Canine Distemper Virus
Definition of Canine Distemper Virus CDV :
Canine distemper a virus which was called hard pad disease in the olden days is a highly contagious disease that primarily affects young dogs both domesticated and wild between the ages of 2 and 6 months.
Canine distemper can be fatal especially in puppies and wildlife .
The disease is caused by a type of morbillivirus and is closely related to the measles virus that affects humans it's referred to as the canine distemper virus or CDV .
Risk Factors for infection :
1- Non immunized dogs that come into contact with an infected animal carry a very high risk of contracting distemper.
2- Puppies born to an infected mother and young dogs that are immunocompromised .
3- Dogs exposed to wildlife may also have a heightened risk of contracting this disease .
4- Bacterial infections especially of the respiratory and GI tract may also make dogs more susceptible to acquiring this virus.
5- On rare occasions improperly attenuated CDV vaccines have been implicated in causing the disease as well.
Method of Infection " Transmission "
1- Most dogs are exposed to the virus that causes canine distemper when they inhale the respiratory secretions of an infected animal or come into contact directly with infected feces, urine or saliva .
2- CDV can also be spread through direct or indirect contact with bedding bowls or other items belonging to an infected dog.
Pathogenesis of Canine Distemper virus :
In susceptible dogs the virus first reproduces in the respiratory tract and then moves on to the lymph nodes and the blood circulatory systems throughout the body.
Infected dogs can shed the virus for several months after infection in even when they're not showing any symptoms of illness they can still be shedding the infection.
The canine distemper virus typically attacks the dog's tonsils and lymph nodes first and then after about a week it attacks the respiratory systems, urogenital systems ,gastrointestinal and nervous systems.
Clinical signs of Canine Distemper :
In the initial stages of the disease symptoms include a very high fever ,it could actually range from 103.5 on up.
Red eyes and a runny nose and runny eyes as well .
Infected dogs become tired and lethargic .
Oftentimes they can lose their appetites and begin to drop weight .
They can also develop a persistent cough as well as vomiting and diarrhea.
In the later stages disease the virus begins to attack other body systems particularly the nervous system which can trigger seizures and paralysis as well .
Certain strains of CDV can actually cause an abnormal enlargement or thickening of the pads of the feet which is why distemper was sometimes called hard pad disease .
Affected dogs were also susceptible to developing secondary opportunistic bacterial infections .
In dogs with weaker compromised immune systems death can result from two to five weeks after infection occurs and about 50 to 75 percent of the time dogs do die from this infection.
Very young dogs and elderly dogs have the highest rate of death .
Dogs who recover from canine distemper virus can suffer permanent vision and neurologic damage .
Puppies who recover can have severe tooth enamel problems as well their enamel doesn't form right .
Diagnosis of Canine Distemper :
1- Veterinarians typically run a complete blood count , a CBC and serum biochemistry profile on dogs suspected of having distemper ,these tests provide a lot of information about the infection ,organ function and a dog's overall health .
2- A urinalysis is also performed since viral antigens can be found in urine sediment .
3- Advance blood tests can reveal positive antibodies for the virus however these tests can't determine the difference between antibodies resulting from vaccinations or antibodies resulting from exposure to CDV .
4- X-rays are really only necessary if pneumonia is suspected and a CT scan or MRI can be used certainly to look for brain lesions which are oftentimes common .
5- The best way to definitively diagnose canine distemper in a living dog is a fluorescent antibody test that can be performed on blood respiratory or tonsil samples ,cerebral spinal fluid bone marrow or urine .
6- If the disease is in its very early stages samples from the conjunctiva the corners of the eye can also be tested for antibodies .
7- A polymerase chain reaction or PCR test is also available that detects distemper virus in blood samples and is considered very very reliable .
Treatment of Canine Distemper :
- Unfortunately there's no specific conventional treatment for canine distemper so treatment focuses on managing symptoms and making the patient as comfortable as possible.
- The disease can be fatal the most important factor influences outcome is whether the virus has affected the central nervous system or not and if it has affected this the central nervous system to what extent???
- Conventional treatment includes :
Antibiotics to address pneumonia if it's present
Cough medications ,
IV fluids medications to reduce nausea and diarrhea,
Anti-seizure medications if the dog is having seizures and pain management .
Integrative veterinarians will add on intensive immune support during this time including Chios index which is a purified thymus extract .
IV vitamin c ,
- Hyperbaric oxygen therapy as well as ozone therapy .
- Many vets find using homeopathic distemper is very beneficial for reducing the duration of infection and minimizing the severity of symptoms and disease progression especially if they're used early on .
Prevention and control of Canine Distemper :
- Dogs diagnosed with CDV must be hospitalized and isolated from other animals .
- All surfaces bedding and any object the affected dog has been in contact with should be cleaned and disinfected or thrown out.
- The virus is sensitive to ultraviolet light ,heat and drying and tends to linger in cold environments actually more so than warm environments .
- Vaccine specialist states one well-timed canine distemper vaccine is the best prevention against this highly contagious disease and additional annual distemper shots would be unnecessary if a titre test completed four weeks after the vaccination shows that the puppy was successfully immunized .
- Creating a strong and vibrant immune system by making excellent species appropriate diet choices early on in a puppies life will also bolster your dogs and make defenses against this and other infectious diseases .
