When vaccinated, a bit of a weakened pathogen is injected into your pet. This ensures that your dog can build up immunity against this disease. If your dog later becomes infected with this disease, he will hardly get any symptoms. His immune system will recognize the disease and your dog is protected against this pathogen.
Thanks to the vaccinations, there are diseases that almost no longer occur in Belgium. Yet they remain extremely important, because stopping vaccination can ensure a very rapid return of these diseases.
Puppies are protected in the first weeks by the antibodies through breast milk. This maternal immunity disappears after 5 to 15 weeks. Puppies of this age are therefore very sensitive. Before you decide to buy a puppy, it is also very wise to get well informed.
Different vaccination schedules are possible for puppies. Everything depends on the environment where the puppy is born. The first vaccinations are usually given at 8-9 weeks.
If you have any questions about this, please make an appointment for this.
For adult dogs, it is important to have at least an annual check-up, to keep up with the vaccinations and to check the general state of health. Against which diseases can dogs be vaccinated?
Carré or Distemper disease
Carré's disease is caused by a virus that can cause inflammation of the nose, airways, lungs, stomach and intestines. The virus is closely related to the measles virus. It is easily spread by direct contact with infected dogs. The virus is present in secretions from the nose and eyes, which easily form particles in the air. Infected dogs that survive the infection can continue to excrete the virus for months. Contamination occurs very quickly in a group of dogs, such as kennels and dog shows. Vaccination is therefore mandatory in such circumstances. As with viral hepatitis in dogs, the introduction of an infected puppy, possibly from a bread breeder without a license, is the most common cause of an outbreak of distemper. Outbreaks can also occur in asylum. Fever, diarrhea, conjunctivitis, pneumonia are common symptoms, but neurological problems can also occur. Dogs and ferrets can die of the disease in the worst case. Depending on the environment in which the puppy is, it is possible to vaccinate against this disease from 6 weeks onwards.
Hepatitis
Hepatitis is a contagious liver disease. This virus causes viral hepatitis that can make dogs of all ages ill. However, it is young dogs that are most sensitive.
The virus is excreted and spread via the saliva, the feces and for a very long time also via the urine.
The symptoms are not always easy to recognize, among other fever, to a very severe inflammation of the liver. If it is detected and treated at an early stage, healing is possible. But once the liver is inflamed, the fever runs high and can be fatal. In young dogs it can even cause a very sudden death. Hepatitis is not always easy to detect. For example, the symptoms may initially closely resemble those of Carré's disease.
Parvovirus
Parvo is a highly contagious disease known to dogs since the 1980s. It is a virus that spreads quickly through the feces and vomit of dogs. It belongs to one of the most resistant viruses and can only be controlled with highly aggressive disinfectants.
All dogs are sensitive to this virus. Yet it is more common in young dogs up to an age of 1 year. At first the dog will become restless, followed by not wanting to eat. Afterwards, vomiting will occur, the dog will not keep anything inside and blood can come along with the vomit. The dog will also suffer from water-thin bloody diarrhea. Because of the many vomiting and the severe diarrhea, the dog has a high risk of dehydration. It is also often accompanied by a high fever. This disease is often fatal for puppies and weakened animals. Vaccination can be from six weeks.
Leptospirosis or Weil's disease
Leptospirosis is a zoonosis, which means that the disease is transmissible to humans. The germ is a type of bacterium and the contamination takes place via contact with the urine. Infected animals, and therefore also dogs, can act as a reservoir and excrete the bacteria via the urine. The leptospires can survive for a while in the environment. An important source of infection is the excretion via the urine of rats. Contamination can also occur through direct contact via bite wounds or eating a cadaver. After infection, the bacterium spreads via the bloodstream. The bacteria can settle in different organs that then function worse. Especially the liver and kidneys are sensitive. First the dogs refuse to eat, they become drowsy and have a fever. Then they get jaundice, they break and have diarrhea that makes them lose weight. Dogs should be vaccinated against this germ at least once a year.
Kennel cough
Kennel cough is a disease that is often caused by a combination of viruses and bacteria. Kennel cough in the dog is an infectious infection of the upper respiratory tract (nose, throat, trachea). The name kennel cough suggests that it only occurs in kennels, but that is not correct. Every dog that comes into contact with other dogs can get kennel cough. It is characterized by a dry cough and can sometimes be quite resistant to the treatments given. Dog shows and kennels often require a specific vaccination that must be repeated annually.
Rabies or Rabies
Rabies is a zoonosis, which means that the disease can be transmitted from animals to humans. The disease occurs worldwide. However, Belgium has been free of rabies for years. The cases that are known in Belgium in the last 20 years have contracted the infection elsewhere. The infection is transmitted via the saliva. It is almost always a bite of an infected animal. Infected bats, raccoons and foxes are usually the culprit. Rabies is a serious virus infection of the brain with an always fatal outcome once the symptoms become visible.
The time from infection to symptoms varies greatly: 1 week to 8 months. Also the symptoms are not immediately clear. Common symptoms include behavioral changes, aggression, salivation, difficulty swallowing and paralysis symptoms. Once the symptoms occur, the course is very progressive and usually follows death within 7 days.
Treatment of this disease is unfortunately not possible. However, people and animals can treat if they have just been bitten by an infected animal. Actually, this is a form of prevention, since he does not have rabies at that moment.
You can protect your dog against the rabies virus by having your animal vaccinated. After vaccination a dog is completely protected against rabies or rabies. This is not mandatory in Belgium as long as you stay in Belgium.
As soon as you cross the border with your pet, you are obliged to vaccinate your dog in advance. Your dog must be at least 8 weeks old. Inform in good time of the necessary steps to be taken to travel with your pet. For some countries it takes six months before you can enter the country with your pet.
Babesiose
Babesiosis is caused by the blood parasite Babesia. The parasite is transmitted by ticks, particularly those living in warmer countries.
Between 1-3 weeks after infection the dog gets fever, anemia and he pees red-brown urine. Some dogs only become ill later on.
Babesiosis is easy to treat. If left untreated, dogs can die from this disease. Given the great diversity of the germ and the fact that it is transmitted by ticks, we advise you to apply good tick prevention when you are in a risk area.
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