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How do I know if my dog has distemper?
The main clinical signs are diarrhea, vomiting, thick yellow discharge from the eyes and nose, cough and, in severe cases, seizures and neurological signs. Dogs that recover from the disease are often left with persistent nervous muscular twitches and recurrent (repeated) seizures.
How do dogs catch distemper?
Dogs catch distemper from other dogs or wild animals that are infected with it. They can catch it by having direct contact with the sick animal, or by standing near the animal when it is coughing. They can also catch it if they have contact with food bowls or other objects that were contaminated by infected animals.
Is there a test for distemper in dogs?
Unfortunately, there is no simple and reliable method of diagnosing distemper in all infected dogs. The tests available include: 1) Immunofluorescence assay (IFA) which looks for inclusion bodies on conjunctival scrapes, in urine sediment, in transtracheal washes and cerebrospinal fluid (with neurological signs).
What is the last stage of distemper?
The terminal stage for Canine Distemper is usually 2-4 weeks after infection; however, it can last several months in older patients. If the nervous system is affected, most pets decease within days.
How to tell if your dog has canine distemper?
What Are the General Symptoms of Canine Distemper? The first signs of canine distemper include sneezing, coughing and thick mucus coming from the eyes and nose. Fever, lethargy, sudden vomiting and diarrhea, depression and/or loss of appetite are also symptoms of the virus. How Do Dogs Get Canine Distemper?
What causes seizures in dogs with distemper?
These symptoms of distemper may include any of the following: Seizures (of any part of the body, but seizures that look as if the dog is chewing gum are unique to distemper) Canine distemper is caused by the canine distemper virus.
How long is the incubation period for canine distemper?
Therefore, careful isolation of all dogs with upper respiratory signs -always a good idea – is especially important in a shelter where distemper is a concern. The incubation period is usually 1-2 weeks from the time of exposure to development of initial clinical signs, but it can be as long as 4-5 weeks or even more.
Who is most at risk for canine distemper?
Puppies under four months of age (before vaccinations are fully protective) and unvaccinated dogs are most at risk. Because canine distemper also occurs in wild animals, contact with wild animals may contribute to the spread of distemper to domestic dogs.