Vaccinations
are available to prevent may diseases. Vaccinating your pet is the best
and least costly way to prevent disease. Prevention assures the best
quality of life for your pet, and it costs less than treatment.
Vaccines
protect pets against common viruses and bacteria. At some time in their
lives, almost all dogs will be exposed to a serious or even fatal infectious
disease. Without proper vaccination, they could be unprotected.
PREVENTING...
RABIES | DISTEMPER
| CANINE
HEPATITIS | LEPTOSPIROSIS
PARVOVIRUS
| CANINE
CORONAVIRUS | KENNEL
COUGH
RABIES
Rabies is one of the best known of all the viruses. Fortunately, through
active vaccination and eradication programs, rabies only accounted for
4 human deaths in the United States in 1997.
Who is at risk?
People
that work closely with wildlife, veterinarians, and travelers are at
the highest risk of exposure. Fortunately, there is a vaccine that is
available to protect high-risk people. Animals that come into contact
with wildlife and are not vaccinated, are at a higher risk of exposure.
While the risk of coming into contact with the virus is very low, it
nevertheless does exist.
Transmission
of the disease
The
transmission of the disease almost always occurs as a result of an infected
animal biting a non-infected animal. There have been a few reported
cases of infection resulting from aerosolization occurring in caves
where large quantities of infected bats reside. Rabies virus does not
live very long outside the host and remains viable in the carcass of
an infected animal for less than 24 hours. The rabies virus is shed
at high levels in saliva. However, being bitten by a rabid animal does
not necessarily mean that the animal will become infected. It has been
speculated, that only around 15% of exposed people will contract the
disease. Humans, dogs, and cats are only mildly susceptible to the disease
unlike skunks, raccoons, foxes, and bats that are much more susceptible
to the virus.
Symptoms
After
coming in contact with the virus, the bitten animal may go through one
or all of several stages. If the bitten animal is a skunk it may not
show any symptoms at all but could become a lifelong carrier. With most
animals, however, the virus will spread through the nerves of the bitten
animal towards the brain. The virus is relatively slow moving and the
average time of incubation from exposure to brain involvement is between
3 to 8 weeks in dogs, 2 to 6 weeks in cats, and 3 to six weeks in people.
However, incubation periods as long as 6 months in dogs and 12 months
in people have been reported.
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DISTEMPER
Canine distemper is a paramyxovirus which appear very similar to the
paramyxovirus causing human measles. The virus in the canine can affect
a wide range of organs including the skin, brain, eyes, intestinal and
respiratory tracts. The virus is transmitted through the air in addition
to body secretions such as urine. Dogs of any age can be affected, however
most are puppies less than 6 months of age.
What are the symptoms?
Distemper
virus can affect many systems of the body. The most common signs are
nasal and eye discharge, coughing, diarrhea, vomiting and seizures.
Mildly affected dogs may only cough and be misdiagnosed as "kennel
cough." Others may develop pneumonia. Puppies that recover may
have severe enamel damage. The nose and foot pads of the young dog may
become thickened, hence the nickname "hardpad disease."
What
are the risks?
Distemper
is serious and can spread rapidly through a kennel especially if unvaccinated
individuals are present. Not all patients will die, however a significant
number may. Dogs of every age are susceptible, however the very young
and old have the highest death rate. Death rates may be as high as 75%.
It is erroneously believed by some that all older dogs have a natural
immunity. Although some may have immunity, many do not. Patients that
recover from distemper may suffer permanent damage to vision as well
as the nervous system. Puppies which recover can have severely mottled
teeth due to abnormalities of the developing enamel.
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CANINE
HEPATITIS
A disease of the liver and other body organs caused by canine adenovirus
type 1 (CAV-1). The virus is found worldwide and is spread by body fluids
including nasal discharge and urine. Recovered patients can shed the
virus for up to nine months in the urine. The primary mode of transmission
is by direct contact with an infected dog. Contaminated runs, cages,
dishes, hands, boots, etc. can also serve as a source of transmission.
What are the symptoms?
Initially
the virus affects the tonsils and larynx causing a sore throat, coughing
and occasionally pneumonia. As it enters the bloodstream it can affect
the eyes, liver and kidneys. The clear portion of the eyes, called the
cornea, may appear cloudy or bluish. This is due to edema within the
cell layers forming the cornea. The name 'hepatitis blue eye' has been
used to describe eyes so affected. As the liver and kidneys fail, one
may notice seizures, increased thirst, vomiting and/or diarrhea.
