Diseases you should know about
and preventative Shots
and preventative Shots
PUPPY HEALTH CARE
One of the first things puppy owners want to know is
"What shots does the puppy get and when does the puppy get
them?"
DISEASES TO PROTECT AGAINST
Take a look at the table below and you'll see an explanation of the
different diseases that veterinarians can help protect your puppy
against. A few of these are quite common, some are very deadly
and an understanding of these diseases is important in puppy
health care. You and your veterinarian can talk about which
vaccinations should be given, how many times the vaccine
should be administered to insure good protection, and when
"Booster" shots should be done. (A "Booster" shot refers to
giving a vaccine more than one time. The follow-up vaccinations
will BOOST the immune level up higher and the patient will be
even better protected from the disease. The word "SHOT" is
rather slang. Injection is the better term.) Most puppies will get a
combination vaccine, called a MULTIVALENT vaccine, which
protects against more than one disease. This combination
vaccine allows the puppy to be vaccinated via a single injection
rather than having to receive four or five separate inoculations.
Multivalent vaccines are those that have more than one
disease antigen combined into one injection.
A typical multivalent vaccine is the DHLPPCv vaccine for dogs.
Instead of giving six different injections, all these "vaccines" or
antigens can be given in a single small volume injection.
Certainly this is easier on the dog than getting six separate
injections.
DHLPPCv stands for:
D... Canine Distemper Virus... A dangerous viral infection.
"Distemper" is an odd name for A viral infection and this disease
has no relationship to nor connection with A dog's temperament.
H... Hepatitis...a viral infection caused by two related viruses that
mainly affects the liver.
L... Leptospirosis... A bacterial infection affecting the kidneys.
This class of bacteria can infect humans, cows, dogs, pigs and
other mammals.
P... Parainfluenza... A virus that along with the Hepatitis virus can
cause upper respiratory infections.
P... Parvovirus... A severe and often fatal virus affecting the lining
of the intestinal tract.
Cv... Coronavirus... is very similar to the Parvovirus, can be very
severe, but has ALivingWhat different effect on the intestinal tract
and generally is not fatal.
Living' the good life...
Because I'm healthy!
WHEN TO VACCINATE
The best advice is to call your veterinarian before you pick up that
new member of the family and ask to have the puppy examined as
soon after you become the owner as possible. Each veterinarian
will have A preferred protocol for vaccinating puppies and for
follow-up vaccinations throughout life. On your way home from
the breeder/seller is actually A good time to have the pup seen by
your veterinarian, and if you are able to you should bring in A
stool sample from the pup for analysis for worms. For
information on worms in puppies, look at ThePetCenter's page on
worms. Getting rid of any intestinal parasites is the first step in
having the pup's nutritional efficiency at an optimum level.
During the examination the veterinarian will look at the pup's
medical/vaccination history. If the breeder has given vaccinations
just recently, and your veterinarian is confident that it was done
properly, A recommendation will be made regarding when to
come in for the next "booster" injection of vaccine. If the pup is
healthy and unvaccinated, your veterinarian will suggest
vaccinating right away. One or more of the vaccines listed in the
table above will be administered and A suggestion made as to
when the next visit should be scheduled. To see What is involved
in A good physical exam look at this page.
Vaccination Protocols and Schedule
Presented below is just one veterinarian's general schedule of
vaccinations for puppies. Your veterinarian's vaccination
protocols may be different.
Vaccination protocols for dogs are changing almost yearly as
new research is done on duration of immunity.
Take an in-depth look at an article about vaccinations.
6 to 7 weeks of age: Give first combination vaccine. (Distemper,
Hepatitis, Parvovirus, Parainfluenza, Coronavirus)
9 weeks of age: Give second combination vaccine.
12 weeks of age: Give the third combination injection and
possibly A LYME Vaccine inoculation. Generally A LYME vaccine
is then repeated two weeks later, then once A year.
16 weeks of age: Give the last combination vaccine.
