Vaccinations
Before vaccines were available infectious diseases killed thousands of pets each year. Then we started to vaccinate our animals and vaccination became one of veterinary medicine’s greatest triumphs, saving countless lives and becoming a routine part of caring pet ownership.
All the staff of Premier Vets vaccinate their own pets each year. Many of the diseases that we vaccinate against are frequently fatal or at best, cause severe disease that will necessitate long periods of nursing. Only vaccination can prevent diseases such as canine distemper, feline leukaemia or myxomatosis in rabbits. Though vaccination has reduced the frequency of many infectious diseases, none has been eradicated altogether.
Boosters are essential to maintain protection. At Premier Vets we prefer to give each pet the smallest number of vaccinations possible and will vary the components that we give each year to achieve maximum protection with minimum vaccination. Conversely we have found in rabbits that the local wild type of myxomatosis is so virulent that we now have to vaccinate pet rabbits every six months in order to protect them against this horrible debilitating disease.
All licensed pet vaccines have undergone rigorous efficacy and safety trials and a strict licensing procedure. There is no such requirement for homeopathic nosodes and when serious attempts have been made to prove their effectiveness, for example in a parvovirus experiment, the nosodes failed to prevent or even reduce either illness or death rates. We at Premier Vets we believe that all dogs, cats and rabbits should be vaccinated to prevent serious infectious disease. We use products that we have great faith in and use vaccination protocols that will give your pet the optimum protection while using the minimum number of vaccine components. If you have any questions or worries please speak to Kirsty or Bev who will explain things further.
Kennel Cough
Kennel cough is a highly contagious throat infection. It affects the respiratory tract and is easily passed from dog-to-dog by airborne droplets (coughing or sneezing) and direct nose-to-nose contact.
Signs include a harsh, dry, whooping-type cough which can last for several weeks. In rare cases, more serious complications can arise, such as pneumonia, which can prove fatal in old, weak or very young dogs.
Our practice uses a vaccine which will safeguard your pet and offer immunity for a full 12 months – so you can protect your pet all year round.
Worming
There are two types of worms found in dogs and cats- roundworms and tapeworms; they frequently go undetected because they are not often seen in the faeces.
Roundworms
These are the most common type of worm found. They are usually acquired by adults in the form of eggs from the soil as they root about. Virtually all puppies and kittens are infected with immature worms before they are born. The immature stages cross the placenta, or pass in the mother's milk.
They will carry worms at many stages of development which travel through its body to eventually reach the intestines. Within three weeks of being born it will have many adult worms in its intestines which are laying thousands of eggs per day. Because not all immature stages can be killed by worming tablets, they should all be treated with an effective wormer from 2-3 weeks old.
Roundworms can also infect people. Children are most at risk since they frequently put their fingers in their mouths and can transfer eggs from soil by this route. Areas where dogs have been allowed to pass faeces are the danger places. The eggs are not dangerous unless they were passed at least 3-4 weeks previously. The worms can travel through the child's body to cause damage to many organs including the eye. A part of responsible dog and cat ownership must include regular worming (about every 3-6 months) and routine lifting of dog faeces from public areas (Poop Scoops are widely available).
Tapreworms
The most common tapeworm found in dogs and cats is acquired from swallowing fleas. Infection with these tapeworms may not be apparent to the owner. The segments look like moving grains of rice found around the anus. Occasionally animals will become infected with tapeworms from eating raw meat, and this should be discouraged.
Pets should be wormed every 3 month to 6 months.
Fleas
Fleas and worms are the most common parasites in the cat and dog but probably the easiest to treat. Every cat and dog is vulnerable to picking up these parasites if they are not under treatment. For ultimate control of these it is best to treat for both parasites all year round.
Even though it is cooler during the winter the majority of us have central heating so the fleas breed all year round. The flea is the intermediate host for the common tapeworm Dipylidium Caninium. This means that the flea is a carrier of this particular worm and if the animal has one it usually has the other if left untreated. If your pet becomes infested, so does your home and it may be necessary to use a house spray. For every 5 fleas you see on your pet, there could be 95 others unseen in your home. Fleas can also give us a nasty bite which can become quite itchy. We recommend Advocate for the treatment of fleas. Advocate is a monthly spot on which not only kills the adult flea but treats the environment as well. It also contains a roundworm treatment and can treat some skin mites. This can be used on puppies from 7 weeks and kittens from 9 weeks. If your puppy or kitten is younger than this we recommend you use frontline spray.
Ticks
Ticks are found in grassy, wooded, and sandy areas. They find their way onto an animal by climbing to the top of a leaf, blade of grass, or small tree. Here they wait until their sensors detect an animal close by, on which to crawl or drop.
Check your pet immediately after it has been in a tick-infected area. If you find a tick on your pet do not attempt to remove it. Seek veterinary advice.
Tick season is between the months of May and October; it is advisable to use either Advantix or Frontline between these months if your animal is at risk of exposure.
Neutering
We advise neutering of cats at 6 months old. Male cats are less likely to wander and fight if neutered. Fatal infections, such as feline aids and feline leukaemia, are seen more often in entire male cats.
A female cat will have 1-8 kittens per litter and 2-3 litters per year, so in an 8 year life span she could have 200 kittens!! It is advisable to neuter to avoid unwanted pregnancies and unwanted kittens.
It is recommended to neuter female dogs before they have their first season as this eliminates the risk of mammary cancer in later life and prevents unwanted pregnancy, false pregnancy and a serious uterine infection, pyometra.
Male dogs should be neutered if not used for breeding. This helps reduce the risk of prostatic disease and testicular cancer in later life.
