How does my Dog avoid viruses?

Put simply, vaccination. While vaccination has come under fire in recent years for effectiveness, it is still the most widely veterinarian-accepted way of preventing disease and infection. Some people get a little worried about the fact that vaccines typically entail injecting your dog (or you, or your child) with some form of the very virus you’re hoping to prevent. Vaccines, however, come in three forms, none of which feature fully active, pure, living versions of the virus.

Others feel that vaccines “teach” a dog’s immune system to rely on shots or outside influence to prevent disease, which means the immune system itself may end up being weaker. If you have concerns about vaccination, do a little research into alternative methods and ask your veterinarian for 10 minutes in which you can openly discuss the positives and negatives of each. You need to feel confident and comfortable about your dog’s health care – she’ll know if you’re not, and the nerves and apprehension will trigger her own anxiety. This definitely weakens the immune system. 

If you choose to go with traditional vaccination, your vet will plot a timeline for your dog’s shots. The highest time of vaccination is during the first year. After that you should need only 6-month or annual renewals. If you decide to take your pooch on vacation or move to another region or country, contact your vet for any special instructions or vaccines specific to that area. Beyond preventative medication, practice caution in other areas of your dog’s life and activities. As mentioned previously, your pup should never be allowed to drink from standing water, puddles, or, if you can avoid it, even rivers and lakes.

When taking her for nature hikes, bring along a travel bowl and bottle of water to make sure she has a fresh source. If you ever notice her digging or chewing in an unfamiliar area outdoors, investigate immediately. Never let her kill and eat rodents, other small animals, or their carcasses. You should even practice caution with unfamiliar dogs who may be infected. Dogs’ natural instinct to sniff and lick various areas of each other’s bodies is a great way for bacteria and viruses to jump from dog to dog.

You certainly can’t (and shouldn’t) keep your dog locked up in the house seven days a week – she’s a dog, for goodness’ sake! She’ll run into some nasty bacteria now and then, but most of the time her immune system will launch and attack immediately. Rather than being overprotective of her, just be aware of your surroundings and what she may be getting into.

Homeopathy

This debate is as hot and heavy as any in international politics. Many homeopathic healers feature treatments of major veterinary diseases, and some have begun to offer a homeopathic alternative to vaccination. Called nosodes, the homeopathic medicines are created with strains of actual disease organisms by extracting the organisms from the bodily excretions of a dog affected with the corresponding disease. The dog to be protected is then given the medicine.

Whether or not you decide to opt for the use of nosodes with your pup depends upon your opinion and your vet’s input. As would be expected, the results from academic studies usually claim that nosodes don’t offer protection while homeopathic healers claim otherwise.

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