For dogs, canine distemper is such a terrifying existence. Fortunately, with the development of canine distemper, we have now found ways to help dogs overcome their sorrow, giving us parents a glimmer of hope.

Canine distemper:

Canine distemper is a highly contagious and fatal infectious disease of dogs, mustelids and some raccoons (raccoons, honey bears, white-nosed bears and red pandas) caused by the canine distemper virus. It occurs every 3 years. A major epidemic, especially puppies under 4 months old and unvaccinated/incompletely vaccinated are the most susceptible. The disease affects the respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract, respiratory system, central nervous system, and conjunctiva of the eyes.

1. The first stage (3-6 days)

· Fever

·Runny nose

· Loss of appetite and vomiting

· Depression and lethargy

·Diarrhea

· Purulent eye discharge

· Pustular dermatitis (usually mostly in puppies)

· Inflammation of the brain and spinal cord

· Dyspnea (change in respiratory rate)

·Pneumonia

2. The second stage (neurological symptoms, lasting 7-21 days)

· Partial/whole body paralysis

· Epileptic seizures

· Muscle twitching

· Convulsions, drooling, and increased chewing movements

· Dehydration

· Eye injuries, including nystagmus (repetitive eye movements), intermittent blindness, dilation, loss of pupillary reflex, retinal detachment/atrophy and scarring

3. Female dog/puppy

· If a female dog is infected during pregnancy, the symptoms will be mild or not present at all, but it will lead to miscarriage, stillbirth and reduced fetal survival rate;

· Transplacental infection in puppies will produce neurological symptoms between 28 and 42 days;

· If puppies are infected with canine distemper before they have permanent teeth, the virus will cause direct damage to the enamel layer of the teeth during the growth period, and will also cause the teeth to fail to grow.Rules;

· Puppies less than 7 days old will develop pathological changes, characterized by myocardial degeneration, necrosis and organization, accompanied by inflammatory cell infiltration

Note: The incubation period of canine distemper varies greatly depending on the source of infection; the incubation period of the same species of animals is 3-6 days, while that of heterogeneous animals can be as long as 30-90 days. If the sick dog survives the acute phase, hyperkeratosis of the paw pads and nose may occur, making the dog very uncomfortable and nicknamed "hard pad disease."

Under normal circumstances, doctors will make diagnosis through virus isolation and identification (electron microscopy observation, immunofluorescence test, etc.), serological diagnosis, and canine distemper ELISA kits.

Routes of transmission/infection:

Canine distemper can occur all year round, but because the virus can survive for a long time in colder temperatures (surviving at 2-4°C for several weeks and -60°C for more than seven years), winter and spring are the periods of highest incidence. .

· Direct transmission, direct contact between healthy dogs and sick dogs when playing;

· Indirect transmission, through saliva, excrement, secretions, utensils (dog bowls, toys, etc.), people (stepping on the excrement of sick dogs, touching sick dogs, etc.), external parasites (fleas, lice, etc.), etc., this is More common transmission routes;

· Transmitted from female dogs through the placenta in the womb;

· The cause of the disease may be sudden changes in breeding conditions, long-distance transportation or mixed breeding of dogs from different sources, etc., leading to acute outbreaks.

Treatment:

There is currently no direct treatment for canine distemper. For infected dogs, all that can be done is supportive treatment. For example, for those with fever, Shuanghuanglian, Qingkailing, Bupleurum, etc. will be given; for those with lung function and difficulty breathing, , to reduce the amount of infusion to prevent iatrogenic pulmonary edema, antiasthmatic and sedative drugs such as aminophylline and chlorpromazine can be given; for patients with neurological symptoms, oral epilepticone can be taken to help them survive the dangerous period.

· In the early stage of canine distemper infection, specific canine distemper virus monoclonal antibodies/high-dose hyperimmune serum and canine interferon injection can be used

· In case of neurological symptoms, canine distemper virus monoclonal antibodies or antiviral drugs such as ribavirin (ribavirin) and Shuanghuanglian can be used

· Inject canine albumin intravenously and feed nutritional paste to supplement the nutrients required during treatment

· Antibiotics (penicillin, cephalosporin, pulin, etc.) can be applied according to the condition

Note: The above is for reference only, specific treatment methods should be given after examination by a doctor.

How to prevent your dog from getting infected:

1. Isolation/Disinfection

· Prevent healthy dogs from coming into contact with unvaccinated/incompletely vaccinated, suspected infected/infected dogs

· In kennels/houses with multiple dogs, excrement should be disposed of in a timely manner and disinfected once a week (3% caustic soda solution or 10% formalin)

· If the female dog is infected during lactation, the puppies should be placed alone after weaning (4-6 weeks) and should be observed for signs of infection at all times;

Note: Parents should pay attention to protective measures when using disinfectants.

2. Vaccination

· 4-6 weeks old, can be vaccinated with the imported dual vaccine (to prevent canine distemper and canine parvovirus infection)

· 8-9 weeks old, can be vaccinated with imported six-part vaccine (canine distemper, canine parvovirus infection, canine infectious hepatitis, CAV-2, canine parainfluenza and panleptospirosis)

· Domestic six-link attenuated vaccine (canine distemper, canine parvovirus infection, canine infectious hepatitis, CAV-2, canine parainfluenza and rabies)

· Domestic five-part attenuated vaccine (rabies, canine distemper, canine parainfluenza, canine parvovirus and canine infectious hepatitis)

3. Improve diet

Appropriately add vitamin C, nutritional cream, etc. to improve the dog's own resistance

4. Purchase canine distemper test strips and test them regularly

Warm tips:

Dogs that died of illness should be harmlessly buried or burned to avoid the spread of the virus, and the environment should be disinfected; families/kennels where canine distemper has occurred should wait six months before raising new dogs or fully immunized adult dogs.