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Southview Veterinary Hospital - Farm 052 6121429

The Importance of Vaccinations

A look at what routine vaccinations and boosters cover, and why they’re so important for the welfare of our pets…

Vaccinating your pets helps to keep them safe from a number of diseases and infections – some of which can be fatal.

To stay safe, dogs, cats and bunnies need a primary vaccination course when they’re young, followed by booster injections every year.

Let’s take a look at what we routinely vaccinate against…


Dogs

collie on grass

Parvovirus – A serious, highly contagious disease. Parvovirus spreads when an affected dog makes contact with a non-infected dog, and can even be transmitted through faeces.

Leptospirosis – Lepto is a bacterial infection that spreads through infected rat urine and contaminated water. We don’t know where rats have been, or where they’ve urinated, so it’s impossible to avoid coming into contact with it.

Distemper – A serious virus that spreads through the air! Distemper is more common in younger dogs when their immune systems have not yet fully developed.

Hepatitis – Hepatitis is incurable. It spreads through the bodily fluids of infected dogs and can cause jaundice, liver failure, seizures… and even death.


Cats

cat looking up

Cat Flu – Cat Flu is caused by Feline Herpesvirus (FHV) and Feline Calicivirus (FCV).

Feline Enteritis – A highly contagious disease that’s often fatal. Feline Enteritis causes severe vomiting and diarrhoea.

Feline Leukaemia – Attacks the cat’s immune system and leaves them at risk of infection and illness.


Rabbits

brown and white rabbit on rug

Myxomatosis – Myxomatosis is a nasty, fast-acting disease that can prove fatal in just 10 days.

RVHD1 + 2 – Both strains of Rabbit Viral Haemorrhagic Disease cause internal bleeding. They’re highly infectious and can also be fatal. 

 

We say… just don’t risk it! If you’d like to chat with us further about why preventative vaccinations are so important, just give us a call.