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Canine Distemper Virus (CDV)
In Dogs
Simon Harris
The canine distemper virus (CDV) causes a highly
contagious
disease in dogs known as distemper. Dogs who contract
distemper
suffer damage to their gastrointestinal, central
nervous and
respiratory systems. Distemper is incurable and often
fatal.
Puppies between the ages of three and six months are
most
susceptible to the disease, although older dogs and
other
carnivorous mammals can also contract distemper. At
one time,
distemper was the leading cause of death among puppies
that had
not been vaccinated. Since the distemper vaccine was
created in
the early 60s, incidents of distemper and distemper
related
deaths have dropped considerably.
CDV is transmitted via airborne viral particles that
dogs
inhale. Infected dogs also shed the virus through
bodily
secretions and excretions. In this manner it is easy
for an
infected dog to cause the infection of another dog.
Distemper causes a multitude of symptoms that include
various
respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms to central
nervous
system disorders. In fact, dogs that die as a result
of
distemper actually die from central nervous
complications
caused by the disease or from secondary bacterial
infections.
Diagnosing distemper is difficult for a veterinarian
to
diagnose as blood tests are not helpful in detecting
the
presence of CDV. Successful diagnosis often relies on
the
ruling out of comparative disorders whose symptoms can
often
suggest the presence of CDV.
Because there is no cure for distemper, treatment for
the
disease is supportive and a vet will attempt to treat
the
symptoms as best as possible. A clean, warm, and draft
free
environment should be created and maintained to ensure
the dog
is as comfortable as possible. The eyes and nose
should be kept
free of discharge, and medication to treat diarrhea
should be
administered. Dogs suffering from distemper must be
given
plenty of fluids to help reduce fever and prevent
dehydration.
Other symptoms are treated as they appear if possible.
Like any viral disease, prevention is a much better
and more
successful option than treatment and the best option
is
vaccination during the early weeks of life. The
distemper
vaccination creates a long lasting immunity to the
virus, but
it is not permanent. Annual inoculations are
recommended to
maintain the dog’s immunity to distemper. Most puppies
are
given vaccinations that include distemper vaccine
along with
vaccines for several other diseases.
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