against:

Canine Hepatitis: A viral disease affecting the liver, although it can affect both the kidney and eyes too (Blue eye). Dogs can appear normal and then suddenly go downhill. Vomiting, diarrhoea and lethargy are seen.

Canine Distemper: This disease was known as HardPad as it can affect the dog's pads, making them very hard, hence the dog clicked as it walked. It also causes vomiting, diarrhoea, coughing, sneezing, eye discharge and fits. It is frequently fatal, especially when fits are seen. It can also cause damage to the brain which, will show up later in life

Parvovirus: This is a virus causing severe gastroenteritis, often with bloody diarrhoea. In severe cases, the dog can show signs and be dead within 8 hours. Puppies with this disease can also develop secondary heart disease.

Leptospirosis: This is a bacterial disease which has two forms. The first carries a high fatality rate and often is caught from rat urine. It is very contagious and can affect people. The second will cause severe kidney damage. We unfortunately see a number of cases of this on the Isle of Man every year.

Dogs require a booster for Leptospirosis every year and the remainder every 3 years. This gives the most complete cover possible. Leptospirosis is quite prevalent on the Isle of Man and every dog should receive this vaccine. Puppies require their first injections at 8 weeks of age and a second dose 2 weeks later.

Like with dogs, there are a number of serious, infectious diseases that we need to be aware of in our cat population. Some of these are still quite prevalent too.

Our vaccination protocol protects against:

Feline Enteritis: A viral disease similar to parvovirus in dogs. It is highly contagious and, in younger cats, usually fatal. In some cases, the animal will just drop dead with no apparent symptoms. It can affect cats of any age.

Feline Leukemia (FeLV): This is a viral disease of cats that affects the white blood cells. It is the number one infectious killer of cats in the Western world. It can cause cancer in cats and also greatly lower their immune system so that they become highly prone to many other infectious diseases. It is a similar virus to the AIDs virus in humans. Vaccination is a safe and effective way of preventing this infection.

Cat Flu: This is a combination of a number of infectious organisims which cause flu-like symtpoms in cats. As well as coughing, sneezing and eye discharge, this disease can also open the cat up to other diseases such as pneumonia. There can also be long-term problems for cats who get this disease, including eye damage and persistant chest infections. Infected cats can also become carriers and continuously pass the disease onto other cats.

Kittens start their vaccinations at 9 weeks of age and receive a second vaccination at 12 weeks. A booster is required every year for all diseases. We are happy with the safety and efficacy of all our vaccines.

Rabbits are becoming a more common sight in our surgeries as more and more people get them as pets. As they grow in popularity, it is important to be aware that they also need a certain level of care. Vaccinations are part of this and there are two major infections we need to be aware of in rabbits:

Myxomatosis: This is unfortunately a man-made disease, introduced to the rabbit population many years ago to try and control the population. Since then, it has spread far and wide. It is passed by rabbit fleas and affected rabbits present with a swollen face and severe discharge from their eyes. They are very weak and will soon die. It is highly contagious and tends to occur in cycles. Rabbits need to be vaccinated at 6 weeks and then either every 6 months or yearly, depending on the level of infection present in the environment.

Viral Haemorrhagic Disease (VHD): This is a fairly new disease and only appeared in the mid 1980s. It is highly contagious and will often cause sudden death. Clinical symptoms may be fever, restlessness, swollen face and convulsions. Rabbits should be vaccinated at 10-12 weeks of age and then yearly thereafter.

A booster is required every year and if there is a major breakout of the the disease, every 6 months for Myxomatosis. They can start on their Myxomatosis vaccine at 6 weeks of age and VHD from 10 weeks. There needs to be a 2-week gap between these two vaccinations.

Horses are routinely vaccinated for Equine flu and Tetanus. The flu vaccine is boosted every year and tetanus every 2 years. Foals can be vaccinated from 6 months of age. If you are intending to compete your horse and need to be fully vaccinated under Jockey Club or FEI rules, boosters must be done prior to the yearly anniversary of the vaccine date. If you go over this date, you will have to start again. Please contact us at the surgery for details and advice on the requirements to start horse vaccinations.