Distemper is an extremely contagious disease in dogs. It’s caused by a virus, which is similar to the measles causing virus in people. In fact, canine distemper is the leading cause of deaths in dogs worldwide. When inhaled by your dog, distemper virus begins to replicate or reproduce near the lymph nodes. The virus rapidly spreads through the lymphatic tissue and then infects the lymphoid organs of your dog in just 2-5 days. Beginning 6-9 days, the virus infects the blood and then spreads to the urogenintal, gastrointestinal, and nervous systems.
Early canine distemper symptoms include loss of appetite, fever, and mild inflammations that disappear within a day or two. As the disease progresses, symptoms become more serious and noticeable. The most common symptom of canine distemper is fever that often peaks three to six days after the infection. After fever, symptoms of the disease vary depending in your dog’s immunity and strain of the virus. Dogs experiencing respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms may show the diarrhea, conjunctivitis, pneumonia, vomiting, and rhinitis.
These symptoms are followed secondary bacterial infections. Most dogs infected with the virus develop encephalomyelitis, an inflammation in the spinal cord and the brain and these symptoms are highly variable and progressive. Most dogs that die due to distemper suffer from neurological complications including ataxia, depression, myoclonus, hyperesthesia, muscle twitching or spasm that becomes disabling, paresis, paralysis, progressive deterioration of motor skills, progressive deterioration of mental abilities, and seizures that affect any body parts.
Canine distemper symptoms in the eye include inflammation of the conjunctiva and cornea, inflammation of the eye, inflammation of the retina and choroid, and chorioretinitis. Lesions in the retina may start from the eye’s innermost layer. Blindness may also occur, which results from infection of the optic nerve or optic neuritis.
Canine distemper may also develop minor conditions that can become chronic even if the dog has recovered from the disease. Dogs may develop enamel hypoplasia. This condition usually occurs in puppies where their teeth erode quickly even if their permanent teeth have not erupted yet. Puppies may also develop hypekeratosis or hardening of the nose and foot pads. Distemper can affect the new born puppies. It can even lead to abortion. Some dogs infected with the virus may give birth to normal looking puppies, but eventually die after 4-6 weeks.
Distemper is a highly contagious disease in dogs and puppies. It may even affect other animals including wolves, foxes, ferrets, raccoons, minks, and skunks. Once dogs are infected, the virus attacks almost all systems in the body such as the gastrointestinal systems, neurological system, and the respiratory.
Dogs infected by the virus should be brought to a veterinary clinic to receive proper treatment. Your dog’s veterinarian may use antibiotics in order to prevent secondary infections. The outcome of the treatment will depend on how quickly you seek for professional help. Also, treatment outcomes may depend on your dog’s age, immunity, strain of the virus, and if your dog has been vaccinated or not. Your dog’s veterinarian will vaccinate your pet in order to kill the virus.
