Dog Diseases

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Almost all dogs will be exposed to serious and possibly even fatal diseases at some point in their lives. Vaccinating your dog helps to prevent these diseases, providing optimum protection and the best quality of life you can provide for your pet.

The following is a description of the primary diseases that your dog should be vaccinated against.

Rabies
Rabies is a fatal virus that attacts the nerve tissue. All warm-blooded animals, including humans, can become infected by rabies, thus making it extremely important that vaccines are given routinely.

Rabies in North America exists mainly in wildlife, especially raccoons, skunks, foxes and bats. It is spread by bites or saliva from an infected animal and pets who have had fights with wild animals are suspect.

Rabies generally takes one of two forms:
1)"Dumb" rabies, where the lower jaw drops, excessive drooling occurs and the animal avoids contact.
2)Furious rabies, where the animal becomes unnaturally aggressive.

If an animal is diagnosed with rabies it must be euthanized. If humans are infected, treatment in the early stages is possible, but it is unpleasant and expensive.


	Canine Distemper Canine Distemper symptoms are diarrhea, fever, respiratory disease, seizures, muscular twitches and watery discharge from eyes and nose. This disease is very widespread amoung dogs and can even become fatal in a dog not protected by vaccine. Puppies are especially susceptible.

Tracheobronchitis (kennel cough)
Anmpt061 Kennel Cough is an airborne respiratory disease. Although is not usually fatal, it can cause uncomfortable coughing, appetite loss and lack of energy and takes many weeks of recovery. Dogs that are exposed to any infected dog are highly susceptible. Because of this, it is recommended that your dog be vaccinated against kennel cough if it is often around other dogs (ie. boarding kennels, dog shows, shelters, etc.)

Viral Diarrhea
Both parvovirus and coronavirus cause diarrhea in dogs and are very easily spread to other dogs through the diarrhea. Adult dogs will generally survive viral diarrhea, but puppies dehydrate very quickly and this can easily lead to death.
A course of several vaccinations is recommended for puppies, beginning at six weeks of age and continuing every three weeks until the pup is around 16-19 weeks old. From then on, an annual vaccine should be all that's needed to keep your dog protected.


	Hepatitis Hepatitis is spread through infected urine and produces symptoms of fever, respiratory disease, liver and eye damage, blood changes and diarrhea. Although most adult dogs that contract the hepatitis virus recover, it is often fatal in puppies.


	Leptospirosis Leptospirosis is also passed through urine. It is a bacteria that dogs of all ages and even humans can contract. This disease damages the liver, kidneys and other major organs.


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