By Dr Siân Burwood MA VetMB MRCVS – Small Animal GP and Veterinary Writer
Introduction
We’re all familiar with the idea of taking our pet ‘for their injections’, but do you know why vets advise this? Vaccination has saved the lives of countless millions of animals and people, and yet in the UK we are starting to see outbreaks of preventable but fatal diseases, often because of unjustified fears being spread by those not in the know. Here at Paws Over The Rainbow we are confident advocates for the benefits of vaccination, and hope this article can reassure you about what your vet is doing and why.
What is vaccination?
Vaccination involves giving a small amount of a deactivated virus so that the body produces antibodies against it, meaning that if the dog or cat were ever infected with the virus, it can be fought off naturally. An exception to this is the kennel cough vaccine, which is ‘live attenuated’, meaning that it has been weakened rather than deactivated. Humans have been carrying out forms of vaccination for thousands of years, where healthy people were intentionally exposed to sick people to stop them catching some diseases. Edward Jenner is credited with developing the first modern vaccine in 1796 when he used cowpox to stop a child contracting smallpox, and since then vaccination has saved the lives of more people and animals than any other medical invention.
Vaccination of dogs started in the 1800s with early rabies vaccines, and more widespread vaccination programmes started in the 1950s. Vets have been doing this for a long time and would definitely not be continuing if it were harming pets.
The annual ‘MOT’
An equally important part of annual vaccinations is the check with your vet – we often like to say that the healthiest animals see their vet once a year! The full health exam that comes before a vaccination is given ensures that your vet knows that vaccination is the right thing to do today. It is also a chance to catch any other issues early (like weight changes or new lumps), as well as to discuss life-stage related diseases like arthritis.
Seeing your vet once a year means your pet is also legally classed as ‘under our care’, meaning that the decent strength prescription-only parasite treatments can be dispensed for 12 months without needing to see your pet.
When should we vaccinate our pets?
Puppies and kittens should receive immunity from their mother which wears off at around 12 weeks old. Puppies are given two vaccines 2-4 weeks apart, the first typically at 6-8 weeks and the second one needing to be when they are more than 10 weeks old. Kittens need a first vaccine from 9 weeks old, with a second one 3-4 weeks later.
The first annual booster is just as important as the puppy and kitten course – in fact it is still considered part of the primary course as it cements that initial protection! This is done 12 months after the first vaccines.
Your pet will then have a vaccination every 12 months, with most practices following WSAVA guidelines and giving the full booster every 3 years, but a partial one every year. We know that antibody levels start to drop at 12 months, but you have until 15 months after the last injection before they are considered ‘out of date’ and you need a full course again.
What do we vaccinate UK dogs against?
Distemper
Distemper is a very serious viral disease that affects multiple organs in the body, including the intestines, heart, immune system, lungs, brain and nerves. It was considered to be basically eradicated in the UK, but cases are starting to be seen again, and it is often fatal.
Hepatitis
Canine adenovirus is the cause of infectious hepatitis, something that causes liver failure. It spreads in body fluids and can survive in the environment for long periods.
Parvovirus
Many people have heard of parvovirus because of the mass outbreaks seen in the 1970s. This highly infectious disease attacks the gut lining and causes profuse vomiting and bloody diarrhoea. It is spread through contact with infected poo. We still regularly see cases in Leicestershire and the surrounding areas.
Leptospirosis
Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease spread by rats in their urine, and it causes acute liver and kidney failure. This disease is highly infectious but also ‘zoonotic’, meaning that it can pass from animals to humans (something called Weil’s Disease). Vets are seeing more and more cases of leptospirosis because of online misinformation regarding different types of the vaccine. Sadly many cases leave owners with no option but to euthanase infected dogs.
Optional – Kennel Cough
Kennel cough is a very infectious but non-fatal disease, something like a cross between whooping cough and the common cold. Vaccination is advised for dogs who are at higher risk (such as those who go to kennels, day care or the groomers, or who have breathing issues such as pugs and french bulldogs), but it can affect any dog in an outbreak. The vaccination does not prevent kennel cough but makes it less likely and less severe if contracted.
