THE holiday season is fast approaching and the kids will be off school soon.
Many of you will be lucky enough to begin planning your summer vacation. And why not? You deserve a break. But don’t forget to make arrangements for your four-legged friends.
This time of year is a busy year for kennels and catteries as they care for many of our pets. Therefore it is a good idea to make sure your pet is well protected by checking that their vaccinations are up to date well before they enter the kennel or cattery.
Don’t leave this to the last minute as it can be easy to forget to check vaccination schedules in the rush of preparing yourself and the rest of the family for some sun, sea and sand.
It is a good idea to get your pet vaccinated at least a month before they are lodged in the kennels or cattery. This leaves you in good time to get an appointment and get your paperwork in order. Annual boosters are essential, but for dogs a “kennel cough” vaccination is important too.
Kennel cough is a disease that causes a dog to, well, cough. It sounds innocuous, but can be deeply unpleasant for the affected patient. The cough is deep, dry, repetitive and can even cause vomiting. Any of us that have suffered from a repetitive cough can empathise. It is sometimes accompanied by a fever and symptoms can last for three weeks.
Kennel cough is usually caused by a bacteria — Bordetella Bronchiseptica. It is spread by coughing from dog to dog. Viruses, including parainfluenza virus, can also play a role in infection and disease.
Treatment requires visiting your vet. They will usually make a diagnosis based on history of contact with infected patients, clinical signs and a physical examination. Then therapy can involve antibiotics, anti-inflammatories and, of course, rest.
However, a far better approach is to maintain annual vaccinations against the agents that cause kennel cough. First, there is your dog’s annual booster vaccinations. You should check with your vet, but often these vaccines include a component against parainfluenza, one of the viruses involved in the kennel cough complex.
Then there is usually a separate vaccination specifically against the bacteria that is part of kennel cough — Bordetella Bronchiseptica. Some of you will recognise this as the one that goes “up the nose”. Your dog will certainly remember this. There are now variations on this vaccine including one that can be administered orally – into the mouth.
Prevention is better than cure and vaccinations are certainly a useful tool in mitigating the symptoms of any kennel cough infection.
So don’t forget to check your dog or cat’s vaccination status now. Your vet will maintain a record of when vaccinations are due or if your pet has lapsed it’s not too late to restart their schedule of regular boosters.
If you would like to check if your pet is up to date call us on 028 4461 4225 or email info@downe
vets.com. You can spread the cost of annual boosters, wormers, flea and tick provision and routine veterinary care with our excellent Pet Health Club. Please enquire at Downe Vets reception or sign up online: https://downevets.plansignup.co.uk/. Happy holidays.