Canine Vaccines
and the immune system
Core Vaccines
Immunity
How vaccines protect or pets
Distemper
This disease causes gooey eyes and nasal discharge, fever, poor appetite, vomiting, coughing and callusing of the nose and foot pads. It is spread from exposure to extremely fresh body secretions that are less than thirty minutes old. The only treatment care for distemper is supportive care and more than half of the dogs with this disease will die within the first two weeks. Those that survive typically will have permanent neurological defects.
Parvovirus
Adenovirus 2
Parainfluenza
Vaccine Schedule
For all four of the above diseases, the vaccine schedule is:
Given between 6-8 weeks then it is repeated every 3 weeks until 16 weeks of age. A booster is then given at one year and another booster at two years. From then on a booster is given every 3 years.
Rabies
This is a fatal virus and has zoonotic potential. By law dogs must get this vaccination. The virus effects the dog's central nervous system and can cause the dog to be nervous, withdrawn, aggressive and or paralysis. Rabies is spread through the saliva from an infected animal. There is no treatment and euthanasia is highly recommended. The vaccine schedule for this virus is:
Given at 12 weeks of age and is repeated at one year then is given a booster every three years there after.
Non- core canine vaccines
1. Bordetella- Causes dry cough and watery discharge. Treatment is antitussive and antibiotics. Vaccine is typically given intranasal or intravenous. This is a good vaccine to get if you plan on boarding your dog.
2. Leptospira- This is a zoonotic disease that is life threatening. It causes a fever, depression, joint pain, jaundice, renal failure and excessive failure. It is spread through infected urine or infected drinking water. It is treated with penicillin, tetracycline, supportive care and blood work. (penicillin and tetracycline cant be given at the same time)
3. Borrelia Burgdorferi- Causes joint pain, fever, kidney fail, anorexia, shifting lameness, and swollen lymph nodes. It is spread through ticks and the tick must be on the dog for 48 hours. It is treated with doxycycline and NSAIDs.