Vaccinating your puppy against diseases

Health problems that are vital to vaccinate against

Vaccinating your puppy can help to protect them from several major diseases. The following diseases may sound scary, but if you make sure your puppy gets all the right vaccinations, you won't have to ever worry about them.

Canine distemper

Symptoms include coughing, diarrhoea, high temperature, vomiting, sore eyes and a runny nose. Sometimes the nose and foot pads can become hard and cracked and, in severe cases there can be fits, muscle spasms or paralysis. The disease can be fatal.

Canine Parvovirus

This is a highly contagious disease characterised by bloody diarrhoea. Other symptoms include vomiting, lack of energy, depression and a high temperature. Puppies under 6 months old are particularly susceptible to the parvovirus which can be fatal.

Canine hepatitis

Symptoms of this include coughing, abdominal pain, seizures, vomiting and diarrhoea. Eyes may appear blueish (hepatitis blue eye). Puppies under twelve months old are most susceptible to this serious and potentially life threatening liver condition.

Leptospirosis

This is a bacterial disease that can be picked up from contact with urine of infected animals. One form of Leptospirosis can be picked up from the urine of other dogs, another, also known as Weil's disease, is picked up from rat urine. Symptoms include depression, high temperature, severe thirst, lethargy, increased urination, abdominal pain, vomiting, bloody diarrhoea and jaundice. If your puppy becomes jaundiced you may notice that their skin is yellow - this can also be identified in the white of his eyes or inside the cheek. In severe cases, this disease can prove fatal within a few hours. This form of Leptospirosis can be transmitted to humans too.

Canine parainfluenza virus

This is a highly infectious disease that causes kennel cough. This is a dry, hacking cough that can be so severe that it may sound as if the dog is choking.