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These pages are for guidance only, if you are in any doubt over your pet's health please consult your veterinary surgeon.
In addition, dogs travelling abroad under PETS (Pets Transport Scheme) should be vaccinated against rabies.
When young puppies suckle their mothers milk, protection against these diseases is passed on to the puppies, as long as the mother has been vaccinated herself. After weaning, the maternal antibodies start to decrease in number in the puppies blood and its immunity to these diseases decreases.
At the age of 8 weeks, the immunity of the puppy has decreased significantly and it is now vulnerable to disease. For this reason, the puppy is vaccinated at this point, and then two-four weeks later in order to ensure complete protection. During this time, it is important that the puppy does not encounter the disease, so make sure that you keep it away from any potentially un-vaccinated dogs. Socialisation can still continue with other puppies and fully vaccinated adult dogs.
Vaccinations contain a weakened or dead form of the disease which stimulates the puppy to mount an immune response against the disease, without developing illness. When the puppy subsequently meets the full-blown form of the disease, its body remembers it and can defeat the organism before it causes illness.
If a puppy is not vaccinated against these diseases, it is very vulnerable and may die if it encounters one of them.
After a puppy's first vaccinations, regular boosters are needed. These are normally performed once a year and your vet may send out a reminder when it is due. Boosters are essential if you wish to leave your dog in kennels or take it to shows or training classes. The annual booster also provides an opportunity for your vet to give your dog a thorough check-up and pick up any illnesses before they become major.
Before vaccination against this virus came in, distemper was the major cause of disease in dogs and puppies. Around 20% of infected dogs die from the disease.
Distemper is highly contagious and is only controlled by vaccinations. Dogs that recover from the disease can be left with permanent disability and fits.
Another name for this disease is Hardpad, due to the hardening of the pads on the feet of the dog. Other symptoms are conjunctivitis, diarrhoea, paralysis and fits.
A new, horrible, form of this disease emerged in the 1970s and spread throughout the canine population. This has since been controlled by vaccination but still occasionally causes serious disease outbreaks in unvaccinated animals.
Parvovirus causes a grey, persistent, smelly diarrhoea in puppies and adult dogs with a fairly high mortality rate. It is transmitted by contact with infected faeces. Animals rapidly become severely dehydrated and will require immediate veterinary attention and nursing care.
This disease is transmitted by contact with infected faeces, urine and nasal secretions. It causes severe abdominal pain and often death.
If the dog recovers from the disease it can still excrete the virus in its urine for years after, providing a source of infection for unvaccinated dogs.
A related virus is one of the causes of kennel cough. The vaccination protects against both diseases. The kennel cough virus causes fever and a dry persistent cough.
This disease is known as Weil's disease in humans. It is a bacterial disease transmitted via the urine of infected animals, particularly rats. It affects the liver and kidneys but does not tend to cause too much damage.
Recovered dogs continue to excrete the bacteria in their urine for up to a year, making them a source of infection for other animals and humans.
This virus, along with other viruses and bacteria, contributes to the 'Kennel cough complex'.
It can be picked up from other dogs anywhere and is passed on by airborne droplets and direct contact. It is a highly contagious disease and spread rapidly.
It causes a dry, hacking cough by itself, but when combined with a secondary bacterial infection becomes quite severe and can lead to pneumonia.
Rabies is a serious, fatal disease which can infect all animals and humans. It is transmitted by infected saliva, usually via a bite. Fortunately, rabies has been eliminated from this country and the incidence has reduced over most of western Europe thanks to fox vaccination programmes.
The incubation period of this disease can be long, which means there can be a long gap between the bite and the animal showing symptoms. Once symptoms show, the disease cannot be cured.
Dogs with rabies become very aggressive and salivate excessively. They become incoordinated and die within 3-10 days. Animals with the disease should be isolated from any animals and humans and left to die - it is too dangerous to go anywhere near them.
Any animals coming into this country from areas where rabies is common are kept in quarantine for 6 months to allow any symptoms to develop. Animals from some specified countries are allowed to enter the UK under the Pet Travel Scheme as long as they are vaccinated with a blood test to show that the vaccine has worked. Other criteria are microchipping and tapeworm and tick treatment between 24 and 48 hours before entry to the UK. For more details, visit the PETS website.
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