What
is Canine Distemper?
Canine distemper is a serious disease
caused by a highly contagious virus that attacks the respiratory,
gastrointestinal, and nervous systems of dogs. The virus also
infects foxes, wolves, coyotes, raccoons and other wild animals
in the canine family. Juvenile dogs are most prone to infection.
Older dogs can also be infected
although with much less frequency.
More than 50% of dogs that acquire the disease die from canine
distemper. An even lower 20% survival rate is present for
puppies. And even if the dog survives the disease, it is very
likely that its health will be permanently damaged.
A case of canine distemper leaves the nervous system impaired
with little to no hope for total recover. Partial or complete
paralysis is common as well as other effects on sense of smell,
and hearing and sight acuity. Infected dogs are more prone
to other diseases such as pneumonia. The canine distemper
virus (CDV) is not transmissible to man.
Canine distemper virus is transmitted most often through
getting in contact with mucous and discharges from the infected
dogs' eyes and noses. Exposure to the urine and feces of dogs
with this infection can also cause it.
Even without coming in contact with infected dogs, a healthy
one can still contract the disease through exposure to kennels
and other areas where infected dogs have been in. These areas
can still harbor the virus since it is airborne and can stay
alive outside a host for long periods of time.
It is almost impossible to prevent your pet from exposure
to the virus. Some scientists predict that every dog living
for 12 months has had contact with the virus at one point
in time.
The symptoms of canine distemper are not necessarily easily
detected. And it is because of this that immediate treatment
is rarely given. The disease is commonly disguised as something
like a bad cold with most of the dogs with the infection running
a fever and a stuffy head. Complications such as pneumonia,
bronchitis and severe inflammation of the stomach and intestines
can also develop from the disease.
What an owner should be on the look out for in watching for
signs of distemper such as squinting and/or a discharge from
the eyes. If this occurs in tandem to loss of weight, vomiting,
coughing, nasal drips, and diarrhea, there is more cause for
concern.
The virus then affects the nervous system in more advanced
stages of the disease, which can cause nervous ticks and twitches
as well as partial to complete paralysis. Infected dogs may
also display listless behavior and have poor to no appetites.
There have been cases when the virus causes sudden growth
of the footpad's tough keratin cells, which results in a hardened
pad.
Prevention
Canine distemper is so well-spread and the symptoms so varying
that if your pet displays any signs such as those mentioned
above, a visit to a veterinarian for a diagnosis should be
made promptly.
Similar to some viral diseases, surviving an infection usually
develops the sufficient immunity needed to protect the dog
from distemper infection for the rest of their lives. However,
lots of dogs (especially pups) do not survive infection.
Vaccination is still the safest and surest protection. And
until scientists develop a distemper vaccine that guarantees
life-long immunity with a single series of inoculations, veterinarians
recommend vaccinations for your dog every year.
Puppies who have been born to dogs that have survived the
disease acquire a certain amount of natural immunity from
the colostral milk produced by their mother during the first
few days after birth. The amount of immunity a puppy
acquires differs with the amount of antibodies its mother
has. Nevertheless, it is never complete and will diminish
quickly to about half by 8 days old and then nearly three-fourths
by 2 weeks' time.
It is impossible for a pet owner to know when his pet should
be vaccinated since the proper time for vaccination varies
from one animal to the other. The veterinarian can determine
the most proper time to begin vaccination basing this decision
upon his experience and your dog's general health.
To maintain and assure this general good health and condition,
regular care and close observation of hints of ill health
are required. Experts suggest consulting immediately with
your veterinarian if your pet shows signs of:
- Abnormal eye and/or nose discharge
- Loss of appetite
- Fluctuating weight losses and gains
- Excessive water consumption
- Abnormal and uncontrolled stool production
- Abnormal viciousness or lethargy
- Abnormal limping
- Difficulty getting up or lying down
- Constant head shaking, scratching, licking or biting of
body
- Loss of hair, open sores, ragged or dull coat
- Foul breath
- Excessive tarter deposits on teeth
It is possible that even with these symptoms, CDV infection
may not be the case. But it is still better to be sure to
bring these concerns to an expert so that the problem can
be addressed right away.
Even with a disease this serious, you can turn the tide of
canine distemper to your pet's favor with prudence for your
pet's health, taking the correct actions to symptoms observed
and being in constant consultation with your vet.
Learn Holistic At-Home Remedies from Dr.
Andrew Jones by
downloading this "Healing Your Pets At Home" FREE
book Now!
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