Distemper in dogs: symptoms, signs, treatment. Is distemper transmitted from a dog to a person, another dog, or a cat?

Distemper in dogs is a dangerous viral disease that can be treated early. If you identify the first symptoms and contact a veterinarian in a timely manner, the sick animal can be saved.

What is a dog in the house? This is the happiness of communicating with a four-legged friend, walking together, the eternal devotion and loyalty that a dog gives
The most important thing is that the dog remains healthy. But this is not always the case: our pets, especially young ones, are susceptible to many diseases
One of the most serious is canine distemper, or, as it is popularly called, distemper.

Distemper is one of the most dangerous canine diseases

How does distemper manifest itself in dogs - symptoms?

Plague is a very ancient disease, mentioned in the works of Aristotle. Only in 1905, the French scientist Carre managed to identify the causative agent of the disease - a filterable virus.

IMPORTANT: Canine distemper is a viral disease with a varying incubation period - from three days to three weeks from the moment of infection. The animal still seems healthy, but is already contagious.

The virus makes itself felt gradually: the dog begins to get bored, tired, loses appetite, and the disease enters the first stage of development.

This manifestation of the disease, if diagnosed in time, is quickly treated and in 90% of cases the dog recovers.

IMPORTANT: If the dog owner ignored or did not notice changes in the behavior of his pet, distemper develops and smoothly passes into the next stage.

At the next stage of development of the disease, the temperature rises, discharge begins from the conjunctiva of the eyes and nasal mucosa, diarrhea is possible, the fur takes on an unkempt appearance and may fall out, exposing the skin, the animal does not eat, but drinks a lot, and hides in the darkest corner.

Distemper in a dog

After some time, the hind limbs become paralyzed, and then the respiratory tract and death occurs.

Depending on the location of the virus, plague is divided into:

pulmonary
intestinal
cutaneous
nervous

IMPORTANT: It is noteworthy that none of the forms is present in its pure form, therefore the above clinical characteristics are almost the same for all varieties of the virus.

The duration of the disease varies and depends on many factors:

with the fulminant variant, the disease clinic is practically absent, and the animal dies within 24 hours
the hyperacute form is characterized by high fever, refusal to eat, coma and death of the animal within 2-3 days
in the acute form, all the indicated symptoms are observed and with proper treatment, 30% of pets survive. However, the body of a recovered animal can no longer function as before: problems with hearing, vision, smell appear, and nervous and mental disorders are typical.
in the chronic form of distemper, which lasts for months, there is a gradual “fading away” of the animal, with outbreaks of clinical characteristics of the disease appearing, which ultimately leads to death

The terrible virus does not spare any organ of the animal, but the nervous system suffers the most: the dog shakes and jerks its paws, has seizures, and often paralyzes the entire body.

The first symptom of distemper in dogs is apathy and refusal to eat.

What should a cat owner pay attention to if their pet is ill?

Having found out whether cats suffer from distemper, what it is called correctly and why it is dangerous, you should remember its sympathetic signs in order to make it easier for the doctor to make a diagnosis and not become the cause of the death of your furry pet.

The incubation (latent) period from the appearance of the virus in the body to the first manifestation of symptoms of infection ranges from 2 to 12 days.

The disease manifests itself acutely:

the kitten suddenly refuses any food;
the temperature rises sharply;
vomiting of a greenish-yellow mucous mass opens, sometimes with blood;
urine changes color from dark yellow to orange;
the mucous membranes of the mouth become dry and cyanotic colored;
eyelids swell due to conjunctivitis;
Rhinitis begins - liquid discharge from the nose.

Sometimes there is a hyperacute manifestation of panleukopenia, which ends in the death of the young animal in just a few hours.

In the hyperacute form, any own efforts and efforts of doctors are powerless - accept this fact.

Don’t rush to take a kitten with similar symptoms to the clinic! – The panleukopenia virus spreads in a hurricane, and it’s easy to infect weakened animals waiting in line for the doctor’s help.

You're in trouble, but you shouldn't add stress to other pet owners because of it.

Arrange with the veterinarian for a specific time for the visit or invite him to your place.

For the health of the owner, the disease of his pet with panleukopenia is completely safe, which cannot be said about other felines living in this house or in the neighborhood.

Is distemper transmitted from dog to dog?

A pet can become infected with distemper anywhere and anyhow, since the causative agent of the disease belongs to the family of viruses that spread by airborne droplets.

