Canine vaccines
Much of what was said last week in the general discussion of feline vaccines would be valid for dog vaccines as well. For example, it is much cheaper (and logical/practical) to have one’s dog vaccinated against several diseases via one single dose administered at set intervals.
Nowadays, the vaccine manufacturers are placing more and more killed or Modified Live Viruses in the vials.
I can still remember that when I began studies in veterinary medicine, the three-in-one vaccine was just becoming established in practices all over the world. Nowadays, your vet can protect your dog against as many as nine infectious agents.
Still, there are many veterinarians who prefer to vaccinate against one or two diseases separately and then use a five-in-one vaccine later. They are convinced that the dogs develop a better immunity against the diseases using this regime. For example, a few years ago, the veterinarians in Guyana and the Caribbean were confronted with a set of symptoms which could have been caused by Corona virus (no specific and sophisticated lab testing facilities are locally available for canine viruses). So, many veterinarians opted to vaccinate puppies specifically with a vaccine that only contained the killed Corona virus. Other vets used a combination vaccine that also contained Corona.
You will also notice that some veterinarians have ‘rabies’ listed on their vaccination certificates. Yet, your dog is never vaccinated against rabies. This is because we have never seen canine rabies here in Guyana – and, of course, no one has ever died from rabies after being bitten by a dog in Guyana. However, if you wish to send your dog to the USA or Canada (eg during emigration), the authorities there insist that the dog be vaccinated against rabies. Your vet should have the anti-rabies vaccine and can administer it to your dog.
The vaccines on the market (according to the drug company) may contain Modified Live Viruses/killed Viruses/inactivated bacteria in various combinations or as a single inoculating agent in the vials. The usual diseases against which the vaccines are produced are:
(i) Canine Distemper
(ii) Canine Parvovirus
(iii) Canine Coronavirus
(iv) Canine Adenovirus Type 2
(v) Parainfluenza (‘Kennel Cough’)
(vi) Hepatitis
(vii) Two most common types of Leptospirosis (NB The vaccine I now use has components against two more common types of Leptospirosis which are emerging as greater killers of dogs than the original two).
Finally, I should mention a couple of other important considerations:
* The literature is showing that some drug companies are producing vaccines that are working better (= producing a better level of immunity) than other manufacturers – with up to 59 times more efficacy!
* Whoever vaccinates your dog must give you a certificate with a signature that reflects the qualification of the person. It should be a vet who vaccinates, or a person under veterinary authority. Too often, the dogs are presented in the clinic with the story that some Tom, Dick or Harrylall had vaccinated the animal, yet the poor pooch is showing all the symptoms of one or the other disease against which it was supposedly vaccinated. On closer questioning, it emerges that the person vaccinating the dog was not a vet at all. One doubts very much that such a person could get hold of genuine vaccines in the first place, or that such a person would have stored the vaccine properly, or that such a person would know what to do if the animal reacted negatively to the vaccination.
Next week, we’ll deal with the vaccination schedule and wrap up the discussion on the use of vaccines against the common canine diseases.
Please implement disease preventative measures (vaccinations, routine dewormings, monthly anti-heartworm medication, etc) and adopt-a-pet from the GSPCA’s Animal Clinic and Shelter at Robb Street and Orange Walk, if you have the wherewithal to care well for the animals. Do not stray your unwanted pets, take them to the GSPCA’s Clinic and Shelter instead. If you see anyone being cruel to an animal, or if you need any technical information, please get in touch with the Clinic and Shelter by calling 226-4237.