Vaccinating your dog provides protection against a range of potentially lethal diseases that may infect dogs. It also allows the veterinary surgeon to examine your dog to assess his or her health and to advise you on maintaining a healthy pet.
There are several potentially fatal diseases of dogs which can easily be protected against by means of vaccination. Our Practice for several years has used vaccine which has always been at the forefront of vaccine technology, providing a very high level of protection with minimal side effects. This type of multiple vaccine protects against:
Vaccination by responsible pet owners keeps disease levels down in Guernsey. Due to the low levels of natural infection (and hence natural immunity), unvaccinated dogs are particularly at risk from all these infections.
Kennel Cough is a highly contagious syndrome which infects the respiratory system from the larynx to the bronchi and the lungs. There are several organisms that cause the disease some of which are incorporated in the routine vaccines that we use. However a common cause is the bacterium Bordatella bronchiseptica. The disease can be largely be prevented by using a nasal vaccine that produces protection in 3 days and lasts for 12 months We expect to get an outbreaks of this disease occasionally in Guernsey and recommend the use of Kennel Cough vaccine under the following situations:
Kennel Cough is a highly contagious disease and can be passed in the air by aerosol from an infected dog. If your dog develops a harsh hacking cough please do not immediately bring it into the surgery waiting room, but first inform the receptionist on arrival at our Practice.
At present only dogs on the Pet Passport scheme (PETS) or those being exported outside the United Kingdom require to be given a Rabies vaccination.