Optional – Rabies
If you wish to travel outside the UK with your pet, one of the requirements will be a rabies vaccination. There are many many things to consider with pet travel so speak to your vet if this is something you are considering.
What do we vaccinate UK cats against?
‘Cat flu’ – feline herpes virus and feline calicivirus
Flu in cats is not actually caused by an influenza virus, but rather one or both of herpes virus (which causes conjunctivitis and eye ulcers) and calicivirus (which causes mouth ulcers and ulceration). These viruses are spread by contact with infected cat saliva, and are very common due to high levels of infected feral cats. Both of these viruses go ‘dormant’ in the body and then flare up in times of stress, and can never be fully cured.
Panleucopenia (feline parvovirus)
Panleucopenia is also known as feline parvovirus, or feline infectious enteritis. As with dogs, this very infectious disease causes excessive vomiting and diarrhoea, and is often fatal due to the dehydration and immune system issues it causes. There has been a significant outbreak of panleucopenia in our area of Leicestershire recently.
Feline Leukaemia Virus
FeLV is another virus spread by infected saliva and is common in stray cats. It dramatically increases the rates of cats getting blood cancers such as leukaemia or lymphoma.
Optional – Rabies
If you wish to travel outside the UK with your pet, one of the requirements will be a rabies vaccination. There are many many things to consider with pet travel so speak to your vet if this is something you are considering.
What are the benefits of vaccination?
Quite simply, it will stop your pet dying of preventable fatal diseases. There are countless thousands of viruses and bacteria, but we vaccinate against the ones that are the most contagious, hardest to treat and have the highest death rates. By the time a pet has caught one of these diseases it is too late – better to prevent through a painless vaccination first!
Just as important as the vaccination itself is the opportunity to see your vet for a thorough health check once a year.
What are the risks? Do I have any other options?
As with any medical procedure, there are risks, but the rates of these in vaccination are exceptionally low. This is why the health check is such an important part of a vaccination appointment, as your vet will advise you to delay if there are any other health concerns. The vaccination is most effective when the body is healthy and not already trying to fight some other disease.
On the day of vaccination your pet may feel a little more sleepy than usual, and may feel tender around the scruff where the needle went in. If they decide to scratch this area and you do not stop them, there may be a sore patch.
Serious vaccine reactions are incredibly rare, but if you are concerned at all you can always speak to your vet. Critics of vaccination often talk about ‘over-vaccination’ and blame this for being the cause of many other diseases such as immune system problems and cancers. These rare cases are tragic, but there are always other factors that have contributed to these diseases developing (usually genetics and inbreeding). Be reassured that the frequency of vaccinations have been extensively researched by organisations independent of the vaccine manufacturers, and these are the guidelines that vets follow!
Other options – Titre testing
Titre testing gives you an option to keep vaccination frequency to a minimum. A blood sample is tested for the levels of antibody already present (the titre level), showing what vaccines need topping up but which ones can be left for longer. These blood tests need to be sent to a lab and unfortunately are still always more expensive than the booster itself (usually in the region of a few hundred pounds). Speak to your vet if you think this might be the best route for you.
My pet is really old – do I still need to vaccinate them?
Almost always, yes! Older animals with weakened immune systems are more likely to be infected with these diseases and are less able to try and fight them, leading to higher death rates.
Our older pets are also especially in need of that ‘annual MOT’ as this is where many treatable old age conditions are picked up and treatment can be started. As vets we understand that you do not want your pet ‘messed with’, but providing pain relief and keeping your pet comfortable at home in their retirement is absolutely what they deserve, and this can absolutely be achieved without lots of tests or surgeries.
There are some cases where your vet may advise against vaccination if your dog is on certain types of medication (such as chemotherapy or steroids) that mean that vaccination is not a priority. It is also reasonable not to vaccinate cats who live exclusively indoors and have no contact with other cats.
Conclusion
At Paws Over the Rainbow, we would always advise and encourage caregivers to keep up to date with their pets vaccinations, at whatever age. This helps prevent the heartbreak of losing your pet through preventable diseases, and the regular checks mean we can keep our pets happy and healthy at home for as long as possible.
Further reading
If you’d like to talk, ask questions, or just need support, we’re always here. Call us on 07942 077180 or email info@pawsovertherainbow.co.uk