Canine distemper

Canine distemper is a highly contagious viral disease of domestic dogs and other animals such as ferrets, skunks and raccoons. Canine distemper is a highly contagious infectious disease caused by canine distemper virus. It is highly contagious and has a mortality rate of more than 80%. It is an incurable, often fatal, multisystem disease that affects the respiratory, gastrointestinal, and central nervous systems. Distemper is caused by the canine distemper virus (CDV), which can be spread over short distances by coughing and sneezing. The main channel of infection is through direct contact with sick animals. It can also be transmitted through the air or food. It is not a zoonotic disease.

Routes of infection

Sick dogs: Sick dogs infected with canine distemper.

Secretions/excretions: eye secretions, nasal fluid, saliva, pericardial fluid, pleural effusion, ascites, urine, feces...etc. It has been reported that dogs infected with canine distemper virus will still excrete the virus in their urine 60-90 days later, so urine is a very dangerous source of infection.

Blood: Cerebrospinal fluid, lymph nodes, liver, spleen, spinal cord and other organs contain large amounts of viruses, which can be excreted to the outside world along with respiratory secretions and urine.

Air: Air contaminated by sick dogs, such as respiratory tract infection through droplets.

Contact: Infected after coming into contact with a sick dog.

Diet: Infection through the respiratory tract or digestive tract due to diet.

Tip: Once canine distemper is discovered among "dogs in the same room", no matter how strict protective measures are taken, it is difficult to avoid mutual infection.

Canine distemper symptoms and treatment:

Canine distemper causes symptoms in a variety of body systems, including the gastrointestinal tract, respiratory tract, brain and spinal cord. The onset of symptoms and the course of distemper can vary, from a very mild illness to a fatal disease. Any of the following situations may exist:

Fever: This may often go unnoticed for a few days after infection, and other symptoms begin to show up a few days later when a second episode occurs

1. Loss of appetite

2. Lethargy

3. Vomiting and diarrhea

4. Cough

5. Difficulty breathing

6. Sclerosis of the foot pads and nose (this is why distemper is sometimes called hard pad disease)

7. Inflammation in various parts of the eyes

8. Secondary bacterial infection

Neurological symptoms of distemper may not develop at all or develop late in the disease (sometimes even weeks later). These canine distemper symptoms may include any of the following:

1. Muscle twitching

2. Weakness or paralysis

3. Seizures (any part of the body, but seizures that look like the dog is chewing gum are unique to canine distemper)

4. Uncoordinated movements

5.Increased sensitivity to touch or pain

Treatment:

There is no cure for distemper virus, so treatment involves managing the symptoms and secondary infections. Even with treatment, canine distemper can be fatal. Treatment depends on the symptoms shown and may include fluids (infusions) to combat dehydration, medications to reduce vomiting, antibiotics and other medications to treat pneumonia, antibiotics for secondary infections and to treat seizures of anticonvulsants.

Neurological symptoms may gradually worsen and become unresponsive to treatment, and even after recovery, some neurological symptoms may persist.

Canine distemper prevention:

Vaccination effectively prevents canine distemper. Puppies are usually vaccinated starting at 6 weeks of age and vaccinated regularly until they are 14 to 16 weeks of age. Dogs suspected of having distemper should be isolated from other dogs. The distemper virus usually does not survive outside the body for long, so thorough disinfection of the home is not as severe as with other viruses; routine cleaning with any disinfectant should be sufficient.

Some recent canine distemper vaccines have been approved for use with a three-year booster interval, meaning they only need to be given once every three years