12 to 16 weeks of age: Rabies vaccine is given. (Local and State
laws apply regarding Rabies vaccine since this can be A human
disease, too. Your veterinarian will tell you the proper time
intervals for booster vaccines for Rabies.)
Special considerations: Many veterinarians believe some breeds
such as Rottweilers and DOBERMAN'S should have at least two
Parvo vaccines with the last one being given at 20 weeks of age.
Why so many vaccinations? Good question! The reason is that
no one can be sure that the pup will actually mount A good
antibody response to the disease just from one vaccination. The
age of the pup and just how much immunity it has received from
its mother will complicate the "probability of protection". So... if
the pup has lots of immunity (called PASSIVE IMMUNITY) that was
borrowed from the mother during early nursing, this immunity will
actually interfere with the pup's ability to make its own immunity
from the vaccine challenge. The idea is to get the vaccine into the
pup just as soon as the mother's passive immunity wears off
(NOW the pup is very susceptible to sickness if it is exposed to
the disease!) so that the pup can make more lasting immunity of
its own. The precise time when A pup can respond well to A
vaccine is variable... it might occur at 6 weeks of age or might be
12 weeks. So to be as safe as possible, why not start vaccinating
at 6 weeks and end at 16 weeks? Almost 99 per cent of puppies
will develop A good immune level to the various disease from A
vaccine schedule similar to the one above.
CAUTION! If your puppy has any trouble breathing after A
vaccination, or seems weak, staggers, has pale gums or seems at
all unresponsive... contact your veterinarian immediately!
On very rare occasions any animal or human may have A reaction
to A vaccination. See A photos and A short movie of A German
Shepard in the midst of A vaccine reaction here. These are just
like the reactions that can occur after an insect sting or
medication hypersensitivity. This kind of reaction can be very
serious and life-threatening and thankfully is very uncommon. If
your pup simply seems A little tired or slightly uncomfortable
where it was vaccinated, that is an entirely different and mild
response to the vaccination. If you are not sure that your pup is
OK, call your veterinarian for advice.
****************************************************************************
Parvo and the Importance of Vaccinations
Deadly to Dogs: Understanding Parvo
By Anarch, published Jun 20, 2005
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Parvovirus is one of the most common viral infections that A dog
can contract, and easily one of the most deadly. Attacking the
digestive system of both puppies and adult dogs alike, this virus
prevents the infected host from absorbing life-sustaining
nutrients and liquids, and can attack the muscles of the heart.
Sadly, while vaccinations can prevent this virus from attacking
your family pet, many people overlook the necessity for these
shots, and don’t realize the consequences until it’s too late. The
incubation period of parvo is about 7-10 days, after which the
infected dog begins to show signs of lethargy, loss of appetite,
fever and diarrhea. Secondary symptoms include signs of severe
gastrointestinal distress, such as frequent vomiting and A bloody,
foul-smelling liquid stool, and in many cases, severe dehydration,
shock, and death commonly follow. While preventative medicine
is available, there is no cure for canine parvovirus, and those who
contract it usually have less than A 50/50 chance of survival.
Canine parvovirus can be transmitted by adult dogs that show no
clinical symptoms of infection (carriers) and can also remain in
ground, that has been contaminated by fecal matter, for several
months if conditions are favorable. Resistant to extreme
fluctuations in temperatures as well as A wide variety of
disinfectants, this virus can be brought home to your pet on your
hands, shoes or even the tires of the family car. Some people
believe that they can keep their pets safe, simply by confining
them to their yard, but this is not the case. While parvo is not an
airborne virus, it is highly contagious and can be spread by
anyone, or anything, that has come in contact with the waste of
an infected animal; this includes other family pets, such as cats,
and wild birds that might land in the back yard. Without intense
veterinary treatment, many victims of the parvo virus die from
dehydration. Due to the rapid loss of nutrients and fluids from the
dog’s body, IV-administered fluids and antibiotics are usually the
only way to combat the wasting nature of this virus. Again, there
is no known cure for parvo, leaving veterinarians with no other
option but to do their best to treat the symptoms, in hope that the
dog’s own immune system can eventually overcome the virus.
