1st May 2006

My 10-year-old bitch has just died from leptospirosis. Do you think she would have lived if she had been given her injections?

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Question:

My 10-year-old bitch has just died from leptospirosis. She was two when we got her and we did not have her vaccinated as we thought she was too old. Do you think she would have lived if she had been given her injections? We have just got a puppy and don’t want to make the same mistake again.

Answer:

It is never too late to start a vaccination course. This usually consists of two injections, three to four weeks apart. Puppies are given a vaccination course when they are eight weeks old, but it is perfectly possible to start this primary vaccination course at any age. Further, if there is any doubt as to whether a dog has been vaccinated, there are no reasons why an additional primary course should not be given. Your experience is exactly why we recommend that all dogs should be vaccinated on a yearly basis. I would definitely recommend that you take your new puppy to be checked out by your vet, and to be vaccinated, and also that you keep these vaccinations up to date on a yearly basis for the whole of his life.