Canine Parvovirus

Canine parvovirus is a highly contagious and potentially fatal disease of dogs. Symptoms are severe gastroenteritis, such as blood in diarrhoea, uncontrollable vomiting and extreme abdominal pain. Puppies are more susceptible but can affect all dogs that have not been vaccinated. Parvovirus is one of the most highly resistant viruses. It is not affected by most commercially available disinfectants and can survive for months in the environment. For this reason, it is not necessary to have direct contact with other dogs for the disease to be spread. Transmission is usually via oral ingestion of infected faecal material or vomitus.

Canine Distemper Virus

Canine Distemper is a highly contagious and often fatal viral disease of dogs. Signs of infection include fever, coughing, sneezing, nasal discharge, vomiting, diarrhoea and seizures. The disease is caused by paramyxovirus. It is transmitted by inhalation or ingestion of infected droplets from body secretions (urine, faeces, saliva, nasal exudate, tears) which are highly infective.

Infectious canine Hepatitis (also known as Canine Adenovirus type1)

Infectious canine hepatitis is a highly contagious and sometimes fatal disease of dogs. Signs of infection may include fever, depression, loss of appetite, acute abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhoea.  The disease is transmitted via inhalation or ingestion of an infected droplet from body secretions (e.g. urine, faeces, saliva, tears, nasal exudate) of an infected dog.

In severe cases death can occur within 24 to 36 hours. Dogs that recover may develop long-term liver and kidney problems and can act as carriers spreading the disease to other dogs for many months.

Canine Cough

Canine cough is an extremely contagious upper respiratory disease of dogs which is characterised by a dry, hacking cough and is rarely fatal. (The disease was formerly known as ‘kennel cough’.)  Viruses and bacteria have been implicated in the cause of canine cough. These include canine parainfluenza virus and canine adenovirus type 2 (CAV-2) and the bacterium Bordetella bronchiseptica. The disease is transmitted by inhalation of infected droplets from nasal or oral secretions of infected dogs. easily spread wherever dogs congregate, such as parks, grooming salons, doggy day care, shows, obedience schools and boarding kennels.  Canine cough has an incubation period of 7-10 days. 

Leptospirosis

Canine leptospirosis is a serious disease risk in some areas and can cause high death rates. This bacterial disease is spread by the urine of infected rats and is usually transmitted to dogs who ingest contaminated food and water (e.g. drink from puddles), dogs who eat rats or from rat bites.

There’s an increased risk where high rat populations exist such as in cities, near rubbish dumps or around sugar cane areas. Incidence can also increase after long periods of wet weather or building activity, when rat populations are forced to move or concentrate. Leptospirosis is a ‘zoonotic disease’ meaning it is an animal disease that can be passed to humans. Human infection can occur through ingestion of contaminated food or water, or through open wounds.

Canine Coronavirus

Canine coronavirus is another contagious virus and causes depression, loss of appetite, vomiting and diarrhoea especially in young dogs. Diarrhoea may last for several days in some cases. Although most dogs will recover with treatment, coronavirus has the potential to be fatal, especially if other infectious agents such as parvovirus are present.