It’s important to keep your dog up-to-date on their yearly vet visits and vaccines. These vaccines are in place to help keep your dog healthy and ward off unwanted sicknesses. This also gives you the opportunity to chat with your vet on your dog’s behavior and any possible problems they may see. Being proactive with your pet’s health is just as important as mending them back to health when sick.
Dog parks are a great way to let your dog mingle with other pups but can also be a breeding ground of sicknesses. While all dog parks have different rules, most parks do not check to make sure dogs are up-to-date when their owners say they are current. There are quite a few people who break the rules and do not clean up after their dog, which could be manifesting diseases at it sits there. Not all dog parks are necessarily bad but choose wisely when opting to bring your dog to run at a dog park. There a lot of vet clinics that offer dog parks for clients only, ensuring that the dogs at the park are up-to-date on their vaccines.
Just like parents wanting to know who their kids are playing with, it’s important to know who you are letting your dog play with. If you are boarding or looking for a dog daycare, make sure to choose one that only lets dogs in if they are up-to-date with all of their vet records and vaccines. Also look for a boarding or daycare place that will not allow you to drop off your dog if they are sick, just as daycares do for children. There are several good dog daycares available that send home notes on your dog’s behavior. If they see something out of the ordinary, a good daycare will alert you immediately as this is a sign your pup may not be feeling well.
Dogs are part of the family, and the last thing you want is for them to get sick. Dogs can’t just tell you how they are feeling, but they can show it in various ways. One of the ways dogs commonly catch something is by interacting with other dogs, whether it is at daycare, at a dog park or even just neighbors who have dogs that interact with your dog. Dogs need to socialize, so keeping them away from other dogs isn’t the answer or healthy for your dog if he likes to play with other pups. There are some precautions you can take to reduce the chances of your pup catching a sickness.
While we can’t always be around the protect our furry friends from getting sick, even if it’s not from another dog, we can take precautions to avoid it. If your dog is showing symptoms of not feeling well, or acting out of the ordinary, contact your vet immediately.
Injuries Any time unfamiliar dogs and/or dogs with different temperaments are mixed, there is a risk of conflict and injury. Bite wounds should be immediately evaluated by a veterinarian and efforts should be made to determine the rabies vaccination status of the biting dog. Overweight dogs and dogs accustomed to more sedentary lifestyles should be encouraged to become more active, but excessive activity can put them at risk of injury to joints, bones or muscles. If your dog is overweight and/or you plan to increase its activity level, consult with your veterinarian about the best plan to get your dog active with the least risk of injury.
These worms can cause malnutrition (because they steal nutrients as food is being digested) and diarrhea, and hookworms can cause blood loss. There are many products available to treat worms, and you should consult their veterinarian for the appropriate products for your pets.
Coccidia and Giardia are single-celled parasites that damage the lining of the intestine. Dogs can become infected with coccidia by eating infected soil or licking contaminated paws or fur. Puppies are at the highest risk of infection and illness.
Canine influenza (“canine flu” or “dog flu”)
Dogs can be shedding the virus before they even show signs of illness, which means an apparently healthy dog can still infect other dogs. Dogs with canine influenza develop coughing, a fever and a snotty nose, which are the same signs observed when a dog has kennel cough.
There is a vaccine for canine influenza, but at this time it is not recommended for every dog. Consult your veterinarian to determine if the canine influenza vaccine is recommended for your dog.
Fortunately, there is a vaccine for parvo. It is considered a “core” vaccine and is recommended for every dog.
My DOG Goes CRAZY Around Other DOGS (6 Causes of a REACTIVITY in DOGS)
Early socialization is important for helping puppies grow up into well-rounded adults. But it’s also important to keep your puppy safe. Unvaccinated puppies are vulnerable to dangerous illnesses like parvovirus, leptospirosis and distemper, which they can get from both contact with other dogs and from feces left on the ground by other dogs. That might sound scary, but it doesn’t mean you’ve got to keep your puppy isolated from every other dog until they’ve had all their shots.
While protecting your puppy’s health is important, many veterinarians and dog behaviorists stress that early socialization is equally as important as vaccinations when it comes to safe-guarding your puppy’s overall health and well-being. “Lots of positive experiences with new scenarios result in an adult dog who is able to happily and confidently navigate their world,” says certified dog trainer and behaviorist Mary Thompson, owner of Happy Hound University. “In contrast, an under-socialized puppy who isn’t taken out until they are five or six months is going to be more apprehensive and pessimistic about novel situations. Sadly, lack of socialization can lead to fearful or aggressive behavior as an adult dog.” The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior agrees. Their official Position on Puppy Socialization states, “Behavioral issues, not infectious diseases, are the number one cause of death for dogs under three years of age.”
That said, vets also strongly caution against any contact with unknown or unvaccinated dogs prior to your puppy receiving their full set of vaccinations. “One vaccination doesn’t cut it,” says Dr. Chyrle Bonk, DVM, veterinary spokesperson for Doggie Designer. “A puppy isn’t fully protected until receiving the entire series of two to three injections as recommended by your veterinarian.” But that doesn’t mean your puppy can’t interact with other dogs. “Socialization can start as soon as you get your pup home as long as it’s in a controlled environment with other [pets] that you know.”
The key to safely introducing your puppy to other dogs or puppies is to be sure you know the other dogs, their vaccination and health history, and whether they’ve been exposed to dogs you don’t know. “The risk comes in when puppies play with other dogs that have had exposure to unvaccinated dogs or feces of infected animals,” says Dr. Bonk. “That makes dog parks and off-leash activities out.”