Like humans, animals are susceptible to a wide variety of illnesses which, thanks to modern vaccinations, can be easily controlled and protected against with a regular course of injections. In addition to protecting your own pet by having him or her vaccinated, you are also doing your bit to eradicate the spread of such diseases, some of which can even be harmful to humans.

Vaccinating your pets

It is strongly recommended that you vaccinate your pets at any early age. In the case of puppies and kittens, they are protected against most diseases by their mother’s milk, providing that the mother has also been regularly vaccinated. However, this protection doesn’t last long after they have stopped being nursed, and they will need to be regularly vaccinated to help keep their immune system strong. Puppies should typically be vaccinated at around eight to ten weeks, while kittens should be at nine to twelve weeks. However, smaller pets such as rabbits should be vaccinated from six weeks of age. The initial course of vaccines will consist of two injections. After this initial course of injections, your pet should be vaccinated every twelve months, or as you vet sees fit. It might be the case for some older animals that they need more regular vaccinations as their immune system slowly begins to deteriorate. Also, if a particular disease is prevalent in your area, your pet may need more regular injections.

Typical vaccinations for dogs and cats

Different animals require different injections, and it is important to know exactly what your pet needs. Of course, your vet will be able to clarify this for you, but it is also useful to have a knowledge for yourself. Dogs, traditionally more vulnerable to disease than other animals, should be routinely vaccinated against canine parvovirus, canine distemper virus, leptospirosis and infectious canine hepatitis, amongst other things. If you are planning on taking your dog overseas, they will need to be vaccinated against rabies. Alternatively, if you intend on placing your dog in kennels while you travel, they should also be given a “kennel cough vaccine.” This is to protect against infectious diseases such as parainfluenza virus and bordetella bronchiseptica. Like dogs, cats also have a number of dieases they need to be protected against such as feline infectious enteritis, feline herpes virus, feline calicivirus and feline leukaemia virus.

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