Canine distemper is a disease of dogs which is viral in origin. Canine distemper virus infection is most commonly diagnosed in dogs which are unvaccinated and thus at risk for the disease. It is particularly common in shelter, rescue or pet shop situations where many dogs and puppies are housed together in close confinement.
Though all dogs are susceptible to canine distemper, puppies are most likely to be infected. While older dogs can be infected as well, often more mature dogs have developed some immunity for the disease.
Canine distemper virus is spread from one dog to another primarily through respiratory secretions which are aerosolized when an infected dog coughs.
Symptoms of Canine Distemper Virus
Dogs affected with canine distemper generally start out with a thick discharge from the eyes and the nose, elevated temperature, lack of appetite, coughing and pneumonia. As the disease progresses, symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea may be seen. Callusing of the nose and the foot pads may occur as well and this has led to the name "hard pad disease".
The final stages of the disease involve neurological symptoms which may include snapping of the jaws, seizures, muscle tremors, incoordination and profound weakness. Often the neurological symptoms do not occur for one to three weeks following the initial symptoms, leading to the impression that the dog has recovered and then worsened.
Canine distemper virus may become fatal during any stage of the disease process or the dog may recover, either fully or partially. Some dogs which have recovered from canine distemper have permanent neurological deficits.
Diagnosis of Distemper in Dogs and Puppies
Diagnosing canine distemper relies to a large extent on clinical signs, vaccination history and exposure potential. While blood testing can be helpful in the diagnosis, clinical signs compatible with canine distemper usually lead to a high index of suspicion that canine distemper virus infection is the correct diagnosis.
Other testing which may yield results specific to canine distemper virus infection are cerebrospinal analysis and biopsy of "hard pad" lesions.
Treatment of Canine Distemper Virus Infection
Treatment of distemper in dogs relies heavily on supportive treatment and treatment of individual symptoms in an attempt to give the dog's natural immune defenses a chance to fight off the disease. Specific treatment may involve:
- antibiotics, due to pneumonia being present
- bronchodilators to help open airways and make breathing easier
- fluid therapy to battle dehydration, especially where vomiting and/or diarrhea are present
Prevention of Distemper in Dogs and Puppies Through Vaccination
Currently available vaccines against canine distemper virus are extremely effective in preventing infection with the canine distemper virus. Puppies are normally started on canine distemper vaccines when they are six to eight weeks old. Vaccines against canine distemper should be repeated every two to four weeks until the puppy has reached the age of 14-16 weeks of age.
A booster vaccine is recommended one year following the initial puppy series of vaccines against canine distemper. After the one year booster, the canine distemper virus vaccine should be administered every one to three years depending on the veterinarian's vaccination protocols. Some veterinarians rely on antibody levels to determine when vaccines should be re-administered.
Though canine distemper is a serious and potentially fatal viral disease in dogs and puppies, prevention through the use of appropriate vaccinations is quite effective.
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