COMMON INFECTIOUS DISEASES IN DOGS

Canine Distemper - is a highly contagious viral disease. It can affect a dogs nervous, respiratory, and gastrointestinal systems. It is spread through the air or through contact with an infected dog. This disease can be fatal. Symptoms include coughing, sneezing, runny nose and eyes, fever, loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, and seizures. You puppy receives vaccinations at 6, 9, and 12 weeks, then once a year after that, against this disease.

Infectious Canine Hepatitis - is a viral disease is know as adnovirus. It is spread by contact with an infected animal. It affects the liver, kidney, and cells lining the blood vessels. Symptoms include high fever, thirst, inflammation on the nose and mouth, diarrhea, abdominal pain, liver damage, hemorrhage, loss of appetite, and lethargy. Once again this vaccine is given in your puppies shots.

Leptospirosis - is an extremely contagious bacterial infection that is spread through nasal secretions, urine, or saliva of infected animals. Sometimes the early signs of this infection go undetected. This disease can also be transmitted to humans. Symptoms include fever, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, and lethargy. There can also be liver and kidney damage caused by this infection. Some vaccines given to puppies include this. I do not recommend this vaccine for small dogs like poodles and chihuahuas. They seem to have a bad reaction to this vaccine.

Parvovirus - is a deadly viral infection in unvaccinated dogs or puppies. It is very common. It is spread by contact with an infected dogs feces, vomit, and blood. Symptoms include, severe bloody diarrhea, vomiting, fever, loss of appetite, lethargy, and dehydration. There is a terrible odor to the diarrhea that is hard to mistake. Again this is included in your puppies vaccines and is imperative they receive it!

Parainfluenza - is a highly infectious virus that can be one of the causes of kennel cough. It is highly contagious and is spread through the air from infected dogs. This virus can cause severe damage to the respiratory system and can even result in death. Symptoms include, a dry hacking cough, loss of appetite, and runny nose and eyes. This vaccine is also included in your puppies vaccinations.

Rabies - is a virus that affects the central nervous system and can result in paralysis and death. Rabies is usually fatal and also a serious health risk. Rabies can be transmitted through the bite of an infected animal. Humans can also get this disease. Most states require you vaccinate your dog against rabies by law. Symptoms include agitation, unprovoked biting, sensitivity to noise, cramping, difficulty swallowing, and paralysis. This disease is also know as hydrophobia as animals and humans have shown a fear of water when infected. Most puppies are usually vaccinated for this disease by 4-6 months of age. Please consult with your vet.

Corona virus - is a highly infectious viral infection of the gastrointestinal tract. This disease is spread through contact with an infected dogs blood, feces, and vomit. Symptoms include vomiting, fever, diarrhea and dehydration. This may also be included in your puppies vaccination. Need to vaccinate against this virus depends upon your dogs risk. As with Leptospirosis I again do not recommend this vaccine for smaller dogs like poodles and chihuahuas.

Bordatella - is the air bone bacterial infection most commonly associated with Kennel cough. Kennel cough is extremely contagious and very easily spread when in contact with other dogs. This infection will usually rectify itself within 7-10 days although I would highly recommend treating it with antibiotics. In small puppies this infection can lead to pneumonia if not treated. Symptoms include persistent coughing, sneezing, retching, and nasal discharge. If you believe you dog may have this gently press the dogs adam apple and see if he coughs immediately. This is a good test for possible kennel cough. This vaccine in included in your puppies vaccinations although it is not 100% effect against the bacteria. There is also a vaccine that is dripped into the nose for this disease. This disease is commonly picked up of the airplanes when puppies are shipped in. It is nothing to panic about. It is easily treated and I have found that once a dog gets a good case of this they usually do not get it again.

Lyme disease - this disease is caused by the bite of an infected tick. It affects both dogs and humans. Symptoms include arthritis with the sudden onset of pain and lameness, fever, lethargy, and loss of appetite. There are separate vaccines out there that can be given to you dog. Use of this vaccine depends upon the risk of exposure in your area.

Brucellosis - Is a highly contagious bacterial disease. It is transmitted from dog to dog through sexual contact. It can also be spread through abortion or mothers milk. Humans can also get this disease. This disease can cause sterility in dogs along with abortion. Some infected dogs show no signs of this disease. Symptoms may included eye problems, soft testicles in males, pain with ejaculation, liver and kidney problems, swollen lymph glands, fever, and convulsions. Females will also have spontaneous abortions. There is no know vaccine that is effective against brucellosis at this time. Treatment is possible. Infected dogs must usually be put down to keep this disease from spreading.