What
are the risks?
Unvaccinated
dogs of all ages are at risk, however the disease is most prevalent
in patients less than one year of age. Death can result as soon as two
hours after the initial signs. Death can be so sudden it may appear
as if the patient was poisoned.
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LEPTOSPIROSIS
Leptospirosis is transmitted between animals through contact with
infected urine; venereal and placental transfer; bite wounds; or the ingestion
of infected tissue. Crowding, as found in a kennel, can increase the spread
of infection. Indirect transmission occurs through exposure of susceptible
animals to contaminated water sources, food, or even bedding. Stagnant
or slow moving water provides a suitable habitat for Leptospira. As a
result, disease outbreaks often increase during periods of flooding. In
dry areas infections are more common around water sources.
Freezing
greatly reduces the survival of the organism in the environment. This
explains why infections are more common in summer and fall and why the
infection is more prevalent in temperate areas.
Symptoms
In
acute infections a fever of 103-104 degrees, shivering, and muscle tenderness
are the first signs. Then vomiting and rapid dehydration may develop.
Severely infected dogs may develop hypothermia and become depressed
and die before kidney or liver failure has a chance to develop.
In
subacute infections the animal usually develops a fever, anorexia, vomiting,
dehydration and increased thirst. The dog may be reluctant to move due
to muscle or kidney pain.
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PARVOVIRUS
Canine
parvovirus disease is currently the most common infectious disorder of
dogs in the United States.
'Parvo' is a highly contagious disease characterized by diarrhea that
is often bloody. Current vaccinations have helped to control the spread
of this disease but despite being vaccinated, some dogs still contract
and die from parvo. There is much that we don't know about the virus or
the best way to control the disease, but we are learning new information
daily.
Symptoms
There
is a broad range in the severity of symptoms shown by dogs that are
infected with parvovirus. Many adult dogs exposed to the virus show
very few if any symptoms. The majority of cases are seen in dogs less
than 6 months of age with the most severe cases seen in puppies younger
than 12 weeks of age.
The
most common form of the disease is the intestinal form characterized
by vomiting (often severe), diarrhea, dehydration, dark or bloody feces,
and in severe cases fever and lowered white blood cell counts. The disease
will progress very rapidly and death can occur as early as two days
after the onset of the disease. The presence of gram negative bacteria,
parasites, or other viruses can worsen the severity of the disease and
slow recovery.
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CANINE
CORONAVIRUS (CCV)
Canine Coronavirus is the second leading viral cause of diarrhea
in puppies with canine Parvovirus being the leader. Unlike Parvovirus,
Coronavirus infections are not generally associated with high death rates.
Canine Coronavirus is not new to the canine population; it has been known
to exist for decades. Most domestic dogs, especially adults, have measurable
Coronavirus antibody titers indicating that they were exposed to canine
Coronavirus at some time in their life.
What
are the symptoms?
The
primary symptom associated with canine Coronavirus is diarrhea. As with
most infectious diseases, young puppies are more affected than adults.
Unlike Parvovirus, vomiting is not common. The diarrhea tends to be
less profuse than that associated with parvovirus infections. Although
canine Coronavirus is generally thought of as a milder cause of diarrhea
than Parvovirus, there is absolutely no way to differentiate the two
without laboratory testing. Both Parvovirus and Coronavirus cause the
same appearing diarrhea with an identical odor. The diarrhea associated
with Coronavirus usually lasts several days with low mortality. To complicate
the diagnosis many puppies with a severe intestinal upset (enteritis)
are affected by both Coronavirus and Parvovirus simultaneously. Mortality
rates in puppies simultaneously infected may approach 90 percent.
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KENNEL
COUGH
Kennel Cough is the term that was commonly applied to the most prevalent
upper respiratory problem in dogs in the United States. Recently, the
condition has become known as tracheobronchitis, canine infectious tracheobronchitis,
Bordetellosis, or Bordetella. It is highly contagious in dogs. The disease
is found worldwide and will infect a very high percentage of dogs in their
lifetime.
Symptoms
The
most common symptom is a dry hacking cough sometimes followed by retching.
Many owners describe the cough as having a ‘honking sound’.
A watery nasal discharge may also be present. With mild cases, dogs
continue to eat and be alert and active. Many times there is a recent
history of boarding or coming in contact with other dogs. In more severe
case the symptoms may progress and include lethargy, fever, inappetence,
pneumonia and in very severe cases even death. The majority of severe
cases occur in immunocompromised animals, or young unvaccinated puppies.
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