Once in a while, you might hear about a dog with tetanus. It’s a scary disease, but there are ways you can protect your pooch.
Tetanus affects various species differently: horses and humans are the most sensitive, cats are pretty resistant and dogs fall somewhere in between. The offending bacteria live in the soil, so any time a wound is contaminated with dirt, your dog’s at risk of developing tetanus.
Signs of canine tetanus can be localized—such as a tremor or stiffness in an affected leg—or generalized. In severe cases, muscle spasms and progressive stiffness can lead to respiratory paralysis. These dogs need to be on a ventilator during treatment that can last for days or weeks.
There’s no tetanus vaccine for dogs. But you can help by always checking your buddy for wounds and having them assessed by your veterinarian.