5 Signs of Canine Distemper in Dogs
Canine distemper is a contagious and serious disease caused by the canine distemper virus. The virus attacks the respiratory, gastrointestinal, and nervous systems of dogs. All dogs are at risk of canine distemper.
Respiratory and Eye Symptoms
When a dog is coming down with distemper, the first signs that an owner typically notices include drainage from the nose and eyes, coughing, and difficulty breathing. Most dogs will also have a fever, be somewhat lethargic, and will not be eating well, if they are eating at all.
Vomiting and Diarrhea
As canine distemper progresses, the virus does more damage to the lining of the gastrointestinal tract. Infected dogs will start to vomit, have diarrhea, and become increasingly dehydrated. The diarrhea may contain blood. The race is on between the damage the virus is causing and the immune system’s ability to mount an effective counterattack.
Skin
Around the same time that vomiting and diarrhea develop, changes to the dog’s skin may also become evident. The skin covering the nose and footpads can be come hard, thick, and can crack. Puppies sometimes develop pustules (pimples on the skin that contain pus) and skin inflammation. At this point, recovery is still possible if the dog receives appropriate veterinary treatment.
Neurologic Symptoms
In some dogs, the canine distemper virus also invades the central nervous system. Signs that this has occurred include twitching, difficulties with balance, stiffness, extreme weakness, jaw snapping or clicking, and seizures. Neurologic symptoms can occur at the same time as the other clinical signs of distemper or several weeks later, when the dog appears to be on the road to recovery. No matter when neurologic signs develop, the chances that a dog will survive the infection drop dramatically.
Old Dog Distemper
Rarely, fully vaccinated elderly dogs can develop neurologic symptoms like difficulty walking, head pressing, and pacing that appears to be caused by inflammation associated with the presence of canine distemper virus in their brains. These individuals may or may not have had an episode of distemper when they were younger. The reason for why some dogs develop “old dog distemper” but most do not is unclear.
If symptoms are present the dog must seek immediate further testing
Dog Rapid Test Kit can help test canine distemper in one step and get the result in a few minutes.
https://www.heolabs.com/canine-parvovirus-cpv-antigen-test-kit-dog-tiny-virus-test-product/
Care your pet Health
Post time: Jan-12-2024