A Guide to Vaccination
Dogs are wonderful companions. Their outgoing nature may bring them into contact with other animals-increasing their exposure to disease. Fortunately for your pet, vaccinations are available to prevent many dog diseases. Vaccinating your dog is the best and least costly way to prevent disease. Prevention assures the best quailty of life for your pet, and it costs less than treatment. Vaccines protect pets against common viruses and bacteria. At some time in their lives, almost all dogs will be exposed to a serious or even fatal infectious disease. Without proper vaccination, they could be unprotected. On this page we will outline the primary diseases that can endanger your dog's health. We will also tell you about the vaccines most vets recommend to help prevent them.
RABIES: All warm blooded animals can become infected with rabies virus. Because rabies is also a threat to humans, all PETS should be vaccinated. Rabies is caused by a virus that attackes nerve tissue. The diease develops slowly over 10 days to several months. Death always occurs once a rabies-infected animal shows signs of the disease. Rabies generally takes one of two forms in animals: "Dumb" rabies, where the lower jaw drops, excessive drooling occurs, and the animal avoids contact. "Furious " rabies, where the animal becomes unnaturally aggressive. In North America, most rabies exists in wildlife especially raccoons, skunks, foxes, and bats. Rabies is spread by bites or saliva of infected animals. Therefore, an unvaccinated pet involved in a fight with a wild animal should be suspect for rabies. When rabies is diagnosed, animals must be euthanized. If humans are infected, they can be vaccinated successfully in early stages of the disease. Treatment, however, is unpleasent and very costly.
Distemper, Hepatities, and Leptospirosis: Each of these dog diseases is easily prevented by making sure your dog's vaccinations are up todate. Vets will often give a single shot that contains vaccines for all three diseases. CANINE DISTEMPER: Canine distemper virus is widepread in the dog world. Up to 75% of unprotected dogs can develop this disease, and many-especially puppies-may die. So all dogs should be vaccinated for this when they are puppies. A dog with distemper may have diarrhea, fever, respiratory disease, sizures, muscular twitches, and watery discharge from the eyes and nose. HEPATITIS: Most adult dogs that develop this recover, but the disease in puppies is often fatal. Hepatitis is spread primarily through infected urine. The virus attacks organs throughout an unprotected dog's body, producing fever, respiratory disease, diarrhea, liver and eye damage, and changes in the blood. Protection is provided by a vaccine containing a virus similar to hepatitis. LEPTOSPIROSIS: Leptospirosis, caused by bacteria, can affect dogs of any age, damaging liver, kidneys, and other major organs. An infected dog can spread the bacteria for months after it has been sick. Other dogs and even humans can pick up the bacteria from the infected dog's urine. Viral Diarrhea: Two viruses commonly cause diarrhea in dogs - canine parvovirus and canine coronavirus. Sometimes dogs can be infected with both viruses at once, leading to very serious diarrhea. PARVO IS VERY SERIOUS PLEASE VACCINATE!! Respiratory Disease: When your dog is exoosed to sick dogs at kennel or dog show, it can catch kennel cough. This stubborn respiratory infection can keep dogs coughing for weeks or months. Canine respiratory disease isn't usually fatal unless pneumonia develops. Lyme Disease: Lyme disease (Borreliosis) is a tick-borne bacterial disease affecting both humans and animals. First discovered in the United States in humans in 1975 and reported in dogs in 1984, Borreliosis has since spread rapidly across the country, affecting more victims every year. Lyme disease is caused by corkscrew-shaped bacteria called Borrelia burgdorferi. It is transmitted thru ticks. Ticks are blood-suckers. When tick bite the bacteria is transferred to the blood of the host animal. How Does Vaccinations Work? Vaccinations help prevent, not cure, disease. Vaccines contain disease-causing viruses, or bacteria that have been chemically changed so they don't cause disease. When your dog is injected with a vaccine, the animal's immune system produces speical substances called antibodies that work against the viruses or bacteria that cause the disease. Later, if your pet is exposed to that virus, these antibodies will help destroy those viruses or bacteria. The protection provided by a vaccine gradually declines after a dog is vaccinated. That's why annunal re-vaccination along with a heath check-up is always recommended. Which Vaccinations Are Required? Your Vet will have a list of recomended vaccines, which may be changed to meet your pet's needs. Some things the vet will consider before beginning a vaccination program are: Age: Most vaccines have limited effectivness until a puppy is weaned. Overall health: Poorly nourished or sick animals or those on some medications may not respond well to vaccination. That's why a physical exam is required. Need for diagnostic tests: An animal with parasites(like worms or fleas) or one infected with a disease may not respond to vaccination. Risk of exposure: Vaccination against some diseases may not be necessary if the risk of getting them is low.
REMEMBER YOUR DOG DEPENDS ON YOU! VISIT YOUR VETERINARIAN REGULARLY!
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