Rabies
It is required by law in the state of Wisconsin to have all dogs up to date on their rabies vaccine. Rabies is a fatal disease that affects the nervous system. It can be transmitted to humans. The first vaccine your dog receives is good for 1 year and then each additional rabies vaccine is good for three years.
Distemper Combo
The Canine Distemper vaccine is actually 4 vaccines in one Distemper, Adenovirus (Hepatitis), Parainfluenza, Parvovirus (DHPP). This vaccine is considered a Core vaccine by the American Animal Hospital Association and should be given to every dog. This vaccine is given as a series to puppies. It should be given at 8 weeks, 12 weeks, and 16 weeks old and then again at 1 year of age and every year after that .
Distemper is a disease that can be spread between wild dogs, raccoons, skunks, and our pets. While it is not a disease we see all that often it is still present in the US and can cause some pretty significant disease. Signs of Distemper include pneumonia, vomiting, bloody stool, a fear of light, and thickened foot pads. Neurologic signs (including seizures, drunken walking, and neck pain) can develop a couple of weeks to a few months after these previous signs were seen. There is no specific treatment for the disease with the prognosis for those that have progressed to neurologic disease being guarded to poor. Because of the severity of the disease we vaccinate all dogs to prevent it.
Adenovirus Type 1 (Hepatitis) Canine Adenovirus is seen less commonly than distemper however, it is still seen in the US especially in puppies and unvaccinated animals. This disease causes the liver tissue to die. Just like Distemper there is no specific treatment for Adenovirus however, treatment is directed at managing symptoms and helping affected animals fight off the infection.
Parainfluenza -This is a virus that is part of the canine upper respiratory disease complex. It causes a cough with possible nasal discharge. Treatment is supportive with an anti-cough medication and possibly an antibiotic to prevent a bacterial pneumonia.
Parvovirus Parvo is a common disease that primarily affects puppies. It causes a severe diarrhea and sometimes vomiting. Because of the severe diarrhea it is common for dogs infected with Parvo to become dehydrated pretty fast. A fecal test can be done to determine if your pet has Parvo. There is no direct treatment for the disease. It is important to provide supportive care to those affected with Parvo, including intravenous fluids. The mortality rate for infected dogs without treatment is greater than 90% and with treatment is still 5-10%.
Leptosporosis is a bacteria found in urine of wildlife, especially raccoon, fox, coyote, skunk, and opossum. It is also found in standing water. Lepto can cause a severe infection in the liver and kidneys. This disease can be transmitted from dogs to humans. Treatment is aggressive supportive care and antibiotics however, even with aggressive treatment the survival rate is under 80% for dogs that contract this disease. Because of how severe the disease is and how prevalent wildlife is in our area we recommend a Lepto vaccine for all dogs. The first lepto vaccine needs to be boosted 3-4 weeks after it is given. Once the vaccine is boosted it is good for one year. This vaccine can be combined with the Distemper combo vaccine to make it DHLPP.
Bordetella -This is a highly contagious bacterial infection of the throat and lungs. It causes a hacking cough which is how it got the name “Kennel Cough”. It is spread most often in kennels, dog parks, or where multiple dogs are playing together. Many kennels will require vaccination for Bordetella before boarding. There are two different vaccines for Bordetella an oral and an injectable. The oral works fast (within 72 hours of injection) and is a yearly vaccine. The injectable product needs to be boosted if it is the first time it is given and then is good for a year after that. This vaccine is recommended for any dog that boards at a kennel, goes to the groomer, visits Petsmart regularly, or plays with groups of other dogs. It is given once a year.
Lyme disease is caused by the bacteria Borellia burgdorferi. This bacteria is transmitted by deer ticks. It causes lameness that often shifts from leg to leg. It can sometimes cause a severe kidney and heart disease. The first step in preventing lyme disease is good tick prevention. However, if you are still seeing ticks on your dog or you are in a very high density tick area we would recommend the Lyme vaccine. The first lyme vaccine needs to be boosted, just like the lepto vaccine, and is given once a year after that.
Puppy Vaccine Schedule
6-8 weeks – DHPP
10-12 weeks – DHLPP Ask about Lyme 1 of 2 and Bordetella
14-16 weeks – DHLPP and Rabies Lyme 2 of 2 if needed
