Post by charmingnancy on Jan 28, 2009 10:33:08 GMT -5
What is Canine Distemper?
Canine distemper is a paramyxovirus, which appear very similar to the paramyxovirus causing human measles. The virus in the canine can affect a wide range of organs including the skin, brain, eyes, intestinal and respiratory tracts. The virus is transmitted through the air in addition to body secretions such as urine. Dogs of any age can be affected, however, most are puppies less than 6 months of age. Domesticated ferrets can also be affected.
What are the symptoms of distemper?
Distemper virus can affect many systems of the body. The most common signs are nasal and eye discharge, coughing, diarrhea, vomiting, and seizures. Mildly affected dogs may only cough and be misdiagnosed as "kennel cough." Others may develop pneumonia. Puppies that recover may have severe enamel damage. The nose and foot pads of the young dog may become thickened, hence the nickname "hardpad disease."
How is it contracted?
Canine distemper virus (CDV) spreads through the aerosol droplets and through contact with infected bodily fluids including nasal and ocular secretions, feces, and urine 6-22 days after exposure. It can also be spread by food and water contaminated with these fluids. The time between infection and disease is 14 to 18 days, although there can be a fever from three to six days postinfection.
How does it progress?
The virus first appears in bronchial lymph nodes and tonsils two days after exposure. The virus then enters the blood stream on the second or third day. In older dogs that do develop distemper encephalomyetilis, vestibular disease may present. A first round of acute fever tends to begin around 3 to 8 days after infection which is often accompanied by a low white blood cell count, especially of lymphocytes as well as low platelet count. These signs may or may not be accompanied by anorexia, a runny nose, and discharge from the eye.
This first round of fever typically recedes rapidly within 96 hours and then a second round of fever begins around the 11th or 12th day and lasts at least a week. Gastrointestinal and respiratory problems tend to follow which may become complicated with secondary bacterial infections. Inflammation of the brain and spinal cord otherwise known as encephalomyelitis is either associated with this, subsequently follows, or comes completely independent of these problems.
How is it treated?
There is no specific treatment for canine distemper. The dog should be treated by a veterinarian, usually with antibiotics for secondary bacterial infections, intravenous fluids, and nutritional supplements. The prognosis is poor. In vitro, Ribavirin, an antiviral effective in treating measles and other viruses, has also shown effective against Canine distemper virus by means of error catastrophe. More research is now needed in vivo.
There exist a number of vaccines against canine distemper for dogs and domestic ferrets, which in many jurisdictions are mandatory for pets. The type of vaccine should be approved for the type of animal being inoculated, or else the animal could actually contract the disease from the vaccine. A dog who has eaten meat infected with Rinderpest can also sometimes receive temporary immunity.
Infected animals should be quarantined from other dogs for several months due to the length of time the animal may shed the virus. The virus is destroyed in the environment by routine cleaning with disinfectants, detergents, or drying. It does not survive in the environment for more than a few hours at room temperature (20-25 °C), but can survive for a few weeks in shady environments at temperatures slightly above freezing. It, along with other labile viruses, can also persist longer in serum and tissue debris.
What is the prognosis?
Not all patients will die, however, a significant number may. Dogs of every age are susceptible, however, the very young and old have the highest death rate. Death rates may be as high as 75%. Patients that recover from distemper may suffer permanent damage to vision as well as the nervous system. Puppies which recover can have severely mottled teeth due to abnormalities of the developing enamel.
Sources:
Wikipedia
Peteducation.com