IMPORTANT: If a healthy animal is in close contact with an infected animal - plays, eats and drinks from the same bowl, sniffs feces - distemper is guaranteed.

Even a pet owner, walking around where a sick dog walks, can carry the virus on his clothes or shoes. In most cases, infection occurs through the ears, mouth, and nose. The pathogen enters the body and infects the blood and tissues of the animal.

Distemper is transmitted from dog to dog

Signs of gastroenteritis

Infectious gastroenteritis always begins suddenly, without long-term visible illness of the animal.
Intestinal infection is accompanied by:

foul-smelling vomit;
diarrhea (breakthrough diarrhea, often with blood and mucus);
sharp intestinal pain;
“jumping” temperature (from 41-42* to 37-36*);
muscle pain;
weakness;
loss of interest in what is happening.

But cats die not from temperature fluctuations and muscle spasms, but from the inevitable destruction of internal organs in the absence of treatment and from dehydration - dehydration.

Dryness of the tongue and palate, absence or weakness of urination, general weakness, shallow breathing, coldness of the extremities, partial paresis (decreased muscle strength) are signs of severe dehydration of the body, requiring immediate intervention by a veterinarian.

An accurate diagnosis of whether cats suffer from distemper or whether there are other causes of severe intestinal upset must be determined by a doctor!

Independent attempts to cure an animal can lead to either temporary improvement (the disease will continue to develop in the meantime) or death.

It’s really bad if infectious gastroenteritis is associated with parasitic gastroenteritis (entomoses and helminths that cause persistent chronic diarrhea).

Is distemper transmitted from dog to person?

If a pet gets sick, it needs the help of its owner, who can safely care for the infected dog, since the causative agent of canine distemper is not transmitted to humans.

IMPORTANT: You need to know that this virus is very stable in the external environment, and in order not to bring it into the house with a healthy animal, you need to treat clothes and shoes with ether or chloroform.

Distemper is not transmitted from dog to person

Is it dangerous for people?

No matter how contagious a dog is, it cannot infect a person. This disease is dangerous only for some animals: foxes, ferrets, minks and other fur-bearing animals.

Precautionary measures and personal hygiene rules should still be observed. Against the background of plague, other bacterial infections may occur, which will be dangerous for children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems.

Remember, a sick animal really needs your help and attention.

Can distemper be transmitted from a dog to a cat?

Cats, no less beloved by many people, can also suffer from distemper. But they do not become infected with it from dogs, that is, mutual infection is excluded.

The causative agent of panleukopenia (distemper) in cats is parvovirus. So, if two types of pets live at home, they will not be able to infect each other with distemper.

Distemper is not transmitted from dog to cat

Diet

Distemper in cats is a serious disease, so after the animal is cured, it is important for the owner to take care of the appropriate nutrition for his pet. To do this you need to follow some recommendations:

After the cat's appetite returns, the cat's menu should consist exclusively of light, slightly warm, pureed food.
It is not recommended to feed your pet against his will - when he gets better, he will start eating on his own.
Portions should be small, food should be given 5-6 times a day.
It is allowed to feed low-fat broth, cottage cheese, kefir, and yogurt. After 3 days, you can gradually introduce a little boiled lean beef and fish fillet into the diet.
Vegetables, fruits, grains, and any raw food are prohibited foods for cats that have just suffered from distemper - such foods can be given no earlier than after 2 months.

How to treat distemper in a dog?

The sooner treatment of a sick animal begins, the greater the chance of a favorable outcome.
The most dangerous symptom is damage to the central nervous system, so therapy should be comprehensive, aimed at the individual clinical manifestations of the disease
The use of etiotropic therapy will help influence the pathogen. Antibodies from dogs that have already recovered from the disease are used to make the serum, as they provide the most powerful therapeutic effect.
Domestic veterinary medicine relies on drugs, “Narvak” or foreign analogues “Merial”, “Biovet”
The dose of administered serum for dogs weighing less than 5 kg is 2 ml , and more than 5 kg - 5 ml . If necessary, repeat the procedure in the same dosage every other day. However, this is not a panacea, and the administration of serum is effective only at the initial stage of the disease

IMPORTANT: In order for the dog’s immune system to function at the proper level during illness, it must be supported with the help of immunostimulants containing interferon, which suppresses the activity of the virus.

It is also necessary to compensate for the lack of B vitamins and calcium in the pet’s body by administering appropriate medications.

IMPORTANT: It is also advisable to take antibiotics aimed at reducing the body temperature of a sick animal. Their choice depends on the symptoms of the disease.

