Canine Distemper: Signs and Prevention

Canine distemper is a serious virus that attacks a dog's airways, gut and nervous system. There is no medicine that kills the virus, and many dogs that catch it die or are left with lasting problems. Vaccination works very well, and it's the only reliable protection.

What it is

Distemper is caused by canine distemper virus (CDV), a relative of the human measles virus. In Danish it's called hundesyge. Dogs get it, and so do foxes, ferrets, mink and other wild and farmed animals. It isn't the same as the human flu, and people can't catch it from dogs.

Unvaccinated dogs and puppies between about 3 and 6 months old, when the protection from their mother has faded, are the most at risk.

How it spreads

• Droplets when an infected dog coughs, sneezes or breathes out
• Direct contact with an infected dog, or with urine, saliva or eye and nose discharge
• Contact with infected wild animals

The virus doesn't last long outside the body and is killed by ordinary disinfectants. It spreads mostly between animals that meet. A sick dog can pass it on for several weeks, and some dogs shed the virus before they look ill.

Symptoms

Distemper looks different from dog to dog. It often starts like a bad cold and then gets worse.

• Fever, which can come and go
• Red, watery eyes with thick yellow or green discharge
• A runny nose and a cough
• Tiredness and no appetite
• Vomiting and diarrhoea
• Thickened, hard nose and paw pads in some dogs

Some dogs go on to have nervous system signs, sometimes weeks later and sometimes after the other signs seem to have passed:

• Twitching of a muscle, often in the face or legs
• Head tilt, circling or a wobbly walk
• Seizures, including chewing movements of the jaw
• Weakness or paralysis

Dogs that recover can be left with twitching, seizures or damaged tooth enamel.

When to call a vet

Call a vet the same day if your dog has a fever with eye and nose discharge, a cough that won't clear, vomiting or diarrhoea that goes on, or any twitching, seizure or odd behaviour. Keep your dog away from other dogs until a vet has seen it. If your dog has a seizure or is struggling to breathe, go to the nearest emergency vet clinic. Our own clinic is open Monday, Thursday and Friday 10:00 to 16:00, and Tuesday and Wednesday 09:00 to 17:00.

Diagnosis

The vet looks at the signs, your dog's vaccination history and any contact with other dogs or wildlife. Tests can confirm distemper: swabs from the eyes, nose or throat, and blood or urine, are tested for the virus's genetic material. Chest X-rays and blood tests show how far the illness has gone.

Treatment

No medicine kills the virus, so treatment supports the dog while its body fights it.

• Fluids and nutrition, often at the clinic
• Medicine to stop vomiting and diarrhoea
• Antibiotics when a bacterial infection has set in on top
• Anti-seizure medicine if the nervous system is affected
• Isolation, so the virus doesn't spread to other dogs

How a dog does depends on how severe the illness is and which systems it hits. Many dogs with only mild signs recover, but dogs that develop nervous system signs often do poorly, and some are put to sleep to spare them suffering. A dog that has recovered should still stay away from other dogs until the vet says it's no longer infectious.

Prevention

Vaccination is the best protection. The WSAVA, the global body that sets vaccination guidelines for small animals, lists distemper as a core vaccine, which every dog should have. It's usually given in a combination injection with adenovirus and parvovirus (and often parainfluenza).

• Puppies are vaccinated from 6 to 8 weeks of age, with repeat doses every 2 to 4 weeks until they're at least 16 weeks old.
• A booster follows at 6 or 12 months of age.
• After that, adult dogs usually need a booster no more often than every 3 years. Your vet will set the schedule.
• Dogs with an unknown vaccination history, such as rescue dogs, should see a vet to work out what they need.

Other things that help: keep a puppy away from unfamiliar dogs and from places where many dogs meet until the vaccine course is finished, don't let your dog near wild animals, and keep a sick dog away from other dogs.

Distemper in Denmark

Distemper is rare in vaccinated dogs in Denmark. The virus still circulates in wild animals in Europe, and dogs brought in from abroad may carry it or be unprotected. If you've adopted a dog from abroad, or you're bringing a puppy in, book a check-up so the vet can go through its vaccination record.

What to do next

To book vaccinations or a check-up, see our veterinary service, or contact the clinic with questions. If you're planning a stay for your dog, see dog boarding.