All About Vaccinations
| Published: 28th June 2007 06:13 |
Just like humans have vaccinations to reduce the risk of various disease, animals need the same. Cat, Dogs, Rabbits, Ferrets and Horses can all be vaccinated against potentially life threatening diseases. The vaccine gives immunity from a disease, therefore, any animal vaccinated should be able to withstand normal exposure to the disease it has been vaccinated against.
In fact, today's vaccines are very effective and have a remarkably high safety record. Millions of doses are used in the UK alone.
Because the incidence of these diseases has fallen due to the wide spread use of vaccines, the chances of encountering them has also reduced. This is a dangerous situation for the unvaccinated animal as sooner or later an encounter with a disease could prove fatal.
Immunity
Immunity to a disease means that an animal, or human, is highly resistant that particular disease.
Animals, and humans, can develop natural immunity against diseases, but in order for this to happen the animal must first encounter the potentially life threatening disease and survive.
If we can vaccinate for this disease, why put our animals at risk?
Maternally Derived Antibody (MDA)
Naturally mothers pass on some immunity (in the form of antibodies) to their new born before and shortly after birth, this is known as MDA.
Some of the immunity passes across the placenta to the young in the later stages of pregnancy but most immunity is passed from mother to the new born in the first milk, called colostrum.
It is important that the new born suck early as the levels of MDA is highest just after birth.
The extent of the protection given from the mother depends on her own immune status. Nowadays the immune status of the mother will depend highly on whether she has been vaccinated correctly and if they are upto date.
MDA levels vary from one youngster to another even within the same litter.
The MDA is known as 'passive' immunity as it is not being produced by the young. This means that the levels drop over some period of weeks until the animal is no longer protected.
Vaccinations
Vaccinations are a modified harmless form of a disease.
They work by stimulating the body to produce its own antibodies and defence against the disease.
First Vaccinations
The success of the vaccination depends on the MDA levels being low enough not to neutralise the vaccine.
If the MDA levels are high enough to protect, they will natuarally see the vaccine as an invader and neutralise it.
Many studies have been done to get the age where the first vaccination will be most effective.
Puppies and Kittens
In general the earliest age for puppies to be vaccinated is 6 weeks. However,most don't leave the breeder until they are 8 weeks so in practice this is the usual first vaccination age.
Kittens vaccinations can start from 9 weeks old.
The primary course consits of at least 2 vaccinations.
This is important!!
1) As we don't know exactly the age when the individual is no longer protected by the MDA therefore can't exactly time the effectiveness of the vaccine.
2) Some vaccines such as Leptospirosis need to be administered twice in order to gain a high enough immunity.
Boosters
We know that the MDA declines, so does the protection produced by the vaccination. As this form of immunity is known as 'active' its levels last longer but eventually need topping up to keep the animal fully protected against the disease.
There are 2 ways to 'top up' the animals immunity;
1) by exposure to the disease.
2) by a vaccination booster.
Over Due Boosters
Each vaccine has a lifespam, some only need a booster every couple of years some yearly and others every six months. You will be adviced of this by your vet.
If your animal is over due a vaccine contact your vet as soon as possible to assess whether the animal is still protected from disease.
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