We’ve all had that annoying and painful hacking cough before…but have you ever heard your dog do it? No, your dog did not catch your cold…but he may have caught his own type of “cold”! If you’re a dog owner, you have probably heard of kennel cough before, especially if you ever take your dog to a grooming or boarding facility. If your dog is hacking or making constant noises that sound like they are choking, they may have a case of kennel cough, or as it is also known, canine infectious tracheobronchitis.

Lyme disease is one of the most common tick-transmitted diseases in the world but only causes symptoms in a small percentage of the dogs that are affected. Bacteria called Borrelia burgdorferi are transmitted through the bite of the Ixodes tick (deer tick).

These 4, often fatal, viruses can be easily prevented by the administration of the DHPP vaccine.  The vaccine should be given to puppies at 8 weeks of age, and then again as boosters at 12 and 16 weeks of age.  The vaccine should then be administered annually or tri-annually depending on the brand of vaccine given and the recommendations of your veterinarian.