Incubates 7-10 days ( but can be 3-21)

Young dog disease. Is usually inhaled from coughing infected dogs then spreads throughout the body and to the bone marrow, suppressing the immune system. It is then shed in all body secretions.Targets rapidly dividing epithelial cells.

3 Clinical Syndromes:

i) Mild disease in the face of good immunity. Brief fever and general illness.

ii) Generalised infection. Follows about 1 week after initial illness. Cough, profuse purulent eye and nasal discharge then vomiting, diarrhoea. Pneumonia can follow. The virus also targets the pads and nose causing excessive keratin production - HARDPAD.

iii) 50% of cases which showed generalised signs go on after about 4 weeks to develop disease of the central nervous system, starting as muscle twitching around the head and progressing to fits, These animals are put to sleep.

Diagnosed by finding the virus in smears from the conjunctiva, and by rising antibody levels in the blood.

Treated symptomatically with antibiotics for any secondary infections.

Vaccinate to control, colostrum from the mother transfers immunity to the pups but this is lost by 12 weeks. A live vaccine is used for vaccination.

Bacterial disease with two variants - Leptospira canicola which targest the kidney and Leptospira icterohaemorrhagiae which targets the liver.The bacterium is very fragile, and needs a moist environment. Infection can, however take place via skin and mucous membranes,and so in the right circumstances leptospirosis can be very infectious.Both are ZOONOSES.

a) L. canicola. Mainly a disease passed between town dogs. The infection invades the kidneys then is shed in the urine. The Leptospires can be seen under the microscope using dark ground illumination.The dogs become feverish then inappettant.Kidney failure develops in severe cases. Some dogs recover, but some of these will go into renal failure when they are older.

b) L. icterohaemorrhagiae. Mainly a rural disease as the disease is carried by wildlife such as rats.The bacterium invades the liver and causes jaundice, fever and haemorrhage. Death can be very sudden in acute cases.

Treatment for both is with antibiotics, and any covering treatment such as fluids or blood transfusions.Killed vaccines are used and need two doses initially followed by one every year. Because this infection is spread via urine onto skin and mucous membranes, nurses need to be particularly careful if cleaning up after potential cases.

Mostly found in towns and cities, but foxes can be carriers. Young dog disease (<12 months). The virus is excreted in saliva, faeces and urine, and infection is usually by mouth.The virus is not very hardy but can survive up to 10 days in sheltered conditions.The virus incubates for 5-7 days, then some dogs recover but in others there is widespread liver damage, leading to jaundice, and fluid in the abdomen and chest (effusions).Signs are vomiting and fever with very severe abdominal pain. The cornea can be damaged leading to "Blue-eye."

Treatment is fluids and supportive treatment including vitamin / aminoacid supplementation (Duphalyte fluid).Vaccination is with either killed vaccines or with a live related vaccine Canine AdenoVirus 2, hence some vaccines contain "H" and some "A2" as their hepatitis protection.

Appeared as a mutant of Feline Infectious Enteritis.VERY resistant to disinfectants and can persist in the environment for up to 1 year, so lots of virus around.

Infects via the mouth then incubates for 3-5 days. The virus targets dividing cells so damages the lining of the intestine causing severe vomiting and haemorrhagic diarrhoea. Illness occurs due to fluid and electrolyte loss and due to the toxins from intestinal bacteria which can now penetrate to the bloodstream.If a pregnant bitch is infected the pups can be born with heart damage.

Treatment is aggressive fluid replacement and antibiotics. If the intestine is permanently damaged, it may be necessary to feed a lifelong special diet.

Vaccination is with either a killed or modified live vaccine.

Several agents are involved. Bordetella bronchiseptica, canine adenovirus, canine herpesvirus, canine parainfluenza virus, canine reovirus, streptococci, pasteurella.

Most of these will not cause significant disease on their own, or cause only mild snuffling/sneezing.

Parainfluenza virus appaers in most vaccines and causes mild upper respiratory coughs or sneezes.

Bordetella causes the traditional form of kennel cough. Easily disinfected but spreads through the air and incubates 5-14 days. Very contagious, The bacterium attaches to the lining of the trachea and causes sticky mucus and inflammation. This gives rise to the characteristic dry, honking cough. The illness will self cure in 3-4 weeks, but antibiotics are effective, and cough suppressants as used in humans are often advised as nursing care. The organism will live in the trachea after an infection for up to 3 months.

Also known as Tick Borne Fever, is a bacterial infection, caused by Borrelia (also known as Erlichia in some texts).The bacterium is only able to survive within a host and is spread via tick bites. The usual hosts are small rodents, but dogs will catch TBF form infected ticks.It can also be a Zoonosis. The disease incubates for 5-10 days then the dog becomes feverish, with swollen joints and lameness.It can be fatal. Diagnosis is by blood test and treatment with particular antibiotics is effective if early enough.

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