There are four main diseases protected against by the yearly vaccinations which your dog requires but to many of us the names are just words which we hear buzzing around each year when it comes to "Booster Time". If you would like to know some more about these potentially life-threatening diseases and what they may do to our pets, read on.

Click any of the diseases from the table to jump straight to that section:

DISTEMPER

HEPATITIS

PARVO

LEPTOSPIROSIS

DISTEMPER

The disease is called "Canine Distemper" and the responsible organism is the Canine Distemper Virus. The disease is spread from dog to dog either by direct contact or by transmission through the air over short distances. Due to a very effective vaccination programme in the UK, Distemper is now pretty rare but still exists in reservoirs of infection, especially in cities, where there are larger populations of unvaccinated dogs.

What are the clinical signs of infection?
Well, Distemper may present suddenly or may build up to full clinical signs. Your vet would be able to tell you that your dog had a high temperature.
The more common initial signs would be dullness, lack of appetite and possibly vomiting or diarrhoea (perhaps yellow diarrhoea spotted with blood).
Most victims will develop a cough - this cough is difficult to treat and often gets worse rather than better as many dogs will get a bacterial infection on top of the Distemper Virus Infection.
Sneezing and pus-like discharge from the nose are not uncommon and it is not unheard of for sufferers to go on to develop pneumonia.
The nose can become dry (probably why many people become concerned, un-necessarily, about their healthy dog having a dry nose).
Inflammation around the eyes is often seen in the form of conjunctivitis.
Later in the course of the disease the pads of the feet may become hard and begin to crack (hence the other name for Distemper, which is "Hard Pad"
Some dogs appear to recover from the disease but as much as nine months later can begin having fits or begin twitching... some dogs may become paralysed, something from which they rarely recover. Related to these nervous episodes, some dogs may lose control of their hind limbs or become incontinent for both urine and faeces.

How do we diagnose the disease?
Definitive diagnosis is very difficult, it relies on specialised blood sampling, and is also very expensive because of this. We diagnose mainly on the presence of the combination of clinical signs.

Is there a treatment?
Well, no, not really! We try our best to support these dogs with TLC and will treat the clinical signs symptomatically. Secondary bacterial infections (such as those described above in the throat) can be treated with antibiotics but antibiotics have no effect on the Canine Distemper Virus itself. The fits are controlled not unlike with epilepsy. The disease is often long and drawn out and the patient may not survive. Prevention is better than cure and far easier - hence we advise vaccination.

CANINE INFECTIOUS HEPATITIS

The disease is known as Canine Infectious Hepatitis or also as Rubarth's Disease and the responsible organism is the Canine Adenovirus (CAV-1). Hepatitis means inflammation of the liver. Canine Infectious Hepatitis refers only to a very specific form of hepatitis caused by the CAV-1 virus. On the whole the disease is very rare but undoubtedly persists in some of the larger kennels and laboratory beagle colonies. The infection is spread by direct or indirect contact in urine, faeces or saliva. The virus can persist for upto 10 days outside of the dog if conditions are right.

What are the clinical signs of infection?
Your vet would be able to tell you that your dog had a high temperature. Even though this is a liver disease, jaundice is not usually seen as the disease is often fatal before jaundice has a chance to develop.
If the disease is in its mild form then there may just be a dullness and lack of appetite followed by recovery... the eyes of some dogs will turn blue a week or more after recovery
If the disease is in its more severe form the first signs may literally be sudden death.
Somewhere between these one may find very high fever combined with an unwillingness to eat accompanied by very swollen lymph glands and tonsils. There may be vomiting and diarrhoea with or without traces of blood. Dogs usually have a very painful "belly" because of the enlarged liver. A dog with Infectious Hepatitis may go into shock or have fits before dying.

How do we diagnose the disease?
To definitively diagnose the disease we must take swabs from the tonsils which are sent to specialist labs who can isolate the particles of virus. Levels of antibody to the virus can be measured in blood samples to show that infection has taken place.

Is there a treatment?
Mild cases would usually recover whereas severe cases would need to be admitted for intensive care. Drips and blood transfusions are often required as the liver is in failure and fluid support is essential to control the blood toxin build-up, loss of fluid from the sickness and diarrhoea and falling blood sugar. Many severe cases do not survive. Antibiotics are of no use in fighting Infectious Hepatitis because the disease is caused by a virus, they may help to fight off secondary infection.

 

PARVO - probably the most important disease in the vaccine program

The main disease, here, is Canine Parvovirus Enteritis and the organism is the Canine Parvovirus -2 (CPV-2). The virus is very small (even for a virus) and exremely resistant (it can survive free in the environment for upto one whole year), it was first seen in the late 1970's. Canine Parvovirus is also responsible for parvovirus myocarditis; this is a heart condition which affects the heart of new-born and very young puppies. Shedding of the virus is in the faeces and is picked up by other dogs who sniff or walk in infected areas.

