Roy A. Earle & Louise Prowse

This article was first published in The Veterinary Times October 2000

Clcik here to Download Article

How do vaccinations work?

Vaccines contain harmless (either weakened or dead) variants of the viruses and other infectious agents. When the animal is vaccinated the immune system in body responds by generating a protective mechanism through the formation of antibodies.  The antibodies then prevents the infectious virus from causing the disease in the animal that has been vaccinated. Vaccinations only provide a relative short period immunity and that is why yearly booster vaccinations are recommended. In cats and dogs there might be an immunity gap present and the first vaccinations given to puppies and kittens thus consist of two vaccinations  give two or more weeks apart. The reason is that the natural immunity that these young animals receive from their mothers will sometimes  be a hindrance to effective vaccination. High levels of Maternally Derived Antibodies can ‘block out’ the vaccine. A second vaccination is thus necessary to catch all those that did not respond the first time.

Which animals need to be vaccinated?

Dogs, cats, rabbits and ferrets need to be vaccinated against several diseases for which there are no effective treatments. The only way to ensure that your animal is not at risk from these diseases is to make sure it is vaccinated. There is no alternative. Only healthy animals are to be vaccinated and a full health and weight check is carried out on each animal before the vaccination. This health check by the vet will ensure that all aspects of the health of the animal is addressed on a regular basis. Slow developing health problems such as gingivitis, allergies and thyroid problems can be detected by the vet at the vaccination consultation.

Which diseases are prevented by vaccinations?

Dogs: Distemper, Herpes, Parvo, Parainfluenza, Leptospirosis

Cats: Cat Flu, Feline enteritis, Feline Leukaemia, Feline Chlamydophilia

Rabbits: Viral Haemorrhagic Disease, Myxomatosis

Ferrets: Distemper

Since September 2006 are using the services of the Southside Emergency Clinicfor our out of hours emergency care. After five years this has become necessary as the Amicus clientele has grown to more than 6000 (11000 patients) and the amount of after hour calls has become overwhelming resulting in Dr Earle having to work up to 18 to 20 hours every day of the week. This is not a desirable situation and the best care could not be given to the animals that deserve it.

If your pet is in need of emergency care outside of the normal opening hours of Amicus and you telephone us, the recorded message will give you instructions of how to contact Southside Emergency Clinic. Just as you would attend the A&E department in an out of hours emergency, your pet can now do the same. The staff at Southside Emergency Clinic work specially in emergency and critical care medicine and receive regular training to ensure they remain up-to-date with the latest advances. Leaflets on the service that Southside Emergency Clinic offer and directions are available at Amicus.

The Southside Emergency Clinic staff will also give you advice over the phone if it seems not to be necessary to attend the out of hours clinic. The staff will direct you to the clinic when you do need to visit and will assist you in any way to make your out of hours emergency as painless as possible (both for you and your pet).

Southside Emergency Clinic is equipped to a high standard and permanently staffed by qualified and dedicated professionals and offers a full spectrum of emergency veterinary services. The Clinic is sponsored by a wide range of veterinary practices including Amicus. If you need help with an emergency when Amicus is closed, do not hesitate to call Southside on 0121 7052008.