29/01/2026
What do we vaccinate for? 🐶 Dog edition 🐶
💉 Distemper: a viral disease spread via droplet aerosol that has an acute phase with clinical signs including fever, lethargy, inappetence, nasal discharge, pneumonia and diarrhoea. A second fever can then occur with progression to neurological signs including twitching, paralysis and seizures. Affected dogs often develop hyperkeratosis of the footpads, which is why distemper is sometimes called 'hard-pad disease'.
💉 Infectious hepatitis: caused by canine adenovirus 1 (CAV1), infectious hepatitis typically manifests as lethargy, fever, loss of appetite, conjunctivitis, cloudy blue eyes, abdominal pain, vomiting, swelling and reduced clotting ability. Although it causes liver damage, acutely affected dogs typically won't be jaundiced. CAV1 is spread by ingestion of infected faeces, urine and saliva.
💉 Parvovirus: parvovirus is a potentially fatal viral disease, typically seen in puppies or unvaccinated adult dogs. It spreads via faeces and direct contact with infected dogs. The virus usually manifests as severe haemorrhagic diarrhoea. The most severely affected dogs require hospitalisation for intravenous fluids and sometimes placement of a feeding tube.
💉 Leptospirosis: Leptospirosis is a disease caused by Leptospira bacteria. There are multiple strains of Leptospira, and we usually vaccinate against 4 of them. Leptospira is shed in rat urine and survives very well in water, so dogs typically will become infected via contact with contaminated puddles, streams and rivers. They can also contract the disease from eating infected tissue or through bite wounds. Leptospirosis can also affect humans (Weil's disease). Leptospirosis causes acute kidney failure but multiple organs can be affected, including the liver, leading to jaundice, muscle pain, weakness and trembling.
💉 Kennel cough: Kennel cough is an umbrella term for a group of highly contagious respiratory diseases caused by any of a number of viruses and bacteria. Signs typically include a dry, harsh cough, sometimes with gagging or retching. Affected dogs may also suffer fever, lethargy and inappetence. Most dogs will recover well without intervention.
