Dog vaccination

Vaccination protects against diseases which can kill your dog or take a very long time to be cured. There are five major infectious diseases that are covered by routine vaccination. They are all highly contagious, can need extensive and expensive treatments and with the exception of kennel cough may be fatal. None of them needs to be a problem when your animal is covered by vaccinations.

Canine Parvovirus

  • Common infection and highly contagious with a high mortality (death) rate
  • Young pups are most susceptible between the decrease of maternal antibodies and efficacy of their vaccination programme
  • Unvaccinated dogs any age can be affected
  • Affects the gastrointestinal tract, bone marrow and cardiac tissue
  • Clinical signs include vomiting and foul smelling diarrhoea, dehydration, lethargy and pyrexia (high temperature), in extreme cases it can become fatal if not treated early

Distemper (hard pad)

  • Commonly seen in unvaccinated puppies (3 – 6 months)
  • Dogs of any age in susceptible population and in an area of high density (e.g. Cities, rescue centres) can be affected
  • Coincides with the decrease of maternal antibodies and efficacy of their vaccination programme
  • Respiratory, gastrointestinal and central nervous systems, nose, footpads and conjunctiva may be affected
  • Clinical signs include pyrexia (high temperature), neurological signs, cough, nasal discharge, dehydration, vomiting and diarrhoea

Infectious Canine Hepatitis

  • Dogs younger than 1 year old are usually affected, but unvaccinated dogs of any age may be affected
  • Mortality (death) rate is higher in unweaned puppies
  • Liver and blood vessels are affected
  • Clinical signs include pyrexia (high temperature), vomiting and diarrhoea, anorexia and death in severe cases

Leptospirosis

  • Zoonotic disease, therefore can be passed to humans causing ‘Weils disease’
  • Young animals usually more severely affected
  • Mortality (death) rates can be high with rapid deterioration or rapid death
  • Liver and Kidneys are affected
  • Clinical signs include pyrexia (high temperature), vomiting and diarrhoea, dehydration, jaundice and bleeding from gum margins

Infectious Tracheo-bronchitis (Kennel Cough)

  • Highly infectious but low mortality (death) rate
  • Occurs in areas of high density (boarding kennels, rescue centres)
  • Can affected dogs of any age which are unvaccinated
  • Respiratory system affected
  • Clinical signs are a cough that is dry and unproductive, is associated with retching
  • Nasal vaccine protects against 2 of the most important causes

Rabies

  • Zoonotic disease, therefore can be passed to humans
  • Central nervous system affected
  • Clinical signs of rabies are divided into 2 types:
    • Excitative = irritable, restless and vicious behaviour, neurological signs such as incoordination, disorientation and seizures
    • Paralytic = incoordination, hind limb ataxia (failure in muscular co-ordination) leading to paralysis, laryngeal and pharyngeal paralysis, change in facial expression, progressive paralysis
  • Both forms of clinical signs result in death of the animal
  • Controlled by the Pet Travel Scheme (PETS)
  • No cases in the United Kingdom in cats and dogs

When to vaccinate?

  • Puppies can start their vaccination from 6 weeks, but we recommend from 8 weeks of age.
  • Puppies older than 12 weeks of age also require two injections, a minimum of 2 weeks apart.
  • Until at least 7 days after the second injection, puppies should be kept away from all other dogs, which are a potential source of infections.
  • An additional injection against parvovirus may be recommended for puppies, 6 weeks after the second injection as they are especially susceptible to the damaging effects of the disease at this age.
  • Adult dogs also require a course of two injections, a minimum of two weeks apart, if they are being vaccinated for the first time.
  • Both puppies and adults, once they have had their initial course of injections will require a yearly booster to maintain their immunity.
  • Occasionally there may be tenderness around the vaccination site.