Canine Distemper

Distemper is a common infectious disease in dogs and has a very high mortality rate. Distemper can be difficult to detect at first and symptoms such as fever, cough and abnormal eye and nose discharge are often misdiagnosed as a cold, so be careful! Be especially cautious if your dog develops a wavy fever (a fever that comes and goes). Newborn puppies, older dogs, unvaccinated dogs and dogs that frequent public places are all at high risk. Regular annual vaccinations and reducing the chance of viral infections in the environment are the best preventive measures for dogs. Medication options are available, such as monoclonal antibodies, serums and interferon, but there is no 100% effective medication.