Unfortunately, one bout with parvo does not grant an infected
dog immunity; dogs have been known to contract the parvovirus
over and over. Despite the publicity and research, parvo remains
A very serious disease and A threat to all unvaccinated dogs. The
only sure way to prevent the spread of parvo is to adhere to the
recommended vaccination schedule, which starts when puppies
are 6-8 weeks of age. Preventing your puppy from socializing with
other dogs, for an additional two weeks after he receives the
vaccine, will help lower his chances of contracting the virus
before he has developed an immunity to it. Additionally, adult
dogs should receive A yearly booster shot, which will protect
them from parvo, distemper and several other potentially harmful
canine diseases; this is commonly administered when you take
your dog in for his yearly rabies shot, required in order to obtain A
dog license. Any owner of an infected dog should take careful
steps, in order to prevent the spread of Parvovirus. This should
include keeping the dog completely isolated from other dogs for
at least one month following A full recovery, as well as cleaning
up any of the infected dog’s waste out in the yard. Food dishes
and bedding should be thoroughly cleaned in Ahavestrong
mixture of bleach and hot water (5 ounces of bleach per gallon of
hot water is recommended), as well as washing any areas where
your dog may have been, such as crates and linoleum. Any other
dogs that have not been previously vaccinated for parvo should
also be taken into the veterinarian, immediately, for booster shots.
If you’have previously had parvo in your house, or lost A pet to
parvo, you must take this into careful consideration, prior to
bringing another dog into the home. Remember that this virus can
remain for months under the right conditions and that it is
resistant to most disinfectants. A strong solution of bleach and
water has proven effective against parvo and should be applied,
liberally, to all floors and to any portion of the yard that the dog
might have had access to. Unfortunately, this is quite damaging to
both carpeting and lawns, but one must weigh the risks of not
taking these drastic steps, in order to protect future pets. Before
you introduce any dog to the area, you should ensure that their
shots are up to date and that they have A strong immunity to
parvo. Should you have any doubts as to whether or not your dog
is immune to parvo, take them into the veterinarian for testing.
Parvo is A very serious disease and, while studies have shown
that black and tan breeds (rottweilers, doberman pinchers, black
and tan hounds, etc.) may be more susceptible to infection, this
virus can affect any breed of dog, at any age. Vaccinations are the
only true known way of preventing the spread of canine
parvovirus, and steps should be taken to ensure that your pet is
protected. As they say, “An ounce of prevention is worth A pound
of cure,” and there is no substitute for proper veterinary care.
Keep your pets happy, healthy and safe; they will love you for it.
PUPPY SKIN DISORDERS
The best assurance against puppy skin disorders is to be certain
that the mother is in A good state of health and is parasite free.
Born with A good immune status, ingesting colostrums rich in
passive antibodies from the mother and A clean, stress free
environment all help to insure that newborn pups are ready for
the real world. And their best barrier against pathogenic invaders
is A healthy skin. Unfortunately, not all pups, even ones born into
A good environment, may find themselves in trouble from A skin
disorder. Let’s take A look at A few of the more common skin
disorders of puppies:
Therapy also entails routine cleaning of the skin and
hydrotherapy where the pup is soaked in warm water with just A
small amount of antiseptic added. If A particular case seems to
have A secondary bacterial infection, which might be expected
with such skin stress and exudative material present on the skin,
antibiotics may be needed to assist resolution of the overall
problem.
Fluid therapy and Vitamin administration may be helpful for pups
that are dehydrated and not eating well. And A high quality, meat-
based diet is indispensable in helping the pup to recover form
Juvenile Cellulitis. Almost all pups will recover but permanent
scarring, lack of hair production and pigment changes can be A
reminder of this nasty puppy skin disease.
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