Mpati Veterinary Clinic
Dr A.D. (TONY) Grace (B.V.Sc.) DR A. (ASHLEIGH) OWEN (B.V.SC.)
28 Douglas St P.O.Box / Posbus 581 Dundee 3000
Telefax: 0342123466 / 0342181956
Cell: +27 82 567 9104
E-mail / E-pos: tonyg@trustnet.co.za
NEWSLETTER JANUARY 2010
Vaccinations
No one would ever consider leaving a baby or child unvaccinated. The same should hold true for pets.
Dogs are vaccinated against:
Parvovirus – also known as “cat flu”, highly contagious killer viral disease marked by vomiting and diarrhea.
Distemper – highly contagious, non-treatable viral disease beginning with cold-like symptoms progressing to a
neurological disease characterized by muscle twitching.
Infectious Canine Hepatitis – highly contagious viral disease with vomiting, diarrhea and tummy pains.
Parainfluenza and Adenovirus – viral causes of Canine Infectious Tracheobronchitis – see below.
Rabies – one of the most dangerous animal diseases and is directly transmissible to humans, and is fatal to
whomever contracts it! It is a wasting neurological disease.
Leptospirosis – a bacterial disease transmissible to humans that causes multiple organ failures i.e. abortion,
kidney or liver failure.
Canine Infectious Tracheobronchitis – also known as “Kennel Cough”, typical cold-like symptoms marked by a dry
hacking cough. It is often caused by a viral infection but complicated by secondary infection with a bacterium,
Bordetella bronchisepta.
Babesiosis – also known as “Biliary”, marked by lethargy, fever and loss of appetite progressing until the gums go
pale.
The vaccines we have available are:
5-in-1 (Distemper, Hepatitis, Parvovirus, Parainfluenza, Adenovirus) – given at 6, 10, and 14 weeks of age.
Thereafter it must be repeated annually.
Canigen LR (Leptospirosis, Rabies) and Rabisin (Rabies) – given at 14 weeks old and again 1 month later.
Thereafter it must be repeated annually.
The 5-in-1 vaccine is mandatory and the Rabies vaccination is compulsory for puppies and adult dogs annually as it is a
state controlled disease. The following two vaccines are optional:
Bronchicine (Bordetella bronchisepta = Kennel Cough) – given at 10 weeks of age and boosted again 1 month later.
It must be repeated annually.
Piro (Biliary) – given at 6 months of age and boosted again 1 month later. It should be boosted every 6 months
but must at least be boosted annually in spring.
Cats are vaccinated against:
Panleucopaenia – also known as “cat flu” although there are no flu symptoms, only diarrhea and dehydration.
Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis and Calicivirus – viral causes of “Snuffles”, characterized by cold-like symptoms and
possibly mouth ulcers.
Rabies – same as for the dogs.
Leukaemia – a viral disease manifesting in the formation of different forms of cancer, often untreatable.
Feline immunodeficiency disease – is “Feline AIDS" and results in the same disease as in humans i.e. severe
immunosuppression and various opportunistic infections.
The vaccines we have available are:
3-in-1 (Calicivirus, Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis, Panleucopaenia) – given at 8 and 12 weeks of age. It must be
repeated annually.
Rabisin (Rabies) – same as for dogs.
The 3-in-1 vaccine is mandatory and the Rabies vaccination is compulsory for kittens and adult cats annually as it is a
state controlled disease. The following two vaccines are optional:
Leucogen (Leukaemia) – given at 12 weeks and boosted 3 weeks later. It must be repeated annually.
FEL-O-VAX FIV (Feline immunodeficiency disease) – given at 8, 12 and 16 weeks of age. It must be repeated
annually.
If you have any enquiries please do not hesitate to contact us at the clinic for answers.