What are the clinical signs of infection?
Canine Parvovirus can cause disease in any dog but is most commonly seen in young dogs whose immune systems are not fully developed and in old dogs whose immunity is no longer as good as it was. It is also common in dogs under one year of age which have not been vaccinated.
Most commonly the disease begins with 24 hours of the victim being quite dull and just not themself. This can progress over 24-48 hours to vomiting and diarrhoea and worsening of the dog's demeanour. By the fourth day the dog will either have begun to shake off the infection or have gone on to develop very severe and life-threatening dysentery. The faeces are profuse and watery and usually show traces of blood. Dehydration occurs very quickly because of the severe vomiting and diarrhoea - untreated dehydration will greatly reduce the chances of survival.
Rottweilers and Dobermanns appear to be particularly susceptible to rapid decline if they catch parvovirus.

Parvovirus Myocarditis
This is a very rare disease seen in litters of puppies where upto three quarters of a litter may die suddenly within the first two months of life; previously they may seem very healthy. The surviving puppies will usually die within the first four years of life due to heart failure. The whole litter is affected and if the disease is confirmed by post-mortem of any dead puppies the rest of the litter cannot be suitable for sale. This disease is seen when puppies are infected with parvovirus in the first four weeks of life, usually because they have no immunity as the mother has not been properly vaccinated.

How do we diagnose the disease?
Diagnosis is often on the basis of clinical signs and confirmation is by laboratory isolation of the virus from samples of faeces.

Is there a treatment?
There is no treatment for the virus itself. Antibiotics are of no use in fighting the virus but are used to help to prevent or reduce secondary bacterial infection in parvovirus enteritis (there is no treatment at all for parvovirus myocarditis; this is a fatal condition).
Victims of parvovirus enteritis will require urgent attention to combat dehydration, in the form of a drip and treatment to prevent or counter the onset of shock. When outbreaks of parvovirus occur in breeding kennels, rigorous disinfection is required and ideally a break in which no new puppies are born into the premises - consult your vet for advice on the best course of action.
Dogs surviving parvovirus infection do not usually suffer long term detrimental effects but the issue of survival is the main concern.

There is a human form of parvovirus which can cause a skin rash in children or even miscarriage in pregnant women. CANINE PARVOVIRUS IS OF NO RISK TO HUMAN HEALTH.

 

LEPTOSPIROSIS

There are two kinds of Leptospirosis of concern to the canine population these are caused by two bacterial organisms of the Leptospira family; the organisms are Leptospira canicola and Leptospira icterohaemorrhagiae. Leptospira canicola is shed from the urine of infected dogs and can enter the body by the mouth, nose, eyes or by cuts in the skin (especially of the footpads) Leptospira icterohaemorrhagiae is spread by contact with rats and their urine.

What are the clinical signs?
L. canicola invades the kidneys and in the initial phases of infection the dog is likely to have a very high fever and become dull in demeanour. There is often a spell of several weeks before the disease manifests itself again.
If mild there is usually an increased thirst and the dog may urinate more often or larger amounts; victims often become dull again.
If severe the kidneys may begin to shut down and as well as the above signs there is loss of appetite, vomiting and pain in the dog's tummy; bad breath and ulcers in the mouth may be noticed as the kidneys are not clearing away the body's toxins.
In the worst cases the affected individual may vomit blood and have diarrhoea, continually breath heavily, they are often reluctant to drink because of the feeling of nausea.
Death may result even in dogs which appear to have only mild infection.
Dogs which make an apparent recovery may go on to develop terminal kidney failure in later life

L.icterohaemorrhagiae invades first the liver and then other organs, such as the kidney, infection is often fatal, causing loss of appetite, jaundice and dullness followed by death in as little as 36 hours. Vomiting and weight loss are common along with paleness, although the yellow colour of jaundice may hide the paleness. There may be bleeding from the gums, tongue and cheeks and a painful tummy.

How do we diagnose the disease?
L. canicola is diagnosed on the basis of clinical signs and the lack of regular vaccinations; it is confirmed by a laboratory using blood and urine samples
L. icterohaemorrhagiae is more difficult to diagnose it requires a variety of blood and urine tests and must be cultured at a laboratory, on samples taken from the dog, to confirm the presence of the organism.

Is there a treatment?
L. canicola can be killed with a course of penicillin over ten days or more but this will not affect the damage already done to the kidneys by the organism. Fluid therapy is essential and affected dogs should be put on a drip. Vitamin B supplements are also given. Further treatment, specific to the individual, may be required.
L. icterohaemorrhagiae can be killed with a course of penicillin over ten days or more, if caught in time; fluid treatment, B vitamins and steroid therapy will often be given.
Success for both will depend on early diagnosis and treatment by a vet.

The vaccine against leptospirosis contains both canicola and icterohaemorrhagiae components and is a very effective prevention, if boosters are kept up to date.

Other concerns
L. canicola can affect man and causes canicola fever; it can be caught from affected dogs or pigs usually following splashing with urine onto broken skin or by unhygienic methods. It is killed by soaps and disinfectants so good hygiene is an effective prevention
L. icterohaemorrhagiae can cause Weil's disease in man and is spread by infected dogs and rats. Precaution must be taken by owners and handlers in instances of infection.

Information compiled by Chris Ditchburn for Blackness Veterinary Surgery.