Distemper is caused by a virus and is highly contagious and the incubation period of the disease can be up to 3 weeks, although a dog may develop a fever 3 to 6 days after being infected. The virus cannot survive easily in the environment and can be killed by most household disinfectants. Distemper in dogs is caused when the dog is exposed to respiratory secretions of animals infected by this virus. This infection is air-borne, so, if your dog is in close proximity to any infected animal, the respiratory discharges or other bodily secretions from the infected animal can cause your dog to fall ill.
Distemper if left untreated, can be fatal. Since your dog's respiratory, gastrointestinal and nervous systems might be badly affected by this viral disease, you need to take it very seriously.
Which dog groups are at risk?
This viral disease generally affects young dogs that are in the age group of 3-6 months or elderly dogs. Unvaccinated dogs or those with weakened immune systems are also at risk.
What are the symptoms?
Since many of the symptoms of distemper in dogs are similar to other infections, it is often mistaken for allergies or colds, making the process of diagnosis difficult. Be on the lookout for the following signs:
1. Discharge from the eyes and nose that are yellow-green or dark green in colour.
2. Lethargy and sneezing.
3. Vomiting and diarrhea
4. High fever
5. Loss of appetite
6. Respiratory problems
7. Unco-ordinated movement
8. Increased sensitivity to touch
9. Muscle twitching and seizures
10. Hardened paw pads and nose
11. Blindness or paralysis in more advanced stages
Treatment
Early treatment can save your pet's life; however, the problem is that most often than not, owners discover too late that their dog has distemper.
Although there is no specific treatment for distemper, supportive therapy such as antibiotics for additional infections and intravenous fluids to help correct the fluid loss due to vomiting and diarrhea will help.
If you think your dog has distemper, please contact your vet immediately.
Vaccination against distemper is the only proven method of preventing the disease. To prevent distemper in dogs, vaccines must be administered at the right time. Several effective vaccines are available and these provide long-lasting immunity. The vaccines are available in two formats.
The traditional format uses a modified, live distemper virus to create immunity, whereas, the recombinant format uses a live harmless virus to induce immunity. Recombinant format is a virus other than a distemper virus. Complications can arise when the actual distemper virus is used, therefore, the recombinant format is generally preferred. If you have a small puppy at home, you must follow the vaccination schedule. Puppies must receive a series of distemper shots starting from the time when they are 6-8 weeks old. This is important because by this time, the antibodies that were passed on to them from their mother are no longer effective. Vaccination shots must be given every four weeks until they are 16 weeks old.
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