Orchard House Veterinary Centre

Importance of vaccinations

Pet owners are pretty good at getting the initial course of vaccinations done in puppies and kittens but much less good at maintaining immunity with annual booster vaccinations. Without annual boosters then immunity wanes and fades and pets become susceptible to disease. In the older pet immunity naturally reduces compared to the young and is compounded by any failure to continue booster vaccinations. Some vaccines only require boosters every 3 years but some diseases always require an annual booster. We will record your pet’s immunisation status and give only the vaccinations necessary.
If you are unsure of your pet’s vaccination status then please email us on admin@orchardhousevets.com or call the surgery on 01434 607677.
Canine Infectious Respiratory Diseases (CIRDs) or Canine Infectious Cough used to be called “Kennel Cough”. Kennel Cough is a lousy name. The majority of CIRDs infections are acquired when dogs meet on walks. CIRDs is very infectious and the relaxation of lockdown has meant a massive increase in cases in the UK as dogs socialise more. Whilst CIRDs is rarely fatal, it can cause pneumonia. In less severe cases it causes a nasty cough and affected dogs should be isolated for at least 2-3 weeks to prevent further spread. We recommend annual vaccination with your dog’s booster. There is now the option of a very effective injectable vaccine in addition to the nose-drop type vaccine which was previously available.
Vaccinating rabbits annually is just as important as vaccination in dogs and cats. Biting insects spread disease from wild rabbits, so indoor or house rabbits are still in danger. Both Myxomatosis and two types of Viral Haemorrhagic Disease have very high mortality rates. They often cause a slow, lingering death. Both diseases are very distressing for rabbits and their owners. Modern vaccinations give excellent protection from disease and are highly recommended. For more information on the importance of vaccinating your rabbit, click here.