Vaccination is a very important and necessary part of you dog’s preventative health program. The immunity your gains from being vaccinated will diminish with time. Yearly vaccination is the only way we can ensure protection against several serious and potentially fatal diseases. Annual vaccinations are also required if your dog is to go to boarding kennel or an obedience school. Unvaccinated animals will not be accepted in these sitautions.
Annual vaccinations also provide an ideal opportunity for the veterinarian to perform a complete physical examination and wellness check of your dog and to discuss any concerns you may have.
There are a number of diseases that all dogs should be vaccinated against. These are:
Distemper – Canine distemper is a viral disease that can affect any dog, especially puppies and unvaccinated dogs. Early signs of the disease may include a high temperature, lethargy and inappetence. Accompanying the fever maybe discharge from the nose and eyes, vomitting, diarrhoea and coughing, with the possibility of pneumonia developing. Many dogs will also develop muscle spasms, conulsions and progressive paralysis.
Infectious Hepatitis – Infestious canince hepatitis is a hihgly contagious disease caused by canine adenovirus. It can be particularly severe in young dogs and is often fatal in puppies. A carrier dog may recover, but continue to spread the virus via its urine for up to six months. Severly affected dogs will have a fever, loss of appetite, depression, diarrhoea, tonsillities and acute abdominal pain due to inflamed liver. Death may result within 36 hours.
Parvovirus – Canine Parvovirus is a hihgly contagious virus that attacks the gastrointesinal tract of the dog. It is a very hardy virus, which can survive for 12 months or more in the environment. The virus is usually spread when dogs come into contact with contaminated faeces and soil. After exposure to the virus, dogs will often develop a fever and may suffer severe abdominal pain, followed by profuse vomiting and diarrhoea, which often contains blood.
Canine Cough – Canine cough is a hihgly contagious disease that ususally infects dogs in areas where they socialise, such as parks, obedience classes, dog shows and kennels. The main sympton is a harsh hacking cough that often finishes with gagging. The coughing is usually made worse by exercise, excitement or pressure on the throat region. It is important that dogs of all ages be vaccinated against all the causative organisms of Canine Cough.
When does my puppy or dog need to vaccinated?
At karingal Veterinary Hospital we recommend the following vaccination schedule:
| 1st Vaccination | 6 – 8 weeks | Distemper/Hepatitis/Parvovirus |
| 2nd Vaccination | 12 – 14 weeks | Distemper/Hepatitis/Parvovirus/Bordetella |
| 3rd Vaccination | 16 – 18 weeks | Distemper/Hepatitis/Parvovirus/Bordetella |
| Annual Booster | Distemper/Hepatitis/Parvovirus/Bordetella |
In addition any dog entering a high-risk environement such as a boarding kennel should receive a Protech Bonchi-Shield III Intransasal vaccine a minimum of 7 days and a maximum of 4 weeks prior to entering the kennels.
Is the Vaccine 100% effective?
The immune response is a biological response. There are a number of factors that influence this reponse and as such a vaccination can never be 100% gauranteed. In the vast majority of cases the vaccine will produce an immune response that results in the animal developing adequate immunity to protect against disease. There is however a very small number of animals that may not develop this required level of immunity and may still be susceptible to infection.
Do vaccinations have any side effects?
It is highly unlikely that the vaccine will make your pet sick or have any side effects. A very small percentage of animals may experience a temporary reaction such as a stinging sensation or be a little lethargic for 24 hours. More serious reactions are extremely rare. Your veterinarian can discuss these in more detail with you.
