Vaccinations & Wellness
Regular vaccinations are optimal for your dog, cat or rabbit in order to prevent common serious illnesses that can be detrimental to your pet's health, and in some instances fatal.
Here at Hallam Veterinary Clinic we provide a full vaccination service which includes a comprehensive wellness health check at the time, discussions regarding any concerns you may have and the administration of the vaccinations.
What are we vaccinating your animal for?
In dogs, we vaccinate against the following diseases:
Canine Parvovirus (CPV) - Canine parvovirus is a highly contagious virus that causes serious illness in young, unvaccinated puppies primarily, although older dogs are also at risk. The virus attacks the gastrointestinal tract, causing severe, haemorrhagic diarrhea which may lead to sloughing of the intestinal lining, dehydration, fever, vomiting, and oftentimes death. Recovery from infection requires intensive hospitalisation and care, and in some instances, death can still result.
Canine Distemper - Canine distemper is a highly contagious virus affecting dogs of any age, particularly young puppies. Dogs contracting this disease can have a range of symptoms, from vomiting and diarrhoea to muscle tremors, fits, and paralysis in later stages of the disease. Often infected animals do not respond to treatment and those who do recover will remain permanently neurologically impaired.
Canine Hepatitis - Canine hepatitis is another virus which is very contagious and often fatal, with younger dogs being more susceptible. This virus attacks multiple organ systems, in particular the liver and kidney. Treatment is not often successful. Dogs that do recover will be carriers longterm and may have ongoing liver and kidney damage throughout the remainder of their lives.
Canine Cough (a.k.a. "Kennel Cough") - Canine cough is a condition caused by several highly contagious virus and bacteria, which can be picked up easily from other dogs in high volume areas such as parks, shows, boarding kennels and doggie daycare. The most common disease causing agents are a bacterium called Bordetella bronchiseptica and viral agents parainfluenza, adenovirus type 2 and distemper.
Most dogs that are infected will develop a persistent, dry, hacking cough that may take several weeks to resolve. In severe infections, pneumonia can occur.
In cats, we vaccinate against the following disease:
Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis (Feline Herpesvirus-1): Feline viral rhinotracheitis or herpesvirus is a common, highly infectious virus primarily affecting the upper respiratory tract and eyes of cats, particularly young cats. Those cats that are infected become carriers for life. The disease can manifest as "cat flu"with coughing, sneezing, nasal and ocular discharge, fever and loss of appetite. In some circumstances corneal ulcers may develop and may recur over the lifetime of the cat. Chronic damage to the sinuses and nasal turbinates may occur, causing lifelong issues.
Feline Calicivirus: Feline calicivirus primarily affects the respiratory tract in cats. Infections can cause a range of symptoms, from mild respiratory signs to severe oral ulceration, fever, and in a severe form, skin ulcerations all over the body, and polyarthritis causing lamenesses. The virus has also been isolated from some cases of stomatitis, which causes severe gingivitis and dental disease in some cats.
Feline Panleukopenia Virus: Feline panleukopenia is the cat equivalent of canine parvovirus. Infection can cause serious illness as the virus attacks rapidly dividing cells such as those in the bone marrow, intestines, and developing fetus. Cats infected with panleukopenia can develop signs of diarrhoea, lethargy, abdominal pain, fever, and dehydration and may die even with supportive care. A pregnant female infected with the disease may abort her kittens or give birth to ones with a brain malformation called cerebellar hypoplasia, causing permanent balance issues.
Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV): This is a retrovirus similar to the human version of HIV, which causes gradual weakening of the immune system over time. Animals may not present with clinical signs of illness (usually secondary illnesses such as chronic dental, respiratory, skin or gastrointestinal lesions) for several years. This virus is primarily transmitted by cats fighting and deep bite wounds. It is not a "core" vaccination meaning that not all cats require it, however it is strongly recommended if your cat spends a lot of time outdoors.
