| Canine parvovirus (CPV) can be fatal to young | | | | Puppies become susceptible to Canine distemper at |
| puppies. It exists in two forms, the cardiac form and | | | | around 4 months of age. Canine distemper (CDV) is a |
| the intestinal form. The cardiac form tends to infect | | | | highly contagious disease and often fatal. The most |
| puppies either prior to shortly after birth, and the puppy | | | | effective preventive measure against CDV is puppy |
| will often experience heart failure before it is two | | | | vaccination, which has dramatically reduced the |
| months old. This form of CPV is fortunately no longer | | | | incidence of this disease over the past 50 years. Both |
| common, thanks primarily to vaccination programs for | | | | puppies and adult dogs need to be vaccinated against |
| breeding dogs. Occurrence of the intestinal variety is | | | | canine distemper as it is a very widespread, affecting |
| usually prevented by vaccination of the puppy itself. | | | | not only dogs, but many forms of wildlife as well. CDV |
| Immediately after birth, the puppy's immune system will | | | | vaccine is routinely given during a course of puppy |
| provide proper protection, but this immunity begins to | | | | shots. |
| wear off, and protection is then provided in the course | | | | Two other puppy diseases of note are kennel cough |
| of the usual puppy vaccination regimen. Older dogs | | | | and rabies. The latter is fortunately quite rare, and is |
| usually recover from a bout with CPV, and some even | | | | unlikely to be contracted by a very young puppy |
| show few symptoms of the disease. But the viral | | | | unless it happens to come into contact with a rabid |
| infection has no specific treatment, and can often be | | | | animal. The disease can be spread by other than a |
| too much for a puppy's system to contend with. | | | | bite, but a bite is most often the means by which the |
| Many, if not most puppy diseases are not contracted | | | | disease is transmitted. Rabies is generally fatal. Kennel |
| prior to or during birth, but are introduced into the | | | | cough on the other hand, is a fairly common disease, |
| puppy's environment from an outside source. These | | | | which in actuality can arise from of a number of |
| diseases can usually be avoided when the surrounds | | | | different viruses or bacteria, including canine parvovirus. |
| are kept clean, and the puppies are for the most part | | | | Kennel cough is generally not life threatening, but could |
| isolated from other dogs or animals. The mother can | | | | be a problem to a young puppy. Fortunately, puppies |
| always of course pick up a virus and bring it into the | | | | are normally not placed in a situation where they could |
| environment. | | | | become infected, and are vaccinated against the |
| One such disease, and one of the more common | | | | disease at an early age. Any young dog, and any dog |
| puppy diseases, is Infectious Canine hepatitis. The | | | | for that matter, should be vaccinated for kennel cough |
| puppies can contract the disease if the virus is present | | | | before being placed in a closed area where many |
| in the area they are in. Most dogs having this disease | | | | other dogs are present. |
| fully recover. As there is no specific treatment for the | | | | In most cases, puppy diseases are quite avoidable, and |
| virus itself, it is the symptoms which are treated. The | | | | most puppies make it to adulthood without contracting |
| liver and kidneys are most commonly affected, and an | | | | any of them. By keeping a puppy's quarters clean, |
| infected dog may experience fever and abdominal | | | | avoiding excessive contact with other dogs, especially |
| tenderness. Puppies are susceptible to the extent that | | | | those not normally present around the puppy, and |
| they may not be strong enough to withstand a severe | | | | having your puppy given the usual shots, you should |
| onslaught of the disease. Vaccination is a preventive | | | | have a good chance of keeping these diseases at |
| measure. | | | | bay. |