As the saying goes “prevention is better than cure”. The most important preventative measure, you as owner can take to prevent certain serious diseases, is through the use of vaccines. 

Puppy and Kitten 

The protocol is not cast in stone and many variants are available. Pretoria East Veterinary Clinic follows the drug company’s recommended protocol:

• 6 weeks 1st vaccination – standard vaccine

• 10 weeks 2nd vaccination – standard vaccine + Rabies

• 14 weeks 3rd vaccination – standard vaccine + Rabies

• There after an annual booster vaccine is recommended

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Dogs

Dog diseases we vaccinate against:

Parvo virus – Sever haemorragic gastro enteritis and/or myocarditis (affecting the heart) OFTEN FATAL  
Canine Distemper virus –nasal/ocular discharge; gastritis; neurological signs – FATAL    
Canine Hepatitis – sudden death of very young pups; tender liver – unwell/ high temperature etc. CAN BE FATAL  
Canine parainfluenza virus – cough; pneumonia. 
Canine adenovirus type 2.Corona virus – cough; ocular and nasal discharge; high temperature; +/- pneumonia. 
Bordetella bronchoseptica – cough; nasal discharge; high temperature. 
Leptospirosis – jaundice; high temp; vomiting; diarrhoea; bleeding. DEPENDS ON STRAIN BUT CAN BE FATAL 
Rabies – change of temperament; muscle weakness; difficulty in swallowing. FATAL. CAN BE TRANSMITTED TO HUMANS

Cats

Cat diseases we vaccinate against:

Feline calici virus – high temperature; mouth ulcers; anorexia 
Feline rhinotracheitis – sneezing; high temperature; ocular/nasal discharge 
Feline panleucopaenia virus – anorexia; high temperature; vomiting. FATAL IN YOUNG KITTENS 
Bordetella bronchoseptica – high temperature; sneezing; nasal discharge
Chlamydia psittaci – severe conjunctivitis; sneezing
Feline leukaemia virus – diseases associated: anaemia; cancers; immunosuppression. EVENTUALLY FATAL 
Rabies – change of temperament; muscle weakness; difficulty in swallowing. FATAL. CAN BE TRANSMITTED TO HUMANS

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Horses

Horse Sickness - Annually

Equine Flu vaccinations -  Every 6 months

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Horse Sickness - (AHS) is a highly infectious and deadly disease. It commonly affects horses, mules, and donkeys. It is caused by a virus of the genus Orbivirus belonging to the family Reoviridae. This disease can be caused by any of the nine serotypes of this virus. AHS is not directly contagious, but is known to be spread by insect vectors. The biological vector of the virus is the Culicoides (midges) species. However, this disease can also be transmitted by species of mosquitoes including Culex, Anopheles, and Aedes, and species of ticks such as Hyalomma and Rhipicephalus.

Horses are the most susceptible host with close to 90% mortality of those affected, followed by mules (50%) and donkeys (10%). African donkeys and zebras very rarely display clinical symptoms, despite high virus titres in blood, and are thought to be the natural reservoir of the virus. AHS manifest itself in four different forms: the pulmonary form, the cardiac form, a mild (horse sickness fever) form, and a mixed form.

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Equine Flu - Equine influenza is characterized by a very high rate of transmission among horses, and has a relatively short incubation time of one to three days. Clinical signs of equine influenza include fever (up to 106°F [41.1°C]), nasal discharge, have a dry, hacking cough, depression, loss of appetite and weakness. Secondary infections may include pneumonia. Horses that are mildly affected will recover within 2-3 weeks, however, it may take up to 6 months for recovery for severely affected horses. Horses that become immune may not show sings but will still shed the virus. 

 Equine influenza is caused by several strains of the influenza A virus endemic to horses. Viruses that cause equine influenza were first isolated in 1956. The equine-1 virus affects heart muscle, while the equine-2 virus is much more severe and systemic. The virus is spread by infected, coughing horses in addition to contaminated buckets, brushes, tack and other stable equipment. The influenza virus causing symptoms by replicating within respiratory epithelial cells, resulting in destruction of tracheal and bronchial epithelium and cilia.