Dog Vaccinations

• Canine distemper (hard pad)

Canine distemper is a serious disease of dogs caused by a virus. Affected dogs are often very ill and many die from the disease. Symptoms include coughing, a snotty nose, vomiting, diarrhoea and convulsions. Animals which recover may have ongoing illnesses for the rest of their lives. The vaccine is very effective and if given every 3 years will produce full protection against the disease.

• Canine Infectious Hepatitis (adenovirus 1)

This is a disease caused by a virus which attacks the liver and can cause liver failure. Many animals who succumb to this disease will die. Less severely affected dogs may have a cough and high temperature and may also develop a white colour in the layer on the front of the eye. There is no specific treatment for the disease but vaccination gives good protection.

• Canine parvovirus ('parvo')

A disease due to a virus infection which causes severe vomiting and diarrhoea, usually in young puppies. Many puppies affected by the disease will die. The disease is often less severe in older dogs but if bitches are infected while they are pregnant the puppies may be born with deformities. Vaccine protection is generally very good although in some breeds, eg Rottweilers, there have been reports of young puppies catching the disease despite having been vaccinated. If this happens, it is usually because the immunity from the mother had not worn off when the vaccine was given and so the vaccine did not work properly. However, giving the final injection when the puppy is older should overcome this problem.

• Leptospirosis (Weil's disease)

This is an infection caused by a bacterium. The disease is usually spread by rats which pass the bacteria out in their urine. The bacteria only survives well in moist conditions outside the rat, so dogs which spend a lot of time in water are most at risk. The disease is very serious and can cause jaundice and liver failure and can be spread to people as well as infecting dogs. Vaccination gives very good protection which usually lasts for a year (although dogs at high risk may be vaccinated more often).

• Kennel cough (infectious tracheobronchitis)

Kennel cough is not a serious disease in most otherwise healthy dogs. However, it is highly infectious and will rapidly spread around the dog population. As its name suggests, it causes a dry, hacking cough which can go on for a month in some cases. Good kennels will insist that your dog is vaccinated against this disease before agreeing to take them for boarding. Kennel cough is caused by a combination of viruses and bacteria including: Canine parainfluenzavirus, Canine adenovirus 2 and Bordetella bronchiseptica.   Ask your vet for details of which of these your dog is protected against before putting your dog in kennels.

Cat Vaccinations

• Feline Panleucopenia (also called Feline distemper or Feline Infectious Enteritis)

Before the development of a safe vaccine, this was one of the biggest causes of death in cats. It is particularly dangerous for kittens and young cats, when severe vomiting and diarrhoea can cause fatal dehydration within 2-3 days of symptoms starting. The virus is spread in infected faeces (droppings) and it can survive for long periods in the environment.

• Cat Flu (caused by Feline viral rhinotracheitis and Feline calcivirus)

Nearly all cases of respiratory disease in cats are caused by one of two viruses; herpesvirus and calicivirus. Cat flu is only rarely fatal except in very young or old cats and those which are already ill with some other disease. The effects are the same as in human flu - sneezing, a runny nose and eyes - but mouth ulcers may also occur. Once infected a cat may carry the virus for a long time and pose a risk to any unvaccinated cat it meets. Cats carrying the virus may not have any symptoms or may have mouth ulcers or 'snotty noses' which never get better. The protection given by vaccination may be short-lived and sometimes your cat may need to be vaccinated at six month intervals.

• Feline Leukaemia (FeLV)

The prevalence of this disease varies. In high risk areas, about one in every 100 cats has a persistent infection in which the active virus is permanently present in its body. The chances of being exposed to the virus rise with increasing age. However, it is young animals (under six months of age) that are most likely to be infected with the virus, and one in three of these will go on to develop disease.

In half the cats that die of FeLV the problem is a direct result of destruction of the white blood cells that are one of the main bodily defences against disease. This leaves the cat wide open to infection from any one of a range of other germs. The next most important problems are anaemia and cancer. In the remaining cases the symptoms can include infertility, abortion, stillborn or very weak kittens, inflammation of the eyes, rapid weight loss, gut disease or nerve damage. An infected cat may appear healthy for several months but about 8 out of 10 cats are dead within three years of being infected by the virus.

The virus is spread by direct contact with other cats most commonly via their spit (saliva). The virus may be spread when cats groom each other, share the same food bowls or litter tray, sneeze on or bite another cat. Other less common but possible routes of infection are during sexual relations and between a mother cat and its kittens, either within the womb or through maternal milk.

There is no way to stop an infection once it has become established. Medical treatments may make your cat more comfortable or help treat other infections which may occur as a result of FeLV. FeLV Vaccines can prevent disease in about of eight out of ten vaccinated cats exposed to the virus.

If your cat is the only one in the household and spends all of its time indoors, there is no risk of contact with the virus and vaccination is probably unnecessary. When there are several cats in the house or when a new one is about to arrive it is worth having them all tested for FeLV and those which are free of FeLV antibodies should be vaccinated in good time before the new cat is introduced.

If two consecutive tests a few weeks apart show antibodies to FeLV it is safe to say that your cat is infected with the virus. The infected cat must be kept away from other cats in your home even if they have been vaccinated and it should not be allowed outside. It may be necessary to find it a new home where it cannot pass on the infection to other cats. Sadly, in some situations you may have to think about having the infected cat put to sleep.

• Chlamydia

This is a disease which causes painful inflammation (conjunctivitis), ulcers and discharge from the eyes. It may cause infertility in some female cats. Young kittens with the disease may have sore or runny eyes from a few weeks old. It is mainly a problem where large numbers of cats live together and once a cattery is affected, the disease often keeps coming back. Cats living on their own are at low risk of catching the disease. This disease can be treated with a long course of antibiotics.

There is no satisfactory vaccine yet for other important viral diseases of cats such as feline infectious peritonitis and feline immondeficiency virus (FIV)

Rabies vaccination for dogs and cats

Vaccination against rabies is compulsory in many countries because of the risk of passing this horrible fatal disease to humans. Vaccination is unnecessary for pets in those countries which are free of rabies - the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and Japan - except in those animals which are going to be exported abroad. Dogs and cats in the UK may now be vaccinated against rabies for travel to some European countries or Rabies-free islands and can return to the UK without having to go through the 6 month quarantine period under certain prescribed conditions. Rabies vaccination has to be repeated every 2 years to maintain protection, but more frequent vaccination may be needed to comply with travelling regulations. Contact your vet for details if you plan to travel abroad with your dog or cat.