Vaccinations and worming cats and dogs
Vaccinating your pet against serious diseases is good practice that can prevent your pet serious illness and save you distress.
Worms in cats or dogs, if not treated can lead to loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhoea and in extreme cases death.
The good news is worms can be treated. The best person to give advice about vaccinations and worming is your vet.
What should I do?
Worms can affect both cats and dogs, but it can be controlled with a routine treatment. Both kittens and puppies should be wormed every two weeks until twelve weeks of age, then monthly until six months of age. After this, they need to be wormed every three months.
Cats need to be vaccinated for cat flu, feline chlamydia, infectious enteritis and leukaemia. They need their first vaccination at eight weeks, followed by another at 12 weeks. In some cases a 16 week vaccine may be required. Your kitten can only go outside ten days after the final vaccination and adult cats require boosters every year.
Dogs also require vaccinations for distemper, parvovirus, hepatitis, leptospirosis and parainfluenza virus. Puppies should receive their first vaccination at 6-8 weeks of age, followed by another one at 12 weeks of age. Remember your puppy can only go outdoors after this final vaccination.
Records of both vaccinations and worming routines can be stored on computer with your vet, making for an easily retrievable record for all time. This also makes for easy transfer of ownership, should the need arise.
Either way, vaccinating and de-worming (if necessary) your pet can help ensure the welfare of your pet.
