If anyone's interested, got the scoop on the vaccine. Apparently the illness, whose name, of course, has now slipped my mind, was traditionally vaccinated for up until 4 or 5 years ago. The illness is caused by a bacteria found in the urine of many "wild" animals including deer, racoons, coyotes, bear, etc. The bacteria laden urine pools in stagnant water, and is transmitted if the dog drinks from the pool, puddle or licks his/hers wet paws. Sort of what you described KYS, although I think the name of the condition started with "M?" Anyway, they stopped giving the vaccine because it had become ineffectual, had some mild/moderate side effects and because the incidence of this illness had decreased. Now with an increase in the incidence, a newer, stronger vaccine with little or no side effects has been developed showing great success. My vet suggested any dog that forages, hikes in woods, lives play near "water," etc. should be vaccinated. I thinks it's Dlpp2, a variant of the distemper vaccine.