3 Common Puppy Illnesses

As a dog parent, the health of your fur baby is paramount. While all of these common puppy illnesses have a vaccine, you still need to know the symptoms if they appear prior to vaccination so that treatment can be given.

Distemper

Puppies receive their first immunization shot for distemper when they are six to eight weeks old and again when they are nine weeks. Dogs who receive these two shots are pretty much protected against distemper. While getting your puppy vaccinated is very important, there may be a time when your fur baby is exposed to this virus prior to them being old enough for the vaccine. In doing so, knowing the symptoms is very important; especially since many pet parents simply view their fur baby has a cold.

The symptoms of this virus start off like a cold. Sneezing and watering eyes can be an indication of a respiratory infection. If not treated, this can either lead into pneumonia or brain damage.

If it is found that your puppy has distemper, the outlook as far as recovery goes is good. It normally takes several weeks for recovery to occur along with a stay at the vet’s clinic. When your dog is sent home, do not be surprised that respiratory medications are not prescribed.

As stated, if caught early enough your dog has a good chance of survival but this virus never really disappears and simply remains dormant in your dog’s body. When this virus reappears again, the recovery is not as wonderful and those pets that do survive many times have neurological problems.

Leptospirosis

Chances are this disease is one that you have never heard of before and as a matter of a fact many veterinarians do not vaccinate for this issue. In doing so, when you take your puppy in for his/her shots make sure to ask. Leptospirosis vaccination occurs when your fur baby is 10 to 12 weeks and again at 13 to 15 weeks old.

The symptoms of this bacterial disease are also flu like.

The treatment for this bacterial disease is antibiotics, which can span over several weeks.

Parvovirus

While all diseases have a nasty side, parvovirus or parvo is one that is really ugly. Many times the symptoms show up one day and the next day your beloved baby is in stress. The best way to avoid this is to make sure that your fur baby is vaccinated, which should occur at the age of six to eight weeks and then every three weeks until your puppy is four months old.

The symptoms of this parvo start out with a fever, which is followed with vomiting and bloody diarrhea. At this point, your puppy will be very weak and dehydrated.

Yes, your puppy can survive this but it requires IVs and antibiotics administered over several days.