Puppies and Kittens Health Care Programme
Puppies and kittens inherit a natural immunity from their mother that protects them from birth until about 6 weeks of age. After 6 weeks, your pet depends on you to continue that protection until their own immune system is fully developed.
Making sure your animals are wormed and vaccinated against common diseases is an important part of owning pets, it can save their lives from these potentially fatal diseases.
What are Vaccines?
Vaccines are health products that trigger protective immune responses in pets and prepare them to fight future infections from disease-causing agents.
Vaccines can lessen the severity of future diseases and certain vaccines can prevent infection altogether.
Today, a variety of vaccines are available for use by veterinarians
Vaccines recommended by vets
For puppies:
Canine distemper: a viral disease that is often fatal in puppies. It is characterized by respiratory distress, coughing and seizures and is highly contagious.
Canine hepatitis (adenovirus): a viral disease spread through urine. It causes respiratory and liver problems.
Parainfluenza: a respiratory infection that is often involved with kennel cough.
Canine parvovirus: a severe intestinal viral disease characterized by vomiting and bloody diarrhea. It is often fatal and highly contagious.
Bordetella: known as kennel cough or tracheobronchitis. It is highly contagious and often difficult to treat. Recommended for puppies with high exposure to other animals, being boarded, or going to dog shows or obedience school.
Rabies: a deadly viral disease in dogs and cats including all mammalian speices and most commonly transmitted through the bite of rabid animal.
For Kittens:
Feline panleukopenia: characterized by fever, poor appetite, vomiting and diarrhea. This may cause death.
Feline viral rhinotracheitis: highly contagious respiratory disease and is characterized by sneezing, fever and inflamed eyes.
Feline calicivirus: highly contagious respiratory disease similar to rhinotracheitis.
How do pets get infected with worms?
Consumption of infective worm eggs from soil in the environment (generally through normal grooming)
Consumption of a prey animal (usually rodent) that is carrying developing worms
During embryonic development when an infected mother dog/cat is pregnant (most puppies are infected this way)
Nursing from an infected mother dog/cat
Worming schedule
Puppies
Starts at 2 weeks of age and every two weeks until 12 weeks old
3 months – 6 months old: worm once a month
All dogs from 6 months of age: worm every 3 months
Kittens
2 weeks – 3 months old: worm every 2 weeks
3 months – 6 months old: worm once a month
Kittens/cats 6 months+: worm every 3 months
After that, worming your pet 4 times a year is sufficient but monthly worming is a gold standard!
Worming
Worming your puppy or kitten is another important step to raising a healthy pet. Puppies and kittens have the potential to be born with intestinal parasites and have the ability to pick them up in their environment as well.
The most common types of worms seen in dogs and cats are Tape Worms, Roundworms, Hookworms and Whipworms. It is even possible for our furry little friends to transmit their intestinal parasites to humans. A proper worming protocol is the best way to protect our pets and ourselves from infestation.
A worm treatment for cats targets different worms than a wormer for dogs. While dogs need to be treated for tapeworms and nematodes, worming for cats aims at tape- and roundworms.
Four different types of worms commonly seen in dogs and cats:
Roundworms: Long and white and look like spaghetti, their eggs cannot be seen with the naked eye. Symptoms: Pot belly appearance, diarrhoea, vomiting and weight loss. They also can be transferred to humans, especially in children.
Tapeworms: Segments are white, short and flat and look like rice grains. They can be spread by fleas. Symptoms: Abdominal pain, anal irritation, vomiting, weight loss. Some dog tapeworm can be passed onto sheep and can result in ‘sheep measles’, a carcass defect that is found at slaughter and is a significant cause of downgrading at abattoirs.
Hookworms: Cannot be seen with the naked eye. Symptoms: Bloody faeces, diarrhoea, low energy, can be transmitted to humans.
Whipworms: Cannot be seen with the naked eye. Symptoms: Weight loss, flatulence (wind), bloody diarrhoea, low energy.
Contact your Veterinary online!
All veterinarians are professionals, experienced and skilled, dedicated to providing the best possible care for your pets, giving you confidence in their expertise and experience.
