Vaccinations

See the latest advice on vaccinations during the Covid-19 outbreak

There are a variety of issues surrounding vaccination that have generated a large amount of misinformation in the media and on the internet. The core concepts are that we are able to protect your dog against some potentially fatal diseases and the risk of vaccination is very low. We have selected our vaccination protocols to minimise the amount of vaccinations given compared to the risk of disease. Our core protection covers the following diseases:

Distemper – this virus still occurs occasionally in the UK and can also affect other animals such as ferrets and other wildlife. Dogs initially present with respiratory symptoms and progress to nervous signs. The disease is often fatal and no specific treatment exists.

Hepatitis – a virus that damages the liver. Whilst not common in the UK it is often fatal if a dog gets infected.

Parvovirus – an intestinal virus that causes haemorrhagic fluid loss from the gut. Vomiting and diarrhoea are the main problems. No specific treatment exists but supportive treatment to prevent dehydration can allow some dogs to survive this disease. The virus is most common in urban areas where the dog population is higher and the number of unvaccinated dogs is greater.

Leptospirosis – caused by a bacterial organism which is often transmitted by rodents. Unfortunately this disease can be transmitted to humans and is often called Weil’s disease. This disease can be fatal without rapid appropriate treatment.

An annual vaccination is recommended for dogs in the UK although not all components of the vaccine are repeated each year. Prior to vaccination it is essential that a thorough examination is carried out by a veterinary surgeon to ensure that the dog is healthy and vaccination is appropriate. Annual health examinations are an extremely useful part of looking after your dog. It allows one to one contact with the veterinary staff to discuss any health related issues and facilitate early detection of diseases, we also have to opportunity to discuss parasite control so that you can use the most appropriate products for the parasites that pose a risk.

Other vaccinations can be given to dogs under certain circumstances, the most common of which are kennel cough and rabies.

Kennel Cough Vaccination – this protects against a respiratory virus and a respiratory bacteria. These two infections are responsible for the large majority of kennel cough outbreaks so vaccination can provide up to 80% protection. Risk is highest in the kennel environment but also where every your dog is exposed to close contact with other dogs such as training classes or dog shows.

Rabies Vaccination – Rabies is currently not endemic in the UK so protection is not required for dogs living here. If you want to take your dog to other countries then a rabies vaccine is likely to be required. If you are considering travelling with your dog please speak to the veterinary team for country specific advice and check with DEFRA for legislation guidelines.