Canine Distemper
Read about the canine distemper virus (CVD) and find out more about the symptons, the cause, who’s most at risk and how the virus is spread. Learn what the signs are, how canine distemper in dogs can be prevented, and finally how dogs are diagnosed and treated for distemper. If that’s too much reading for you, scroll down to the informational video below, and all the facts about canine distemper will be revealed.
- Fever
- Redness of the eyes
- A thin, watery discharge from the eyes and nose
- Tiredness, lethargy and disinterest in the normal goings on of the household
- Loss of appetite / Anorexia
- Vomiting and diarrhoea, and general digestive upset
- Coughing
- Fits, tremors, seizures
- Convulsions incl salivation & chewing movements of the jaw
- Imbalance
- Circling
- Head tilt
- Partial or full paralysis
- Confusion
- Changes in behaviour (e.g. hysteria)
- Nystagmus (repetitive eye movements)
- Hardening of the pads of the feet and sometimes the nose
Infection may be mild and inapparent or lead to severe disease with most of the described signs.
What is Canine Distemper?
Canine distemper virus also known as CVD, is a contagious and serious viral illness that spreads easily between unvaccinated dogs.
At Risk
Dogs under 1 years old, those with poor immune systems or those that are unvaccinated or not completely vaccinated are at the greatest risk of contracting this disease.
Prevention
Widespread vaccination of domestic dogs is essential.
Signs
Signs can take up to three weeks to appear, particularly in dogs that have some level of protection against the virus due to vaccinations.
Diagnosis
Veterinarians diagnose distemper through a combination of clinical signs and diagnostic tests, or through a postmortem necropsy.
Once diagnosed, care is purely supportive.
Treatment
If the distemper virus is caught in the very early stages, there is a good chance for an otherwise healthy dog, to make a full recovery.
The disease may last for a period of around 10 days, but the onset of neurologic signs may be delayed for several weeks or months.
Vets treat the diarrhea, vomiting, dehydration and neurological symptoms of the dog, as well as preventing any secondary infections that may manifest.
Distemper in dogs is often fatal, and those that do survive, may have permanent, irreparable nervous system damage.
Sadly, there is no cure for canine distemper and treatment for acute neurologic manifestations of the distemper virus is frequently unsuccessful.
Learn more from Dr Karen Becker - proactive and integrative wellness veterinarian
Protect your puppy
Puppies are vunerable to serious, life threatening diseases so it is vital that you vaccinate your puppy to protect them.
