Vaccinations

One of the best ways to provide your dog a long and healthy life is to vaccinate him against the most common canine diseases. The immunization received from his mother through the colostrum, begins to disappear between the 6th and 12th week. This is why a puppy mustn’t be vaccinated before this time (unless he didn’t get breast milk), otherwise the antibodies he received from his mother will be used against the vaccine’s agents, leaving him with no protection.

From the 6th to the 12th week is the proper to start vaccinating your puppy month, until he reaches the age of 3-4 months. At this moment, your puppy’s immune system is starting to create his own antibodies and other responses that will protect him for the rest of his life and vaccines help to increase his immune system’s response for future viral or bacterial challenges. After the first vaccinations, your dog should received a “booster” once a year (depending on the vaccine) during its entire life.


Common diseases

Parvovirus
This widespread viral disease is very contagious and debilitating. It is transmitted by contact with feces of an infected animal. This disease is very resistant and may survive in the environment for several months. The signs of this disease are: heavy fever,apathy,vomiting and diarrhea.

Canine Distemper
Extremely contagious, this disease is transmitted by nasal and eye secretions. The signs of this disease are: apathy, fever, coughing, diarrhoea and vomiting. At the terminal stage, the disease may show signs of convulsions and paralysis. Even if your dog recovers it may have after-effects in several organs and/or in his nervous system.

Adenovirus
(Also known as infectious hepatitis) A viral disease that affects the liver and cells lining the blood vessels, causing high fever, thirst, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, liver damage, and haemorrhage. This disease is transmitted by contact with secretions, such as saliva, urine or feces of an infected dog.

Leptospirosis
An extremely contagious bacterial disease that spreads through contact with nasal secretions, urine or saliva of infected animals, and can affect humans as well. It causes swollen kidneys, fever, vomiting, diarrhoea and blood in the urine. Liver damage can also occur.

Canine infectious tracheobronchitis (kennel cough)
Disease of the upper respiratory tract, caused by several viral and bacterial agents transported by air, such as parainfluenza and adenovirus which are easily transmitted from one dog to another. The early signs of this disease are coughing fits.

Parainfluenza
This virus is one of the causes of kennel cough or infectious tracheobronchitis as well as other respiratory disorders.

Coronavirus
A highly contagious viral infection of the gastrointestinal tract. Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhoea, high fever, and dehydration.

Rabies
A fatal viral disease which attacks the central nervous system and is a potential health risk to all warm-blooded mammals, including humans. The disease spreads through the saliva of an infected animal, through a bite or by contact with a skin lesion. Skunks, foxes, racoons and bats are often carriers of this disease. If exposed, rabies vaccination will allow your dog to resist this virus. It is important to know that there is no known method of curing a rabies infected animal. This is why many cities require that all dogs be regularly vaccinated against rabies.

Most of the vaccines for dogs are combined. A combined vaccine is one that protects against more than one disease.  The most typical one immunizes against canine parvovirus, canine distemper, adenovirus (which protects against both kennel cough and infectious hepatitis), canine parainfluenza, coronavirus and leptospirosis. Rabies vaccine is available as a separate vaccine. Ask your veterinary for the proper vaccination schedule and type of vaccine that should be used.