Pet Vaccinations at Portland Vets

Puppies and kittens are usually protected during the first few weeks of life thanks to immunity passed through their mother’s colostrum (the first lot of milk produced by the mother). However, this immunity fades quickly leaving the young pets susceptible to disease within a few weeks. At this point, vaccination can take over from the mother’s milk in providing protection.

Puppy vaccinations are given at 8, 10 and 12 weeks, followed by yearly adult vaccinations for high-risk diseases and every 3 years for lower-risk diseases. Each vaccination includes a thorough health check to ensure your pet is currently healthy.

At Portland Vets, alongside the standard vaccines against Distemper, Hepatitis, and Parvovirus, we also recommend the Leptospirosis vaccine. Read on to find out more about each of these illnesses:

• Leptospirosis – Contracted from the urine of rats and other dogs. Bodies of water in the UK can often be contaminated with common strains and unfortunately, this disease can also affect humans (Weil’s Disease). We offer clients the L4 vaccine which provides protection against 4 strains of Leptospirosis but we also have the L2 vaccine available, providing protection against 2 strains.
• Canine Parvovirus – A persistent virus causing severe vomiting, diarrhoea, and often death. This virus is prevalent in the UK.
• Canine Distemper – A severe and usually fatal disease, though rare in the UK. Major disease outbreaks have occurred in Europe.
• Infectious Hepatitis – Rare in the UK due to vaccination, but still present.
• Kennel Cough – An unpleasant, whooping-cough-like infection. Not life-threatening, but uncomfortable for your pet and extremely contagious.
• Rabies – A fatal disease not found in the UK. Vaccination against rabies is required for pet travel abroad. Visit our Pet Travel page for more information.

For cats and kittens, vaccines are available for various diseases and the vaccination schedule will be tailored to your pet’s particular risk of infection. Kitten vaccinations are given at 9 and 12 weeks of age and adult vaccinations are given annually. Research has shown that 12 months is the approximate length of immunity that the vaccine provides in an individual cat so boosters are recommended annually.

The vaccinations that Portland Vets offers cats cover the following diseases and viruses. Our vets are always happy to answer any questions you have about the following:

• Feline Infectious Enteritis (panleukopenia): A usually fatal virus causing bloody diarrhoea and severe dehydration. This disease is now much less common in the UK due to vaccination.
• Feline herpesvirus and calicivirus (Feline upper respiratory disease or cat ‘flu): These 2 viruses are very common and cause symptoms such as mouth and tongue ulcers, eye ulcers and even pneumonia. They are often accompanied by secondary bacterial infection and can be fatal for your pet.
• Feline Leukaemia Virus: This virus is a common cause of death in the UK cat population, transmitted by saliva and blood primarily through fighting. It attacks the blood cells and bone marrow and can make cats susceptible to infection, anaemia and cancer. Only early vaccination and regular boosters will protect against the virus. Totally indoor cats do not always need to have this vaccination – talk to our vets for more information.
• Rabies: A fatal disease not found in the UK. Vaccination is required as part of the passport scheme to take your cat abroad. Visit our Pet Travel page for more information.

Vaccinating your rabbit is an important part of rabbit ownership and will help to protect them from the following fatal diseases:

• Myxomatosis – an insect-borne, fatal disease of rabbits – often found in wild rabbits but domesticated rabbits are equally susceptible without immunity from the vaccination.
• Rabbit Viral Haemorrhagic Disease 1 and 2 (VHD1 and VHD2): Both common diseases causing sudden death, with possible bleeding as one of the symptoms.

A new combined vaccine that protects against all three diseases is available as a single injection for 12 months of immunity. It is important to note that rabbits can be vaccinated from 5-7 weeks of age and require a yearly booster to keep them protected. If your rabbit was previously vaccinated with a different type of vaccine, your vet will discuss switching to the combined vaccine during the appointment.