Health problems that are vital to vaccinate against
Vaccinating your puppy can help to protect him from several major diseases. The following diseases may sound scary, but if you make sure your puppy gets all the right vaccinations, you won't have to ever worry about them.

Canine distemper
Symptoms include coughing, diarrhoea, high temperature, vomiting, sore eyes and a runny nose. Sometimes the nose and foot pads can become hard and cracked and, in severe cases there can be fits, muscle spasms or paralysis. The disease can be fatal.

Canine Parvovirus
This is a highly contagious disease characterised by bloody diarrhoea. Other symptoms include vomiting, lack of energy, depression and a high temperature. Puppies under 6 months old are particularly susceptible to the Parvo virus which can be fatal.

Canine hepatitis
Symptoms of this include coughing, abdominal pain, seizures, vomiting and diarrhoea. Eyes may appear blueish (hepatitis blue eye). Puppies under twelve months old are most susceptible to this serious and potentially life threatening liver condition.

Leptospirosis
This is a bacterial disease that can be picked up from contact with the urine of infected animals. One form of Lepto can be picked up from the urine of other dogs, another, also known as Weil's disease, is picked up from rat urine. Symptoms include depression, high temperature, severe thirst, lethargy, increased urination, abdominal pain, vomiting, bloody diarrhoea and jaundice. If your puppy becomes jaundiced you may notice that his skin is yellow – this also be identified in the white of his eyes or inside his cheek. In severe cases, this disease can prove fatal within a few hours. This form of Lepto can be transmitted to humans too.

Canine parainfluenza virus
This is a highly infectious disease that causes kennel cough. This is a dry, hacking cough that can be so severe that it may sound as if the dog is choking

Health problems you can't vaccinate against
Of course, even a vaccinated puppy can still encounter health problems now and again. Here are some you may come up against:

Diarrhoea
In the majority of cases diarrhoea is just a passing inconvenience. Your puppy could suffer from it if he's overly excited or nervous for example or if he's somehow got hold of something unsuitable to eat like the contents of the kitchen bin! However diarrhoea can be a symptom of serious illness too and you shouldn't hesitate to take your puppy to the vet if you are at all concerned. Always take him to the vet if the diarrhoea lasts longer than twenty-four hours, has blood in it, is accompanied by other signs of illness such as breathing difficulties or if your puppy becomes lethargic or ‘floppy’ as there is a risk of dehydration in puppies with diarrhoea.

Vomiting
Your puppy is bound to vomit occasionally and, most of the time, he'll just need a little TLC. Like diarrhoea though, vomiting can be a symptom of serious illness and you should always take your puppy to the vet if the vomiting lasts more than twenty four hours, has blood is it, is projectile or is accompanied by other signs of illness. Again, keep an eye out for the signs of dehydration as this can happen very quickly. Above all, trust your instincts and take your puppy straight to the vet if you are at all worried.

Ear infections and mites
Even if you're very conscientious about regularly cleaning your puppy's ears, he may still suffer from ear infections or ear mites from time to time.

Healthy ears are shiny, free from discharge or wax and pale pink inside. They do not smell unpleasant. If you are concerned about your puppy's ears or if he seems bothered by them (perhaps he keeps scratching his ears or shaking his head), don't hesitate to take him to the vet.