Canine Distemper

What Is Canine Distemper?

Canine distemper is a viral disease that affects unvaccinated and incompletely vaccinated dogs and puppies. The disease is highly contagious, spreading from dog to dog through coughing, sneezing, and other forms of direct contact, such as bodily fluids like urine, stool, and vomit. It can also be transmitted between other animals, including ferrets, foxes, wolves, raccoons, skunks, and coyotes.

Canine distemper is a very serious disease that can affect many different areas of a dog’s anatomy, including their respiratory, gastrointestinal, and nervous systems, as well as other vital organs. Because of this, it’s crucial for pet owners to keep an eye out for its symptoms. They include:

• Yellow or green discharge from the eye
• Coughing
• Sneezing
• Vomiting
• Fever
• Fatigue
• Discharge from the nose
• Diarrhea
• Decrease in appetite
• Depression

Early on, these symptoms may be minor, but as the disease progresses, they can get more serious. You may also notice:

• Tremors
• Seizures
• Convulsions that include jaw-chewing motions and drooling
• Pneumonia
• Crust forming on the nose or foot pads
• Severe vomiting
• Severe diarrhea
• Partial or full paralysis

Given that the disease can go from minor to severe in only a short time, it’s best for pet parents to take these symptoms seriously and get their pet looked at right away if they suspect something might be wrong. If left unaddressed, canine distemper can lead to death, especially in puppies.

How Can Canine Distemper Be Prevented?

The best way to prevent distemper from being transmitted is to have your dog vaccinated. Canine distemper vaccines help prepare their immune systems to fight the disease. The vaccine is typically included in a combination vaccine known as DHPP. It also protects dogs against other common canine viruses, including hepatitis, parainfluenza, and parvo. While puppies may experience soreness where the vaccine is injected or a slight fever, most dogs can receive the vaccine without any side effects.

Aside from vaccinations, knowing the causes of canine distemper can help pet owners reduce their dog’s risk of contracting the disease. First, given that the disease transfers between animals through direct contact, you’ll want to keep your pup away from other animals that are showing symptoms. This includes sharing food and water bowls and touching contaminated surfaces.

What Are Distemper Treatment Options?

As far as diagnosing distemper goes, a veterinarian can usually diagnose the disease through a detailed physical examination and a few questions for you regarding your dog’s recent activity and behavior. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing may be performed to help identify distemper in canines, while antibody tests may be used to determine if a dog has been exposed to the virus.

If found in the body, canine distemper can be treated in several ways, depending on the symptoms. However, the treatments are mainly supportive, helping to alleviate symptoms and prevent complications. For dogs who are suffering from diarrhea and vomiting, gastrointestinal support may be suggested. Those with breathing problems or severe coughing may be given respiratory support, including oxygen therapy and antibiotics.

Once your pet has been treated, they can start the road to recovery. Depending on the severity, dogs may experience seizures and other effects of the disease for the rest of their lives. They should be brought in for a follow-up appointment to ensure that their recovery is going well.

Because canine distemper is still contagious to other animals even months after being contracted, it’s important that pet owners keep recovering animals away from other pets until a veterinary professional has determined they are no longer able to spread the disease. It’s also vital that you clean food bowls, pet beds, and any other surfaces that may still contain the virus.

Find the Right Team for Your Pet Vaccinations

Canine distemper is highly contagious and can lead to serious health problems, which is why pet owners should vaccinate their dogs for prevention. Located in Westwood and Pompton Lakes, NJ, and serving the Tri-State area, Westwood Regional Veterinary Hospital and Pompton Lakes Animal Hospital can provide quick and effective prevention with our canine distemper vaccines.

We also provide diagnostic and emergency care if you suspect your animal has distemper. As animal lovers ourselves, we understand just how much you care about your pets, so you can trust we’ll do everything we can to help. Contact us today if you want to learn more or are interested in scheduling an appointment.