Why Canine Herpes Vaccine Isn't Available in North America
by A reader
I'm sorry about the puppies. Canine herpesvirus is very common in dogs, and puppies infected before or shortly after birth often die. The vaccine you mention has been approved in Europe and some other places for many years, given to pregnant females to protect their newborns.
Vaccines must be approved separately by each country's regulators, and companies decide whether to apply based on cost and market size, so it is often a business decision, not a safety one. In the US, a veterinarian may be able to apply for a permit to import a vaccine that isn't licensed here, which is why it comes in small amounts with paperwork. The rules change, so check with your vet and your national veterinary authority for current options.
To protect future litters, keep pregnant females isolated from other dogs for the last 3 weeks of pregnancy and the first 3 weeks after birth, keep newborns very warm (the virus grows best in cool temperatures), and practice good hygiene at shows and breedings.
See kennel cough and respiratory infections in dogs.
This is general information, not a diagnosis. Please follow your own vet's advice.
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