We all want the best for our four-legged friends, especially when it comes to keeping them fit and healthy. Pet vaccinations help protect against serious, life-threatening diseases for your animals.
Typically, pets are vaccinated when they are puppies or kittens. Vaccination programmes for kittens and puppies start at around eight weeks old. It is important to remember that vaccines don’t give lifelong immunity and that is why regular booster vaccinations are recommended. These are also ideal opportunities for your pet to have a full health check with a vet or a vet nurse. At Aldgate, we will send out reminders for all vaccinations, but you may also want to set a reminder in your phone or pop it in your calendar.
Vaccines stimulate the immune system of pets to produce antibodies. Then, if your pet comes into contact with a virus or disease, it will be recognised by its immune system and protected against infection by the antibodies the vaccine produced.
There are four main diseases that dogs are vaccinated against. These are:
● Leptospirosis
● Canine distemper
● Parvovirus
● Infectious canine hepatitis
Some dogs may need other vaccines, such as kennel cough and rabies.
There are three main diseases that cats are vaccinated against. These are:
● Cat Flu (protects against Feline Herpes Virus and Calicivirus)
● Feline parvovirus (also known as ‘Panleukopenia’/’Infectious Enteritis’)
● Feline Leukaemia Virus (FeLV)
Just like humans, the young and the elderly are usually more vulnerable to disease and illness. As your pet gets older, they might not be quite as strong and find it difficult to get over illnesses; so regular boosters are essential.
If you adopt an older pet and you don’t know if they’ve ever had vaccinations, they can start a vaccination programme to suit them, just ask your vet.
Many of the core diseases in the UK are now low risk, this is due to years of vaccination compliance and positive action from pet owners. However, if we were to stop vaccinating pets, and the prevalence of infections increased, animals would be at a much higher risk of contracting deadly diseases.
It is also handy to note that many dog walkers, boarding kennels, or day-care facilities will require you to have your pet fully vaccinated.
If you’re worried about vaccinations or have any questions, it’s best to talk to your vet or vet nurse; they will be able to give you advice specific to your pet.
Don’t forget, if you are registered with our Pet Health Plan, annual vaccinations are included!
