|
CANINE DISTEMPER; DEADLY BUT PREVENTABLE |
|
|
|
Canine distemper is a disease of dogs caused by a virus that is related to the human measles virus. It kills at least 50% of dogs that develop the disease and many that survive are never the same. Once the virus enters the body thru mucosal surfaces, it is engulfed by white blood cells. Unfortunately, the blood cells do not kill the virus but simply spread it all over the body.
After the virus replicates, the dog becomes ill. Vomiting and diarrhea are very common as well as conjunctivitis, pneumonia, hard pad (thickening of the digital pads on the paws), and fever. Many dogs survive this phase of the disease with the help of antibiotics and other supportive care such as intravenous fluids. In many of these dogs that seem to survive the worst of it, a respite from the disease may be seen for 1 week to 1 or 2 months. But after this time, some of these patients that apparently recovered from canine distemper develop seizures. This is the result of the virus entering the central nervous system and inflicting significant damage. These dogs often do not respond to treatment and are euthanized or die from the seizures.
Canine distemper is a disease that is most often seen in young dogs less than 1 year of age. This day and age, it should never be seen because prevention is easy to achieve. A vaccination against distemper given at 8 weeks of age and repeated 4 weeks later is all that is needed to protect a puppy from this horrendous disease. Some dog owners are wary with respect to the safety of vaccinations and are fearful to have young puppies vaccinated. Distemper vaccines are very safe. I think that anyone who actually witnessed firsthand the degree of suffering that a puppy goes thru that is affected by distemper, would no longer have any hesitation with respect to vaccination against this disease.
|