Timely administration of serum will save the dog’s life

If a dog coughs, then you need to help its body remove phlegm from the lungs by using expectorants: mucaltin, bromhexine, etc. The use of anti-inflammatory drugs is mandatory
To treat the eyes, use various drops and ointments containing antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory substances. Regularly wash and clean out pus in the eyes of the dog
This can be done with fresh, strongly brewed black tea, a 1% solution of boric acid

Disinfection

As already mentioned, plague is a very dangerous disease that is resistant to many external influences. To keep your recovering pet and other cats as safe as possible, you must follow the recommendations for disinfecting premises:

Treat the room where the parvovirus-infected cat is located using a UV lamp and javel water (sodium hypochlorite solution).
To disinfect rooms, cat beds, toys, bowls, use soda ash mixed in water (1 part soda/20 parts water) and formaldehyde gas.
It is imperative to wet clean (up to several times a day) the room where a cat suffering from distemper lies.
Do not forget about regular ventilation of the room in which parvovirus hovers. During this time, the pet must be moved to another room.
Create a comfortable air temperature.
Quickly remove feces and vomit from the animal.
It is important to ensure that direct sunlight does not fall on a cat suffering from distemper.
Constantly rinse your eyes from pus accumulating in the corners by soaking a cotton swab in the medicinal liquid.

Vaccination against distemper for dogs

To prevent your four-legged family friend from getting canine distemper, you must have him vaccinated. Vaccination is carried out at the age of one to one and a half months.

Some veterinarians believe that antibodies received from the mother remain in the blood for up to three months, so puppies should be vaccinated at this age.

IMPORTANT: The main thing is that during the post-vaccination period the puppy does not have contact with other dogs for at least two weeks, or better yet a month, and potential carriers of the virus do not come into the house.

The next vaccination is done at 6 months, and after that - once a year.

IMPORTANT: Only healthy animals can be vaccinated, having first cleansed the body of worms and fleas.

The vaccine for vaccination, both domestic and imported, should be purchased in specialized clinics
In most cases, it is a polyvalent drug ( Nobivak, Tetradog, etc.) intended to develop immunity against several common diseases
Dogs tolerate such vaccinations very easily, and it is more acceptable for the animal’s body to experience the immune shake-up once

Vaccination against distemper will protect your dog from the disease

Prevention of viral disease

The first and key method of prevention is vaccination. Vaccination against distemper is done at 2 months of age, then repeated exactly 2 weeks later to consolidate the result. After each vaccination, a note is made in the passport about the procedure performed. Vaccination should be repeated every year to minimize the risk of contracting serious diseases. It should be understood that vaccinations do not provide guaranteed protection against diseases, but only train the immune system for effective resistance.

It is important to monitor your pet’s health; healthy dogs tolerate possible infectious diseases much better. You can add vitamin supplements to your diet. They will help strengthen your immune system and reduce the risk of contracting viruses.

You need to keep your dog clean and wash its paws after every walk.
It is recommended to wash the bowl after each meal.
It is necessary to reduce the animal’s contact with stray street dogs; most often, they are carriers of serious diseases.
In addition, if a dog from your immediate environment has recently suffered from distemper, then under no circumstances should you allow your pet near it.
The virus remains in the body of an ill individual for 3 months, even if she has recovered.
Your pet should not drink from a puddle or eat grass on the street, as they can also be a source of infection.

Carnivore plague is a dangerous, but not the most terrible infectious disease. It is important to be extremely attentive to your pet, monitor its mood and condition. In addition, the vaccination regimen must be followed to successfully prevent infection.

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Can a vaccinated dog get distemper?

If dog owners are responsible and vaccinate their pet on time, he will not get sick. This does not mean that the animal will not catch the distemper virus, it is just unlikely that it will be noticeable: since antibodies are present in the animal’s blood, the body will cope with the disease without any problems.

IMPORTANT: There are cases when a puppy is infected, but the disease has not yet had time to manifest itself clinically, and at the same time the owners vaccinated the little pet. In 99% of cases this leads to the death of the animal.

If, some time after vaccination, when immunity has not yet formed, the puppy catches the virus, then the situation is also very difficult and can lead to death.

IMPORTANT: No vaccination is 100% guaranteed. It simply helps to cope with the virus painlessly.

In vaccinated dogs, distemper can be asymptomatic and painless.

Who is at risk?

Any dog can get distemper: young, adult, elderly, purebred, mongrel.

