目次
About Core Vaccines for Dogs
Core vaccines prevent viruses with high fatality rates. This page summarizes the pathological conditions caused by the viruses that core vaccines for dogs can prevent.
Canine Distemper Virus
Transmission Route
The virus is transmitted to other dogs through the eye discharge, nasal discharge, saliva, urine, feces of an infected dog, or objects contaminated with these secretions. It is said to spread more easily in the winter when the air is conducive to infection. The incubation period (the period from infection to the onset of symptoms) is from a few days to about two weeks.
It does not infect humans.
Symptoms
① Approximately 1 to 2 weeks after infection
After a fever above 40°C that lasts for several days, the temperature returns to normal for a while before rising again above 40°C (this is called biphasic fever). Symptoms such as loss of appetite, lethargy, gastrointestinal symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea, coughing, eye discharge, and conjunctivitis can also be observed. Blood tests show a significant decrease in white blood cells (below 3,000 to 5,000/ml). In young or weak dogs, the overall physical condition may deteriorate and lead to death.
② From 3 weeks after infection
After overcoming the period mentioned in ①, symptoms like drooling, making chewing motions, and sporadic skin spasms called tics can be observed. Respiratory symptoms such as coughing, bronchitis, and pneumonia are also common. Conjunctivitis and other issues can lead to visual impairment, which in turn can cause fear and confusion, sometimes resulting in abnormal walking patterns. Skin symptoms like erythema, vesicles, and pustules may also appear, but the most distinctive feature is the thickening of the paw pads known as hard pad. Ultimately, neurological symptoms such as seizures and paralysis appear, with a fatality rate of 90%.
Even after recovering from these symptoms, neurological issues might persist in some cases.
Treatment
No effective treatment exists. Controlling the virus and preventing secondary bacterial infections is crucial. Interferons are used to suppress the virus, while antibiotics are used to prevent secondary infections. Other treatments include medications to alleviate symptoms, such as antiemetics and antidiarrheals, and anticonvulsants. To improve the overall physical condition, fluid therapy and nutritional support are vital. Maintaining body strength and recovering immune function can help suppress the virus.
Canine Adenovirus (Canine Infectious Hepatitis)
Transmission Route
The virus can be transmitted to other dogs through the sneezing, nasal discharge, and saliva of infected dogs. Symptoms can vary from mild to severe. In adult dogs, it can sometimes result in asymptomatic infections (known as subclinical infections), but in unvaccinated puppies, it often leads to lethal conditions. For recovering dogs, the virus can remain in the kidneys, so their urine can contain the virus for months to years, requiring caution. The incubation period is from a few days to about 10 days.
It does not infect humans.
Symptoms
① Peracute form (sudden fatal form)
This is commonly seen in puppies.
Since the virus infects through the digestive tract mucosa, severe gastrointestinal symptoms such as acute abdominal pain, hematemesis, and bloody stools can be observed.
After a fever of over 40°C, the puppy falls into a state of weakness.
In many cases, the puppy dies within 12 to 24 hours after infection.
② Mild form
Symptoms include a fever of around 40°C, nasal discharge, coughing, loss of appetite, lethargy, and mild eye discharge.
③ Severe form
Following a fever of around 40°C, liver inflammation leading to impaired liver function can be observed.
Due to the decreased liver function, symptoms such as hepatic encephalopathy (neurological symptoms caused by an accumulation of ammonia that the liver should process), depression, coma, convulsions, bleeding tendencies due to impaired blood coagulation functions, jaundice, abdominal ascites, and abdominal distension due to liver enlargement may occur.
Other symptoms can include coughing, stomatitis, and conjunctivitis.
During the recovery phase, a condition where the cornea appears bluish and cloudy, called “blue eye” (often occurring unilaterally), may be observed.
Blue eye typically resolves in a few weeks, but in some cases, the cloudiness may persist, or it may occasionally progress to glaucoma or corneal ulcers.
④ Inapparent form
In adult dogs with normal immune function, the infection may be asymptomatic, a condition known as “inapparent infection.”
Treatment
There is no effective treatment, and the focus is on suppressing the virus and preventing secondary bacterial infections.
Interferon is used to suppress the virus, and antibiotics are used to prevent secondary bacterial infections.
To support liver function, fluid therapy and hepatoprotective agents are administered.
Maintaining physical strength through fluid therapy and nutritional supplementation to improve overall bodily conditions can help boost the immune system, allowing it to suppress the virus.
Canine Parvovirus Type 2
Transmission
The virus spreads to other dogs through the saliva, urine, and feces of an infected dog.
Infections can also occur through milk, so if the mother carries the virus, it can be transmitted to the puppies (vertical transmission).
