Derwent Valley Vets is currently running a vaccine amnesty for dogs.

We all have busy lives and occasionally we may find that our pet’s annual health check and vaccinations have slipped down our priority list. If this has happened to you, do not panic. We have all been there and we know life can get in the way of our best intentions.

The annual vaccination booster your dog should receive to keep immunity levels high enough to protect against disease is part of our offering to help keep your pet well. This is always done alongside a nose to tail examination by a Veterinary Surgeon who is there to check for any early signs of disease and to give out any advice you may require. If it has been over 15 months since we last vaccinated your pet, a restart course is required to provide full immunity to some of the disease we vaccinate against. The Amnesty we are offering means that you can restart your dog’s vaccines with a FULL COURSE of two injections for the cost of a regular booster. This is a great opportunity to get back on track and keep your dog protected.

To help you understand vaccinations better, we’ve provided answers to frequently asked questions.

Why Vaccinate?

Dog’s receive routine vaccinations to prevent a number of different diseases including distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus, parainfluenza, and leptospirosis. These diseases can be fatal, and unvaccinated dogs are at high risk if they encounter these diseases either from interactions with other dogs or from the environmental contamination.

Parvovirus outbreaks occur regularly in unvaccinated populations and “Parvo” is a particularly horrible disease which can lead to severe gut issues, dehydration and occasionally death.

Leptospirosis is a type of disease known as a Zoonosis as it can be passed from dogs to humans usually when it is shed in an infected dog’s urine. Therefore, as well as protecting your dog’s health with regular vaccinations you are also protecting your own.

Why are Booster Vaccinations Required?

Puppy vaccinations provide initial immunity, but science tells us this immunity doesn’t last forever. Booster vaccinations “top up” your pet’s immunity at regular intervals. These intervals vary depending on the disease. For example, Leptospirosis vaccines only protect for about thirteen months. Leptospirosis vaccination is given annually, and distemper, parvo and hepatitis every 3rd year.

My Pet Has Never Been Vaccinated and Has Never Been Ill

In a population of animals where there is a high proportion of vaccinated pets there IS a small degree of protection for unvaccinated pets, as disease organisms are less able to spread animal to animal. This is known as ‘herd immunity’ and can mean that some diseases are not seen in a population for a while. Sporadic outbreaks ARE however still possible and do occur, with the lower the percentage of animals that are vaccinated, the more likely this is to happen, and the quicker the outbreak is likely to spread. Thirty years ago, distemper and parvo were rife, causing weekly pet deaths. Distemper is now thankfully rare although it has not been irradicated and is unlikely to be, as these infections are also present in the native fox population. Regular vaccination has dramatically reduced these diseases in the pet population. If we stopped vaccinating, these diseases would be likely to return.

Is Vaccination Harmful?

While no medicine is entirely without risk, vaccines undergo rigorous testing to ensure safety. Significant reactions are very rare. We occasionally see localised reactions (small bumps at the injection site), especially in puppies, but these disappear within a couple of weeks without causing harm or discomfort. In our experience, the risk of not vaccinating far outweighs the minimal risks associated with vaccination. This is why we are offering this vaccine amnesty to help our clients get back on track.

What About Titre Testing?

Titre testing involves a blood test to assess your dog’s current immunity levels to distemper, parvo, and hepatitis. It’s important to note that a titre test cannot be used to check for Leptospirosis immunity, and studies show that immunity against this bacterial infection is short-lived. We recommend annual leptospirosis vaccinations. We are happy to perform titre testing for distemper, parvo, and hepatitis if you wish. If the results indicate insufficient protection, we’ll recommend a booster vaccination to boost those levels for another 3 years.

Contact Us Today!

Please contact Derwent Valley Vets today to book your Vaccination Amnesty appointment or if you have any further questions regarding your pets health.

We’re here to help you to keep your pet healthy and happy.