The following are especially likely to be affected:
puppies up to one year;
old dogs;
pets weakened by another disease;
animals that live in unsanitary conditions or have poor nutrition.
The most susceptible to canine distemper are shepherd dogs, collies, huskies, poodles, staff dogs, and Pekingese dogs. Hunting breeds are at high risk because they come into contact with wild animals.

The disease most rarely affects terriers and mongrels, due to the fact that stray bitches often get distemper and pass on antigens to puppies with colostrum.

HPV is not contagious to people. Cats do not get sick from it either, although they are carriers: purrs have their own plague - panleukopenia, which is caused by a different strain.

Traditional treatment of distemper in dogs at home

At the first noticeable symptoms of the disease, you should definitely contact a veterinarian. After passing all the necessary tests, the doctor will prescribe the necessary treatment based on the symptoms. If it is possible to treat the pet at home, the veterinarian will certainly notify the animal's owner.

IMPORTANT: But in no case should you independently treat distemper in a dog with folk remedies - it will not help and will lead to the death of the animal.

You can add some herbal decoctions to the main therapy determined by the veterinarian:

In order to reduce the level of intoxication, you can use a decoction of chamomile or St. John's wort.
As a sedative, to prevent the development of pathology of the nervous system, it is possible to use a decoction of motherwort

To this you need to add a properly structured diet and the tireless care of the owner.

Such folk methods will benefit your pet.

Homemade decoctions of medicinal herbs will help your dog recover faster from distemper.

Recovery prognosis

Canine plague is one of the most difficult diseases to treat. The probability of death is very high: even with timely initiation of therapy, it is 50%. Without professional treatment in a veterinary clinic, 80% - 90% of animals die.

Immunity plays a big role in recovery. The stronger it is, the greater the dog’s chances of recovery.

Every fifth dog who recovers from the disease develops complications. Which ones exactly depend on the form of the plague. Since the most serious consequences are the nervous type of HCP, it is advisable to overcome the pathology before it reaches this stage.

Treatment of distemper in dogs with vodka

Almost all veterinarians are clearly against treating the canine distemper virus with vodka, since, in their opinion, this will inevitably lead to the death of the dog.

However, some dog breeders use a vodka cocktail as therapy: 100 ml of vodka, one raw egg, one teaspoon of honey, mix thoroughly and drink the dog with this solution.

IMPORTANT: This method is relevant only at the very beginning of the development of the disease, and if the dog has good immunity.

Treatment of distemper in a dog with vodka
The owner is entirely responsible for the health of a domestic dog. Therefore, in order to avoid health problems, he is obliged to vaccinate his pet against dangerous diseases and exclude his contact with unfamiliar animals.

What should a doctor do if he suspects feline distemper?

To make a correct diagnosis, the doctor must:

He will ask the owner in detail about the first manifestations of the disease.
Measure the temperature or ask the cat's owner to do so before his visit.
He will examine the mucous membranes and ask when the cat last drank.
Note whether there are fibrin flakes or blood in the liquid stool.
Pay attention to the cat's behavior and the position in which he sits (lies).
An external examination is required - cachexia (exhaustion), dry skin, condition of the coat.
Feels the lymph nodes.
Listen to the lungs for incipient pneumonia and heart sounds.
He kneads the cat’s belly with his hands, establishing the degree of intestinal soreness and palpating its loops.

At the end of the examination, the doctor will already have an almost exact idea whether the cat is suffering from “distemper” and will already prescribe medications to alleviate the general condition of the sick animal.

However, for a complete picture, the doctor will need additional laboratory tests (hematological, histological and virological) to differentiate from toxoplasmosis and alimentary enteritis.

Next – follow the veterinarian’s instructions as accurately as possible!

Cutaneous form

This is one of the milder forms of the disease, which precedes the pulmonary or intestinal forms, and is often not detected at all. When the disease occurs, a papillary-pustular rash appears on the surface of the epidermis. You can find it in the following places:

belly;
inner thighs;
insides of ears;
areas near the mouth and nose.

Over time, the bubbles begin to burst and dry out, and brownish crusts form in their place. Later, blisters form again - this is a sign of pustular dermatitis, sometimes accompanied by diseases of the central nervous system.

With cutaneous distemper, the paws become slightly swollen, and the nose, eyelids, lips and ears may also swell. Exudate will later appear in these places, in place of which crusts will begin to form.

