In Britain there are several dangerous infectious diseases which can affect our pets. All of them cause suffering, can result in permanent health issues and can be fatal.

Vaccinating your cat, dog, puppy or kitten is one of the most important things that you can do as a responsible and caring owner. It will help your pet to live a long and healthy life.

These vaccines provide antibodies against the most common and contagious, life-threatening diseases that your dog or cat will come across during their lifetime. Many of these diseases either have no cure, or would involve long, expensive and often unsuccessful treatments for you pet.

During the first few weeks of life, your puppy or kitten will be protected from disease by immunity passed on by the mother before birth, and through her milk. (These are known as maternally derived antibodies). Unfortunately, this immunity only lasts until your puppy or kitten is around 12 weeks of age. This is why it is so important to get the vaccinations completed as soon as possible.

We recommend having the first vaccination at 8 weeks old in puppies, and 9 weeks old in kittens.

The second vaccination is then given between 3-4 weeks later.

This means that the protection provided by these vaccines starts at the approximate time that the immunity passed on by your pet’s mother runs out.

After the primary course, an annual ‘booster’ vaccination is essential, providing your loved pet with continuous protection. Annual boosters are very important as, unlike in humans,  the effect of vaccination only lasts a limited time.

• Spread via infected faeces dog to dog
• Highly contagious and often fatal
• Causes fever, vomiting, and diarrhoea with blood
• The disease can stay in the environment for months, continuing to infect other dogs

• Often fatal and very difficult to treat
• Spread dog to dog by eye and nose discharges
• Causes fever, coughing, diarrhoea, vomiting, fitting and paralysis

• Spread dog to dog by infected urine, faeces or saliva
• Symptoms similar to Distemper
• Causes Liver failure, eye damage and breathing problems
• Can be fatal 

• Infected dogs can suffer from Liver and Kidney damage
• This disease will need a long period of treatment if they are to fully recover
• Often fatal and CAN INFECT HUMANS

• Transmitted from dog to dog easily
• Caused by various airborne bacteria and viruses just like the human cold
• Causes a dry, hacking cough – often resulting in vomiting
• Requires a separate vaccine given by squirting liquid up the nose