Dogs are susceptible to a variety of illnesses, just like us. And just like with people, protecting your dog from illnesses through vaccination is incredibly important. The jabs they get early in their lives can go a long way in giving them happy and healthy lives. As an owner, you'll be at peace knowing that your paw friend is protected from illnesses that will hurt him and you both.
In this post, we'll discuss some of the most common dog illnesses and vaccines that will help protect your furry friend against them. Keep reading to learn more!
There are ten main vaccines your dog is prescribed to get, and each of them is created to address specific illnesses dogs could have. These vaccines are divided into the core ones, the ones required to be given, and non-core ones, or the optional jabs. But it is still best to give your paw friend complete vaccination to be sure. Let's check the vaccines and how they work!
Signs and Symptoms
Rabies is one of the most common illnesses on dogs and many other animals like raccoons, bats, and skunks. This condition is characterized by symptoms similar to flu that affect their brains, causing hallucinations, anxiety, hydrophobia, and delirium in 2-10 days.
Treatment and Vaccination
When a dog with rabies bites another animal or person, the virus jumps off, and they experience the same symptoms as above. Keep you and your paw friend from this fatal disease through a rabies shot, which veterinarians can give as early as age 12-16 weeks or 12-16 months. Note that anti-rabies shots are required every 1-3 years.
Signs and Symptoms
Dogs experience coughs and colds now and then. However, when the coughing and wheezing become more serious and accompanied by fever, vomiting, and diarrhea, rush to the veterinarian for a checkup. Your dog may have distemper. In worst cases, they may have seizures that can be fatal.
Treatment and Vaccination
Canine distemper is a preventable disease. You can keep your dog from acquiring it by ensuring your pets have their feeding bowls and do not share food with stray dogs. Getting them vaccinated with distemper as early as 6-8 weeks also prevents the gravity of the virus's respiratory, digestive, and neurological ill-effects.
Signs and Symptoms
The virus that causes hepatitis in humans isn't the same as in dogs, although the symptoms of having jaundice, enlargement of the stomach, liver damage, and vomiting are the same. If you haven't noticed these symptoms yet, some apparent signs are watery discharge in the eyes and nose, thirst, and lack of appetite.
Treatment and Vaccination
Although dogs with strong immune systems can battle hepatitis, it can still be fatal, especially when the symptoms are severe. The great news is you can get an all-in-one vaccine that contains antigens for hepatitis as early as the dog's 10th-12th weeks. You can also address the sickness through antibiotics, anti-inflammatory, and immunosuppressant drugs.
Signs and Symptoms
The symptoms of parvovirus depend on which part of the body it attacks. When the virus is present in the digestive system, some symptoms are lack of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, and bloody stool. The virus also affects the circulatory system, causing cardiac arrest in puppies six weeks to six months old.
Treatment and Vaccination
The main goal of veterinarians when a dog suffers from parvovirus is to keep them hydrated as they will lose a lot of liquids when they vomit and poop. Hospitalization for monitoring is also advised to increase the rate of dogs surviving. Getting your dog vaccinated as early as their sixth to eighth weeks will also keep them away from severe parvovirus.
Signs and Symptoms
Jaundice or the yellowing of the eyes and skin is not only a sign of hepatitis, but it may also indicate your dog suffers leptospirosis. The skin and eye color change often go with vomiting, diarrhea, skin rash, and muscle/headache. Symptoms can also go as advanced as suffering meningitis, which is fatal for them.
Treatment and Vaccination
When your dogs have open wounds, treat and cover them before allowing them to play with other dogs. The Leptospira interrogans bacteria can be transferred by dogs licking open wounds. The bacteria can also be passed on through water and soil where infected dogs have peed or pooped.
With the ease of bacteria transfer, it is best to vaccinate the dogs during their 10-12 weeks of age.
Signs and Symptoms
When you take care of several dogs and they live together, transmitting parainfluenza will be easier. The virus affects the dog's respiratory system, causing coughing, nasal discharge, lethargy, loss of appetite, and fever.
Treatment and Vaccination
The common sources of parainfluenza, like a visit to dog groomers, dog socialization, and pet parks, are difficult to avoid. Hence, the surest way to keep your dog from suffering parainfluenza or diminishing its ill effects is through vaccination when your dog reaches 10-12 weeks of age.
Getting a checkup would be best when your dog starts coughing, so veterinarians could prescribe cough medicines for treatment.
Signs and Symptoms
Have you ever seen your pup eat their poop or other dogs' poop? This behavior is normal and occurs because of dog boredom and curiosity. However, this poses a danger of contracting coronavirus that lives in feces and dog fluids.
This virus affects the digestive system, causing gastrointestinal problems like vomiting and diarrhea. Respiratory problems occur, too.
