Just a little bit of background first. There are non-core and core vaccines for your pet. Non-core vaccines cover illnesses that are considered less life-threatening and sometimes based upon lifestyle and your environment (Part 2) The Core vaccines are recommended regardless of your pets' lifestyle and considered vital to the health of your pet. They include Canine Distemper Virus, Canine Adenovirus type 1 and 2, Canine Parvovirus, (DA2PPV) and Rables. Now a little more on these vaccines and why your pet needs them.
Canine Distemper Virus is a highly contagious virus that attacks the gastrointestinal, respiratory and nervous system. It is most often spread airborne but can also be spread by food and water bowls as well as equipment. Dogs that become infected can spread the virus for months and mothers can pass it to their young through the placenta. It is often fatal and the ones that do survive, usually have permanent damage. This vaccine is given as a series in puppies about 3 weeks apart and then it becomes a yearly booster.
Canine Parvovirus is a highly contagious disease that causes fever, loss of appetite, severe vomiting, bloody diarrhea, and can even cause septic shock. It affects the gastrointestinal tract and if left untreated it is fatal. This vaccine is given in a series to puppies about 3 weeks apart and then is given as a yearly booster. This virus can live in the soil for months, so just a simple walk through an area that has been contaminated, you risk the chance of your dog getting this virus.
Canine Parainfluenza This vaccine is often confused with the canine influenza vaccine. (More on K9 Influenza in Part-2) Parainfluenza is a form of kennel cough and is passed from dog to dog and can be passed just from being near an infected dog. It is a highly contagious respiratory virus, and no treatment is available for this virus except management of the symptoms (fever, coughing, sneezing, mucus discharge, loss of appetite and lethargy) and preventing secondary infections. This is also given in a series of boosters about 3 weeks apart and then recommended yearly.
Canine Adenovirus Type 1 and 2- Type 1 is also called canine hepatitis. This is also given in a series as puppies and then yearly as adults. It is passed through saliva, urine, feces and airborne droplets sprayed through the air. This virus can also survive for many months and also can be spread through asymptomatic dogs. It often attacks the kidneys, eyes and liver and can cause severe damage. Symptoms can be mild to severe including fever, nasal/eye discharge, cough, vomiting, diarrhea, convulsions and even paralysis.
Type 2 is also a form of kennel cough. Symptoms include coughing with a retching or gagging sound. There are many different forms of “kennel cough”, just as we have many forms of a cold virus and I think this is where a lot of people often get confused. It often goes away on its own with no treatment, however it can lead to more serious infections such as pneumonia.
Rabies is administered at 3 to 4 months of age, depending on where you live. There are 1 year and 3-year Rabies vaccines available. Rabies is not treatable and will result in death to your pet. It can be passed to humans. It is passed by a bite from an infected animal to another animal, or if an animal bites a person. It can sometimes be passed through a simple scratch. Symptoms include but are not limited to aggression, sudden personality change, excessive drooling or foaming from the mouth, seizures, staggering and paralysis.
Disclaimer: Information provided is for informational and educational purposes only. We do not provide any medical or veterinary advice and the use or reliance on this information within this site is entirely used at your own risk.
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