Dogs are naturally drawn to other animals, such as dogs, cats, skunks, raccoons, and groundhogs. Fortunately, there are several vaccines available to protect them from many potentially harmful diseases. Prevention is always the most effective and cost-efficient way to safeguard your pet's health. Without proper and up-to-date vaccinations, your dog—and even your entire family—may be at risk of contracting serious and potentially life-threatening illnesses, such as rabies. Below is some information on diseases that can be prevented through vaccination.
How do vaccines work?
A vaccine contains modified viruses or bacteria. They can't give your pet the disease, but they will force your dog to fight these viruses or bacteria and form antibodies. So, if your dog comes into contact with the disease again, his antibodies will recognize it and destroy it. However, it's important to know that the protection offered by antibodies diminishes over time, so it's important to follow the vaccination and booster schedule recommended by your vet.
Canine Infectious Diseases
Rabies
It's important to know that all warm-blooded animals can be infected with rabies. This disease is zoonotic, meaning it can be transmitted to humans. Rabies is a fatal disease for both animals and humans. It is crucial to vaccinate cats, as there are twice as many reported cases of infected cats as dogs.
Rabies is caused by a virus that attacks the animal's central nervous system. Once an animal is infected, the virus can evolve over a period ranging from 10 days to several months. An animal carrying the disease may tend to distance itself from you and other animals, or display unusual aggressiveness. Once an infected animal shows signs of the disease, the only possible outcome is death.
In North America, the disease is mainly found in skunks, raccoons, foxes and bats. Rabies is transmitted through the saliva and/or bite of an animal with the disease. A cat with wounds of unknown origin, or one that has been in a fight with a wild animal, should always be suspected and placed in quarantine. If rabies is strongly suspected, euthanasia may be required by the public health department in order to confirm the diagnosis through laboratory analysis.
A person who has been infected can receive curative treatment, provided it is given promptly after the bite.
Considering the dangers associated with this infection, the AnimaPlus team recommends rabies vaccination for ALL animals, whether they are used to going outdoors or not. We consider this a social responsibility for all pet owners. Cases of rabies are reported every year in Quebec.
Distemper
Canine distemper is a widespread virus in the canine population. Unprotected dogs can easily catch the disease, which is often fatal and highly contagious, especially in puppies. The main symptoms are diarrhea, fever, respiratory problems, tremors, epileptic seizures, runny nose and eyes, and so on. All dogs should therefore be vaccinated against this disease from an early age.
Hepatitis
Hepatitis is a serious disease. Most adult dogs are able to cope, but hepatitis is often fatal in puppies. The virus is transmitted by infected urine and attacks all the dog's unprotected organs, causing fever, respiratory illness, diarrhea, liver damage, eye damage and changes in the blood.
Leptospirosis
Leptospirosis is a disease caused by bacteria called leptospires, which are transmitted through the urine of infected animals and can be passed on to humans (zoonotic).
The disease attacks dogs of all ages and can cause damage to virtually all vital organs. Even if a dog recovers from the disease, it can still excrete leptospires several months after the illness.
In humans, it causes symptoms ranging from muscle pain to kidney destruction!
Viral Diarrhea (Coronavirus and Parvovirus)
In general, diarrhea in dogs is caused by either coronavirus or parvovirus. This disease spreads easily, as the viruses are present in their millions in the liquid stools of infected animals. Normally, adult dogs survive this disease, but this is often not the case in puppies, as the enormous quantity of fluids lost during the illness leads to rapid and severe dehydration of the animal, causing death if left untreated.
Kennel Cough (Bordetella)
It's important to know that your puppy is at high risk of catching this disease the minute he meets other dogs. The risk is heightened in places where you meet several dogs with unknown medical histories: dog parks, training courses, grooming centers, dog shows, kennels or boarding facilities, etc. In all these places, your dog can catch “kennel cough” or as it's really called, infectious tracheobronchitis. If your dog frequents one or more of these places, they should ABSOLUTELY BE VACCINATED! This disease can lead to loss of appetite, lack of energy, poor appearance and, of course, coughing. Every time an infected dog coughs, it releases contagious pathogenic organisms into the air. The bacteria in question is called Bordetella bronchiseptica. If left untreated, a “kennel cough” infection can develop into severe pneumonia.
Which vaccine should I give my dog?
First of all, it's important to know that your dog must be in perfect health in order to receive a vaccine. An animal with a weakened immune system would have great difficulty producing antibodies if vaccinated. It could also be dangerous to vaccinate a dog that has no symptoms but is carrying a disease. In some cases, your veterinarian will suggest certain diagnostic tests before vaccination.
While some diseases are rare, they can be among the most severe and dangerous for your pet. Determining the right vaccines for your dog requires considering several factors, such as their background and potential exposure risks. Consult the AnimaPlus veterinary team—we're here to help you make the best, informed decision for your pet's health.
Vaccines are an important part of animal prevention. Don't hesitate to ask us questions about other prevention topics such as deworming and nutrition.