Common Viral Diseases in Dog and Their Preventive Measures

Among the various causes of disease in pet dog, viral diseases pose a great threat to the dog and have significant impact on public health as they are communicable to man. Always keep the pets in good health with good diet. Virus usually is a disease of weak or immune suppressed pets.

Maintenances of an effective pet health schedules like timely vaccination and deworming are the only preventive measures for prevention of viral disease in dog

Some of the common viral diseases in dog are-

1.Rabies– it is the most dangerous and alarming viral disease of dog and is communicable to human being caused by Rhabdo virus. Symptom includes change in normal behaviour either over sensitive, over alert and has a tendency to attack and bite even without provocation, incoordination of movement, profuse salivation, inability to swallow.

2. Canine Distemper– is a highly contagious disease caused by Paramyxo virus. Incidence of the disease is highest in young pups. Symptom includes high fever, inappetance, respiratory distress, bloody diarrhoea and severe dehydration, watery discharge from nose and eyes.

3. Infectious Canine Hepatitis-caused by canine Adeno virus. Symptom includes fever which fluctuates without returning to normal, jaundice, thirst, oedema of head and face.

4. Parvo virus infection –caused by a DNA virus known as Parvo virus. Symptom include high rise of temperature, refusal of foods, bloody diarrhoea and vomition, respiratory problem and circulatory failure

5. Canine Parainfluenza virus– caused by an RNA virus. Infection usually occur in upper or lower respiratory tract, mix infection with Bortella bacteria. Symptom includes cough, sneezing, nasal mucous discharge, lacrimation and pneumonia

Some steps to prevent and control this common viral disease in dog-

1.Vaccination of pups at 6-8 weeks 1^st vaccination dose with multi-vaccine

2. Booster dose with multi-vaccine at 12-14 weeks and then go for yearly vaccination

3.Anti-rabies vaccination at 2month of age and booster dose after 1 month if the mother is not vaccinated and  if the mother  is vaccinated then the pub can be vaccinated at 3 month of age and then go for yearly vaccination

4. Deworming the dog at regular interval

5. Regular disinfection of bedding materials

6. Always keep your pet dog in warm, airy and hygienic environment

Veterinary Hospital Kohima
(Issued in public interest)