Introduction
Canine distemper is an acute, highly contagious and frequently fatal viral disease of domesticated and wild dogs worldwide. It targets young dogs between 3 and 6 months of age, although dogs of any age can be affected. There is no sex or breed predisposition to developing distemper. Canine distemper can be deadly, especially to puppies, if not treated aggressively.
How Distemper Affects Domestic Dogs
Distemper tends to cause multisystemic signs in domestic animals. Affected dogs typically have a fluctuating fever accompanied by nasal and ocular discharge, coughing, diarrhea, vomiting, anorexia, weight loss, weakness, lethargy and abnormal thickening of the hairless part of the nose and the foot pads. Central nervous system signs may follow systemic illness and are especially common in wild carnivores affected by the disease. As the dog’s immune system becomes weakened by the virus, opportunistic bacteria cause secondary infections resulting in respiratory symptoms such as sneezing and coughing, and gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea. If the dog survives this stage, the disease may progress to neurological disorders including muscle spasms, paralysis, circling and the inability to walk in a straight line, increased salivation, unusual jaw movements and seizures.
Causes of Canine Distemper
Canine distemper is caused by a Morbillivirus that is closely related to the measles virus and to the rinderpest virus of cattle. Once a dog is exposed to this virus (usually by inhaling respiratory secretions from an infected animal or direct contact with infected urine or feces), it reproduces in the respiratory tract and eventually spreads throughout the animal’s body. Neurological signs show up roughly 1 to 2 weeks after resolution of systemic signs, if they show up at all.
Prevention of Canine Distemper
Timely vaccination of puppies is the best way to prevent distemper in dogs. Your veterinarian can recommend an appropriate vaccination protocol.
Special Notes
The prognosis for dogs with distemper depends upon how quickly the disease is diagnosed, whether neurological symptoms develop and the age of the dog at the time of diagnosis.