Vaccination of dogs

Why is it important to vaccinate a dog?

Dogs are social animals, and are exposed to infection in contact with others - just like us humans. It is therefore particularly important to properly vaccinate dogs who live close together, or who for other reasons are particularly susceptible to infection. In addition to the fact that the vaccinated dog is protected against disease, the general infection pressure is also lowered when the majority of dogs in society are vaccinated. This makes it easier for dogs that cannot be vaccinated (e.g. very young puppies and dogs with weakened immune systems, etc.) to stay healthy.

What vaccines does the dog need?

There are some vaccines for dogs which are recommended for everyone regardless of where they are located, and these are called core vaccines. The core vaccines protect against, among other things, the three diseases distemper, canine distemper (parvovirus) and infectious hepatitis, of which we see sporadic cases in Norway and which can be fatal. In addition to the core vaccines, the dog can also receive additional vaccines. The need for additional vaccines will vary based on local conditions, and in Norway, a vaccine against kennel cough is recommended in addition to the core vaccines. If you are going to travel abroad with your dog, it needs protection against several diseases, such as rabies.

Puppy distemper

Distemper is a serious disease that can affect not only puppies, but also adult dogs. The disease causes an infection that spreads in the blood and is highly contagious, but fortunately the vaccine provides good protection. Symptoms of distemper are high fever, rash around the eyes and nose, diarrhoea, vomiting and lethargy.

Canine distemper

Canine distemper, or Parvovirus infection, comes from the parvovirus that attacks the dog's intestinal system. For unvaccinated dogs, the disease can be fatal, and the infection is often characterized by the dog getting bloody diarrhea and vomiting.

Infectious hepatitis

Adenovirus is a virus that causes hepatitis, also called infectious hepatitis. The virus can also lead to a respiratory infection, and can cause life-threatening illness, especially in puppies. Common symptoms are fever, bleeding and pain in the stomach (abdomen).

Kennel cough

Kennel cough vaccine recommended for all dogs in Norway. Kennel cough can be caused by several different types of viruses and bacteria, just like a cold in humans. The kennel cough vaccine protects against the most common infectious agents, including parainfluenza virus, which causes “common” cold symptoms with coughing and weakness. In addition, it protects against the bacterium Bordetella bronciseptica, which can worsen the infection and cause serious, and sometimes life-threatening, pneumonia. If the dog is infected with a different type of virus than the one in the vaccine, it can still get cold symptoms and thus “kennel cough” despite vaccination. However, these other viruses often cause milder symptoms and less severe disease.

Rabies and leptospirosis

Dogs that are going to travel or stay abroad need additional vaccinations. For example, it is required by law to rabies vaccine for dogs before traveling abroad. Rabies is a viral disease that can be transmitted between animals, but also from animals to humans. The rabies vaccine must be given at least 21 days before departure and be documented in the passport. Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease that can infect both animals and humans, and is most widespread from Denmark and southwards. The disease is mainly transmitted through contact with water containing urine from infected animals. In infected dogs, symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea and generally impaired general condition are common, and without treatment the disease can be life-threatening.

Lyme disease

Very few tick bites result in disease, but both dogs and cats do tick bite can become infected with a tick-borne disease, such as Lyme disease. The sooner a tick that has bitten the animal is removed, the less the risk of infection from the tick. In Larvik we receive 3-4 dogs each year with Lyme disease. Some show symptoms such as lameness and others develop kidney failure. Our veterinarians recommend the use of preventive tick agent og Borrelia vaccine to minimize the risk of serious illness. Vaccination of dogs is especially recommended for working dogs and hunting dogs that are often in forests and fields and for family dogs in tick-rich areas. Especially those of you who live or have a cabin in Vestfold and Agder and in southern parts of Sweden should consider vaccination. The vaccine is approved from 12 weeks of age. Two vaccines should be given three weeks apart. The dog is then given an annual vaccine for as long as protection is desired. It is recommended to start vaccination in late winter/early spring to get the best effect possible before the tick season starts in full.