Before vaccines were available infectious diseases killed thousands of pets each year. Then we started to vaccinate our animals and vaccination became one of veterinary medicine’s greatest triumphs, saving countless lives and becoming a routine part of caring pet ownership.
All the staff of Premier Vets vaccinate their own pets each year. Many of the diseases that we vaccinate against are frequently fatal or at best, cause severe disease that will necessitate long periods of nursing. Only vaccination can prevent diseases such as canine distemper, feline leukaemia or myxomatosis in rabbits. Though vaccination has reduced the frequency of many infectious diseases, none has been eradicated altogether.
Boosters are essential to maintain protection. At Premier Vets we prefer to give each pet the smallest number of vaccinations possible and will vary the components that we give each year to achieve maximum protection with minimum vaccination. Conversely we have found in rabbits that the local wild type of myxomatosis is so virulent that we now have to vaccinate pet rabbits every six months in order to protect them against this horrible debilitating disease.
All licensed pet vaccines have undergone rigorous efficacy and safety trials and a strict licensing procedure. There is no such requirement for homeopathic nosodes and when serious attempts have been made to prove their effectiveness, for example in a parvovirus experiment, the nosodes failed to prevent or even reduce either illness or death rates. We at Premier Vets we believe that all dogs, cats and rabbits should be vaccinated to prevent serious infectious disease. We use products that we have great faith in and use vaccination protocols that will give your pet the optimum protection while using the minimum number of vaccine components. If you have any questions or worries please speak to Kirsty or Bev who will explain things further.
Kennel Cough
Kennel cough is a highly contagious throat infection. It affects the respiratory tract and is easily passed from dog-to-dog by airborne droplets (coughing or sneezing) and direct nose-to-nose contact.
Signs include a harsh, dry, whooping-type cough which can last for several weeks. In rare cases, more serious complications can arise, such as pneumonia, which can prove fatal in old, weak or very young dogs.
Our practice uses a vaccine which will safeguard your pet and offer immunity for a full 12 months – so you can protect your pet all year round.
Worming
There are two types of worms found in dogs and cats- roundworms and tapeworms; they frequently go undetected because they are not often seen in the faeces.
Roundworms
These are the most common type of worm found. They are usually acquired by adults in the form of eggs from the soil as they root about. Virtually all puppies and kittens are infected with immature worms before they are born. The immature stages cross the placenta, or pass in the mother's milk.
They will carry worms at many stages of development which travel through its body to eventually reach the intestines. Within three weeks of being born it will have many adult worms in its intestines which are laying thousands of eggs per day. Because not all immature stages can be killed by worming tablets, they should all be treated with an effective wormer from 2-3 weeks old.
Roundworms can also infect people. Children are most at risk since they frequently put their fingers in their mouths and can transfer eggs from soil by this route. Areas where dogs have been allowed to pass faeces are the danger places. The eggs are not dangerous unless they were passed at least 3-4 weeks previously. The worms can travel through the child's body to cause damage to many organs including the eye. A part of responsible dog and cat ownership must include regular worming (about every 3-6 months) and routine lifting of dog faeces from public areas (Poop Scoops are widely available).
Tapreworms
The most common tapeworm found in dogs and cats is acquired from swallowing fleas. Infection with these tapeworms may not be apparent to the owner. The segments look like moving grains of rice found around the anus. Occasionally animals will become infected with tapeworms from eating raw meat, and this should be discouraged.
Pets should be wormed every 3 month to 6 months.
Fleas
Fleas and worms are the most common parasites in the cat and dog but probably the easiest to treat. Every cat and dog is vulnerable to picking up these parasites if they are not under treatment. For ultimate control of these it is best to treat for both parasites all year round.
Even though it is cooler during the winter the majority of us have central heating so the fleas breed all year round. The flea is the intermediate host for the common tapeworm Dipylidium Caninium. This means that the flea is a carrier of this particular worm and if the animal has one it usually has the other if left untreated. If your pet becomes infested, so does your home and it may be necessary to use a house spray. For every 5 fleas you see on your pet, there could be 95 others unseen in your home. Fleas can also give us a nasty bite which can become quite itchy. We recommend Advocate for the treatment of fleas. Advocate is a monthly spot on which not only kills the adult flea but treats the environment as well. It also contains a roundworm treatment and can treat some skin mites. This can be used on puppies from 7 weeks and kittens from 9 weeks. If your puppy or kitten is younger than this we recommend you use frontline spray.
Ticks
Ticks are found in grassy, wooded, and sandy areas. They find their way onto an animal by climbing to the top of a leaf, blade of grass, or small tree. Here they wait until their sensors detect an animal close by, on which to crawl or drop.
Check your pet immediately after it has been in a tick-infected area. If you find a tick on your pet do not attempt to remove it. Seek veterinary advice.
Tick season is between the months of May and October; it is advisable to use either Advantix or Frontline between these months if your animal is at risk of exposure.
Neutering
We advise neutering of cats at 6 months old. Male cats are less likely to wander and fight if neutered. Fatal infections, such as feline aids and feline leukaemia, are seen more often in entire male cats.
A female cat will have 1-8 kittens per litter and 2-3 litters per year, so in an 8 year life span she could have 200 kittens!! It is advisable to neuter to avoid unwanted pregnancies and unwanted kittens.
It is recommended to neuter female dogs before they have their first season as this eliminates the risk of mammary cancer in later life and prevents unwanted pregnancy, false pregnancy and a serious uterine infection, pyometra.
Male dogs should be neutered if not used for breeding. This helps reduce the risk of prostatic disease and testicular cancer in later life.
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