Annual injections

Thanks Cat xx

Hi Tina,

It is important to have annual vaccines. In dogs, not all the diseases we cover against will be vaccinated against every year, so although your dog has a jab, what it in it will vary. Most vets will give a ´full´ vaccine, covering all diseases, every 2-3 years and a smaller one, including Leptospirosis (which doesn´t last longer than one year) and sometimes Parvovirus (depending on the local risks), inbetween. This ensures they are protected while not giving them too may vaccinations.

For cats, most will be vaccinated every year against the same diseases; either cat flu alone or cat flu and feline leukaemia depending on what you decided to have when you started. This is because although many vets feel the protection for these diseases lasts longer than a year, no testing has been done to prove this and so the vaccine manufacturers still advise on annual vaccines (and before you say that this is because they then sell more product, it was them that did the testing that allowed us to vaccinate dogs less!). Some vets do act outside their guidelines but most do not because if the cat contracts any disease it means they have no comback against the companies and they are vulnerable to action from the owners.

Have a read of my blogs about vaccination, they cover this subject in much more detail.

Cat
http://www.petstreet.co.uk/Blog/490882.Vaccination%20and%20Your%20Pet%20Part%201
http://www.petstreet.co.uk/Blog/490881.Vaccination%20and%20Your%20Pet%20Part%202