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Distemper: A Elaborate Account Of The Disease

Virtually everyone has heard of distemper, and most dog owners know that their pet needs some type of “shot” in order to protect them against this disease, but that may be the total extent of their knowledge.

As we discuss his temper in this article series, please keep in mind that the handling will be generalised and founded mainly on research findings. Averages are the foundation for any vaccination recommendations and in no way reflect individual variations, individual problems, geographic peculiarities, practician preferences, and so forth

Every programme for vaccinating animals against distemper is founded on compromises according to the preponderance of disease, owner convenience, cost, and many other factors. In the final analysis, the pet possessor must desire his veterinarian to provide decent protection.

The Disease

Canine Distemper (CD) or Carre’s Disease, is caused by a virus which attacks epithelial and nervous tissue cells. It can impact lymphoid tissue, the enteric tract, nerves, the brain, lungs, footpads, and other epithelial tissue in the body. “Hard Pad Disease” is nothing more than one of the many clinical manifestations of the distemper virus.

There is only one strain of canine distemper so the many clinical syndromes are only a reflection of individual reaction to the disease. The virus will taint dogs, fox, wolves, dingoes, coyotes, raccoons, weasels, ferrets, mink, and skunks.

Transmission of the CD virus is through discharges from the eyes, nose, or oral cavity of contaminated animals. These enter the respiratory system either by direct contact or with virus-laden debris or droplets. Flies can also automatically channel the virus. Urine and stool may also contain the organism and thus act as a root of infection.

At warmer temperatures the virus appears to be very fluid outside of a host and may only last up to a few hours. In fact, at temperatures of One hundred forty degrees for Thirty minutes will ruin the virus, as will many chemicals. In colder environments, however, the virus may lie inactive for long periods and reactivate with warmth.

This can be used as a rule of thumb as to when a new dog can be brought into a home which has harbored a distemper case. In warmer weather, a few weeks should be more than sufficient, but in a cold climate, the backyard may act as a root of contagion as the temperatures rise. Incubation is about one week. This is the time which takes for a virus to cause the disease from the time it enters the body.