Treatment and Vaccination
This virus is not the same as the Covid19 people suffer, but you can also prevent them through vaccination. In your dog's first or second year, take a trip to the veterinarian to get your coronavirus shot. Treating this virus involves addressing the symptoms that appear. A strong immune system means a lot in a dog's survival.
Signs and Symptoms
As the name of this illness suggests, the bacteria Bordetella bronchiseptica causes respiratory and neurological ill effects. It begins with coughing and wheezing. What you think is an ordinary cough can be something more serious. The Bordetella bronchiseptica bacteria can even cause seizures.
Treatment and Vaccination
Although dog coughing resolves on its own, especially when they have a strong immune system, giving your paw friend extra protection through vaccination is still best. Bordetella bronchiseptica vaccines can be given as early as the puppy's 6th-8th week.
Ensuring your dog is happy and healthy boosts their immune system. Take care of them so they have the strength to fight infectious diseases.
Signs and Symptoms
Small as they are, dog ticks can cause huge and irreparable damages to your paw friends. This is because they do more than rely on your dog for food, since they can also be a host to bring the spirochete bacteria into your dog's system.
These bacteria target the lymph nodes, causing your dog to be unable to move. Early signs include lack of appetite and limping or as worse as affecting different internal organs.
Treatment and Vaccination
The primary medication prescribed to dogs diagnosed with Lyme disease is antibiotics. You can also recommend therapies for dogs who have suffered muscle stiffness. Get your dog vaccinated in its first or second year to prevent and avoid the worst symptoms.
Signs and Symptoms
Canine influenza symptoms range from seemingly harmless lethargy, lack of appetite, and flu-like symptoms to as severe as pneumonia leading to death. So when your puppy has a cough and cold, it is best to have them checked before the situation worsens.
Treatment and Vaccination
There is no direct medication for canine influenza. What veterinarians do is address the symptoms that appear. Prevention of influenza contraction involves keeping your dog isolated from sick dogs and getting a canine influenza vaccine. You can have your dog vaccinated when they reach 10-12 weeks of age.
Now that you are already aware of your dog's different vaccines, you and your paw friend are both ready for a happier life free from diseases. Even when they acquire any of the illnesses, the effects are less likely to be severe and life-threatening when they are vaccinated. Aside from the vaccine names and dues, here are the must-knows about dog vaccination.
Vaccines on dogs work the same as in people. Dog vaccines are made of antigens, and when injected into the body, the immune system can produce antibodies to fight the bacteria or virus. So when your dog gets sick of any illnesses, they already have antibodies to fight the sicknesses off.
You must be wondering about the basis of the vaccine schedule for dogs, so here is why. When puppies are born, they acquire immunity from their mothers through pregnancy and breastfeeding, but the protection weakens around 12-16 weeks. If you check dogs' vaccination schedules, most occur after this time. Although some jabs occur earlier, the general rule is that vaccination should occur when maternal immunity wanes.
Vaccines do not certify that your dog will not be sick or suffer any of the illnesses mentioned above. Since dogs' responses to vaccines vary, some may still get Lyme disease, influenza, or parvovirus, while some can be free from it. Nevertheless, what's sure is when your paw friend is vaccinated, the symptoms they will experience will be far milder than having no vaccines at all.
Some vaccines only need a one-time shot, such as for parvovirus, distemper, and hepatitis. On the other hand, veterinarians give the following vaccines every 1-3 years depending on your dogs' needs: influenza, coronavirus, leptospirosis, bordetella, and Lyme disease. For the rabies vaccination, owners are required to have their dogs vaccinated every 1-3 years.
While there is already an established vaccination plan for dogs because of common sicknesses canines suffer from, you still need to stay updated with any changes as bacteria and viruses evolve. When the causes of illnesses change, so do the vaccines.
To ensure you are on top of the goal of keeping your dog healthy, have regular trips to the veterinarian to know the latest ways to keep your dog protected.
Vaccines indeed shield your dog from many diseases that can be fatal to them, but a strong immune system also plays a huge role for your pet to successfully win over diseases. With that, match the vaccines with ways to keep your dog happy and healthy with the practices below:
The ways to keep your dog healthy aren't hard at all. Doing them gives you and your dog joy and benefits from being healthy.
Vaccinations are one of the best ways to protect your dog from common and potentially deadly diseases. It's important to know how vaccines work, what vaccinations your dog needs, and when they need them to keep your furry friend as healthy as possible. You can also use some simple tips to help boost your dog's immune system and keep them healthy overall.
If you think the steps above are a bit of work for you, do not feel too pressured, as there are pets you can practice with before you switch to the real ones. Check out the lifelike cats and dogs from Perfect Petzzz. There is no need to worry about vaccinations and dog illnesses as these pets do not get sick.
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