Dog Care

Q: I just got a puppy, and I want her vaccinated...when does she need her vaccinations?

A: As soon as possible. Puppies require a series of shots which can be started as young as 6 weeks. Puppies need a series of boosters for two reasons. One is to ensure that memory is created within your young dog's immune system to enable it to recognize any foreign diseases/viruses, etc... As well, a nursing puppy will receive antibodies from its mother to protect it from diseases during its first weeks of life. Unfortunately, these antibodies can keep a vaccine from being as effective, and we deal with this giving a series of shots.

 

Q: Why does my dog require yearly boosters?

A: The protection which is provided by a vaccine will generally decrease over time. To ensure that your dog's immune system can defend itself from infectious diseases, a yearly booster is required.

 

Q: This distemper shot...will it make my dog friendlier?

A: No. CANINE DISTEMPER VIRUS is a contagious virus that attacks dogs as well as wolves, coyotes, skunks, ferrets and raccoons. Cats and people are not affected. The virus is spread by contact between animals or with urine or feces of infected animals. Early clinical signs include fever, discharges from eyes & nose, loss of appetite and lethargy. This then progresses to vomiting and diarrhea and possibly pneumonia. Neurological symptoms of incoordination, circling, seizures and coma can develop. The death rate is very high, although some dogs with mild infections do recover. There is no treatment. Vaccination is the best way to prevent distemper. Distemper is very rare in areas where dogs are vaccinated. This vaccine is given routinely at our clinic. It is given in the puppy series, as mentioned above, and then should be boostered every year.

 

A: The "distemper" vaccination protects dogs from many diseases besides Canine Distemper.

 

NTESTINAL DISEASE: CANINE PARVOVIRUS is a severe and often fatal viral infection that causes vomiting and bloody diarrhea. CANINE CORONAVIRUS is a milder intestinal virus that is primarily a problems in young puppies and so we add it just to the puppy vaccinations.

 

LIVER DISEASE: INFECTIOUS CANINE HEPATITISis a severe systemic infection that causes liver and eye damage, respiratory disease, diarrhea and death.

 

KENNEL COUGH SYNDROME: CANINE ADENOVIRUS TYPE 2 and PARAINFLUENZA both cause respiratory disease including tonsillitis and bronchitis. They are routinely in the distemper vaccination. BORDETELLA BRONCHISEPTICA is a bacterial infection that causes bronchopneumonia and chronic cough. Vaccination is currently available in an intranasal form.

 

Q: Why is rabies such a concern?

A: RABIES is a major concern because it is a fatal disease that is transmissible to people. It is estimated there are 40 000 deaths from rabies in humans yearly, most of those being in India.

Rabies is caused by a virus that attacks the nervous system. Animals that are infected become unpredictable and often aggressive. It will cause gradual paralysis and death. It is spread by bites or saliva of infected animals. Most rabies exists in wildlife, such as raccoons, skunks, foxes and bats. All warm-blooded mammals can get rabies. It is always 100% fatal.

There is no test for rabies other than autopsy. All pets that are not vaccinated and are exposed to rabies are euthanized. Pets that are vaccinated are immediately boostered and kept in quarantine for 3 months. Humans that have been exposed to rabies can be treated with anti-toxin injections early in the infection. People at high risk such as veterinarians and wild-life workers are also vaccinated.

 

Q: Do I have to have my dog boostered yearly for rabies?

A: Once a dog has had two consecutive rabies boosters one year apart, the vaccination can be given once every three years. However, some areas have by-laws which still require yearly vaccinations. For people traveling across borders a yearly booster may save hassles.

 

Back to top of page

 

Back to Health Care