June
Why Vaccinating your Puppy is Important
Getting a puppy is the easy part, it’s the research into the breed of puppy you’re getting, and ensuring you know how to correctly look after them that can be the hardest part. After finding your breeder make sure you follow our 10 Golden Rules. They can be found on the selling sites who are part of our Animal Welfare Alliance.
The puppies are old enough to leave their mum at 8 weeks old when they have started to wean off their mother’s milk, playing more, eating solid food and sleeping. Waiting until the puppy is 8 weeks of age to bring home will ensure it has received an adequate supply of milk from the mum. A puppy having milk from its mum is the same as our babies, where they receive nutrients needed for normal growth and development.
Settling your new puppy in can be difficult and challenging as all their familiarities are gone which can be a little daunting to them. Your new puppy will need to adjust to massive changes and they will need a few days to settle and get used to their new surroundings. You need to register your new puppy at your chosen Vets the week you get them, most preferably the day you get them. Booking them in ready for their vaccinations and health checks.
Sometimes breeders don’t like to vaccinate puppies before they are bought as the Vet you the buyer would use may not have the same brand of vaccination. Your puppy cannot go out in public places or in a garden where an unvaccinated dog has been. Although the puppy has built up an immune system, they are not susceptible from picking up a disease and becoming really ill. Sadly if the puppies are not looked after correctly after birth they can become really ill too, not only during their time with mum but also after they have been bought by you and taken back to your home.
The vaccinations that your puppy has protects them against 5 main diseases:
1. Canine Parvovirus.
2. Canine Distemper Virus.
3. Leptospirosis.
4. Infectious Canine Hepatitis.
5. Kennel Cough
Canine Parvovirus (CPV) is a contagious virus mainly affecting dogs. Parvovirus is not reported as it is not classed as a reportable disease! The stories we have had sent to us at Justice For Reggie have been mainly Parvovirus related. CPV is highly contagious and is spread from dog to dog by direct or indirect contact with their faeces. Vaccines can prevent this infection but mortality can reach 91% in untreated cases. Symptoms to look out for:
Bloody diarrhoea
Lethargy
Loss of appetite
Fever or low body temperature
Vomiting
All of this can cause septic shock. Treatment of CPV involves veterinary hospitalisation. Dogs that develop CPV show signs of the illness within 3 - 10 days.
Canine Distemper Virus (CDV) is caused by the same virus as human measles, mumps and bronchiolitis. The virus is very rare as long as your puppies vaccinations are kept up to date and have been bred in good conditions. Canine Distemper can affect the dogs' nervous system, as well as other parts of the body. Signs to look out for:
The first signs of CDV are easy to miss, they are: Eye and nose discharge (mucus), Lack of appetite, Coughing, Pneumonia and Fever.
As the infection spreads through the dogs body it goes on to cause vomiting, diarrhoea and thickened pads.
One to three weeks after initial symptoms appear, the central nervous system can become affected causing symptoms including: Seizures, Twitching, Limb weakness, Muscle stiffness and Imbalance.
CDV has a mortality rate of 50% in older dogs and 80% in puppies. If your dog is diagnosed with CDV they will be hospitalised at the Vets for supportive care preventing your dog getting secondary infections, controlling vomiting and combating dehydration through administrative fluids. Dogs do not survive this virus.
Canine Leptospirosis (CL) is a bacterial disease that causes serious illness by damaging your dogs vital organs, such as the kidneys and liver. Leptospirosis can spread through urine and can enter the body through the mouth, nose or wounds. Symptoms to look out for:
Fever
Jaundice
Muscle pain or limping
Weakness and collapse
Reduced appetite
Drinking more
Vomiting
Bloody diarrhoea
Bleeding from the mouth and eyes
Mouth ulcers
Difficulty breathing
Currently there are no cases within the United Kingdom. CL has not been a notifiable disease since 2010. CL was believed to be found mostly affecting working dogs and dogs living in rural settings. Studies show this to not be true, it shows that toy breeds and dogs living in urban/suburban areas have a higher risk of getting CL. Knowledge of risk factors, environmental factors and geographical distribution of Leptospirosis are important to improve a vaccine strategy and to raise the suspicion for CL in affected areas.
Infectious Canine Hepatitis (ICH) is a virus that attacks the liver, blood vessels, immune system, kidneys, eyes, lungs and heart. ICH is spread through bodily fluids. Most dogs get ICH from an infectious dog, or from going somewhere an infected dog has been. Symptoms differ depending on how the virus affects your dog and which organs it is attacking. In a mild case your dog may be showing slight symptoms for a few days, but a severe case can cause a whole range of symptoms.
Symptoms to look for in mild cases:
Low energy
Eating less/ off food completely
Drinking less
Coughing
Vomiting
Diarrhoea
Symptoms in serve cases can include:
Pale or yellow gums
High temperature
Small red dots on the gums or skin
Bloody vomit or diarrhoea
A painful/ swollen belly
Unsteadiness/ seizures/ fits
Cloudy blue eyes (after infection)
Sudden death
If your dog has mild infectious canine hepatitis they have a good chance of surviving. Sadly if your dog has a severe case they are less likely to survive. Dogs with severe ICH often die quickly or need to be put to sleep to prevent them from suffering. ICH has a mortality rate of 10-30% and is typically highest in young dogs.
Kennel Cough (KC) mortality rate is 1-8%. Kennel Cough is an airway infection that causes a dry hacking cough in dogs. KC can be caused by a number of different germs, viruses and bacteria. It is more common in areas in which a lot of different dogs gather such as kennels, dog shows and doggy day care. It can survive in the environment for weeks after. Symptoms of Kennel Cough take 3-14 days to develop and can last for 1-3 weeks. Puppies and older dogs can develop more serious symptoms. Symptoms of KC:
Hacking cough
Reduced appetite
High temperature
Dogs with KC can be treated at home. If your dog has a severe cough or appears unwell, your vet may prescribe anti-inflammatories or antibiotics to help your dog get better. The best thing for your dog is rest and tlc as exercise can make your dog's coughing much worse. Keeping your dog away from others will stop the spread of KC as it can be caught for 2-3 weeks after the symptoms have cleared. If you are worried about your dog contact your vet and get advice.
All the information in here is to educate new and existing dog owners of why vaccinations at the right age are important. If you have any concerns about your dog or are looking at buying/rescuing a dog and you would like to know more you can speak to your veterinary surgeon or rescue centre for more information. Also don’t forget to keep up to date with your dogs booster vaccinations which will be sent through the post, text message or email!!