Pneumonic plague

With this course of plague, on the second or third day, clear/cloudy discharge from the nose appears, which over time becomes white-green. When they dry out, they clog the nostrils and interfere with normal breathing.

Swelling and redness form on the mucous membranes, and rhinitis also appears. The dog sneezes and coughs, constantly rubs its nose and snorts. Snorting appears and breathing quickens.

In the case of purulent pneumonia, inflammatory foci grow and can cover the lungs. Inflammation affects the nasopharynx, trachea, larynx and all nearby tissues.

At the initial stages of development of the pneumonic form of plague, the inflammation becomes catarrhal. When the disease drags on or treatment is not effective enough, bronchopneumonia becomes purulent. At the same time, thick white or green discharge begins to come out of the nose.

Diagnostics

Distemper should be distinguished from diseases with similar symptoms, such as kennel cough (similar respiratory symptoms are observed), parvovirus and coronavirus enteritis (similar gastrointestinal disorders), and from bacterial and protozoal diseases (for example, giardiasis). With the severity of neurological disorders, the disease must be distinguished from granulomatous meningoencephalomyelitis, protozoal encephalitis, cryptococcosis, and also from heavy metal poisoning.

How can you find out what your dog is sick with? Diagnosis of this disease is quite difficult and must be comprehensive. A general blood test at an early stage determines a decrease in the number of lymphocytes. A chest x-ray is performed if pneumonia is suspected.

If neurological symptoms are present, an MRI is usually performed - with this disease, changes in the brain are usually not detected or are not specific.

A study of the cerebrospinal fluid is also carried out, in which a high content of cells, protein, antibodies to the virus and viral agents is detected.

Serological testing is considered the main diagnostic method, but it is also difficult. In the acute stage of the disease, antibodies may be absent, and after vaccination a false positive result may occur. For research, swabs from the conjunctiva and blood are taken. Antigen testing (ELISA and ICA) has higher sensitivity and specificity, but there may also be false positive results after vaccination.

Summary data on the results of various diagnostic studies are given in the table:

Analysis	Result
General blood analysis	Lymphopenia Regenerative anemia Thrombocytopenia
Biochemistry	Hypokalemia Hyponatremia Hypoalbuminemia
Cerebrospinal fluid analysis	Protein Boost Pleocytosis - that is, an increased number of cellular elements
General urine analysis	No specific changes
X-ray	Changes characteristic of pneumonia
MRI	Nonspecific changes characteristic of meningoencephalitis Also, with obvious neurological symptoms, there may be no changes on MRI
Antibody test	IgM will be high for three months after infection, high sensitivity during acute infection and less during the chronic stage (60%); IgG may be elevated during previous infection, during the acute stage, and as a result of vaccination
Antigen test	Relatively high sensitivity and specificity

Stories from owners and veterinarians

Stepan Petrovich, owner of a shepherd dog: “We adopted a shepherd dog for foster care; the dog was already three years old. A few weeks later she developed symptoms of ARVI; they thought she caught a cold in a draft. They took him to the veterinarian, where they examined the animal, did tests and diagnosed it with distemper. The veterinarian said that we contacted him early and it saved the animal. We were prescribed: anandin (antiviral), immunomodulators, vitamins, glucose and calcium. The dog was rescued. And some owners are asked to euthanize their pets. It’s good that they didn’t advise us to do that.”

Igor Nikolaevich, veterinarian: “I’m tired of telling my clients not to torture poor sick animals with traditional medicine. If you want to drink vodka, drink it yourself! Distemper is a fatal disease; people like this are not to be trifled with and there is no time for experiments. Even a correctly selected professional treatment regimen does not always provide a guaranteed cure. It all depends on the immune system of each dog. Do not hesitate, contact the clinic immediately. And remember that vaccination is the only chance to save your pet from this disease.”

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Intestinal form

This form of canine distemper is characterized by constipation, severe diarrhea and vomiting. Bloody impurities are sometimes present in feces. Vomiting is one of the main signs of intestinal manifestations of plague. In addition to undigested food, foamy bile and mucous masses are present in the vomit, and when appetite worsens, yellow/white foam begins to emerge from the mouth.

With distemper, a sick dog continues to drink water. Anorexia and depression, accompanied by frequent vomiting, are the most common disorders. A sour smell is felt from the pet's mouth, and when the dog feels the stomach, the dog experiences pain. Palpation reveals tension in the abdominal walls. The liver may be enlarged, and when the area is palpated the animal will act restless. Additionally, hepatitis sometimes appears.