In cases of transplacental infection, it may cause miscarriages or result in puppies with heart failure.
It does not infect humans.
Symptoms
① Enteritis form
This condition frequently occurs in puppies around 6 to 16 weeks old when maternal antibodies wane.
Gastrointestinal symptoms such as lethargy, loss of appetite, fever, soft stools or diarrhea (bloody stools), and vomiting can be observed.
When the virus destroys the intestinal mucosa and invades the body, the disease worsens, potentially leading to toxic shock or sepsis, and a high likelihood of death within 1 to 2 days after onset.
② Myocarditis form
This form occurs if infection takes place in utero or within the first week of life.
In puppies that have not consumed colostrum and therefore lack maternal antibodies, sudden respiratory distress, dehydration, and non-suppurative myocarditis (myocarditis not caused by bacterial infection) are observed between 3 to 8 weeks old, which can be fatal in the worst cases.
Treatment
There is no effective treatment, and the focus is on suppressing the virus and preventing secondary bacterial infections.
Interferon is used to suppress the virus, and antibiotics are used to prevent secondary bacterial infections.
To maintain physical strength and improve the overall condition of the body, fluid therapy and nutritional supplementation are important. Bolstering the immune system can increase the chances of suppressing the virus, so it’s advisable to actively incorporate immune-boosting measures.
Rabies
Transmission Routes
Since it is present in the saliva of infected dogs, transmission occurs through the bites of infected dogs. The incubation period is typically around 2 to 6 weeks, but it can vary depending on the location of the bite, the resistance of the bitten animal, and the amount of virus present.
It can infect all mammals, including humans.
Symptoms
① Furious Form
This form is characterized by excessive excitement and aggression (aligning with the disease’s name as “mad dog”), and the animal may exhibit pica (consuming non-food items such as stones or feces). This state usually persists for 2 to 4 days, after which neurological symptoms like seizures and ataxia (paralysis) appear, leading to death within 1 to 2 days.
It is said that 80-85% of rabies cases manifest in the furious form.
② Paralytic Form (Dumb Form)
This rare form does not show aggressiveness. Paralysis occurs in the muscles above the neck, making eating and drinking difficult, which leads to dehydration and emaciation. Once the paralysis spreads throughout the body, it results in unconsciousness and coma, leading to death within a week.
Treatment
There is no treatment, and euthanasia is performed if the disease is confirmed. Even if the disease hasn’t manifested, suspected cases are quarantined for observation (up to 180 days). Additionally, in Japan, it is mandatory for animals involved in bite incidents to be quarantined for two weeks post-capture to confirm rabies infection status.
Japan is one of the few rabies-free countries in the world, but it wouldn’t be surprising if the virus entered the country at any time.
There have been no cases of rabies in domestic animals in Japan since 1957. However, in July 2013, it was confirmed that a ferret badger in Taiwan was infected with the rabies virus.
Moreover, in November 2006, two Japanese men who had traveled to the Philippines contracted rabies after returning to Japan and subsequently died. In Hokkaido, which has considerable trade with rabies-endemic Russia, there have been confirmed instances of dogs illegally disembarked from Russian ships (although it is unclear if these dogs were rabid).
The only way to prevent the spread of rabies if it enters Japan is through vaccination.
Of course, the fundamental principle of vaccination is “vaccinating healthy individuals,” but it is dangerous to forgo vaccination based on your own judgment.
Please have your personal veterinarian assess whether rabies vaccination is possible.
As such, there are no established treatments for viral diseases, and the main approach consists of administering antibiotics to maintain strength and prevent secondary infections.
To avoid viral infections, vaccination is important, but the most crucial factor is strengthening resistance = immunity.
Strengthening Immunity and Living Calmly
After vaccination, the immune system can become destabilized, so please ensure to thoroughly support your pet’s immune system.
At Cordy Laboratory, research is ongoing to determine whether Cordy can help regulate dogs’ immunity and contribute to improving their health conditions.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
監修獣医師：林美彩 所属クリニック：chicoどうぶつ診療所
代替療法と西洋医学、両方の動物病院での勤務経験と多数のコルディの臨床経験をもつ。 モノリス在籍時には、一般的な動物医療（西洋医学）だけでは対応が困難な症例に対して多くの相談を受け、免疫の大切さを痛烈に実感する。
ペットたちの健康維持・改善のためには薬に頼った対処療法だけではなく、「普段の生活環境や食事を見直し、自宅でさまざまなケアを取り入れることで免疫力を維持し、病気にならない体づくりを目指していくことが大切である」という考えを提唱し普及活動に従事している。
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