“Canine distemper is the number one virulent infectious disease in dogs, the mortality rate can reach 80%, the incubation period is generally 3-6 d, mainly through the respiratory tract, the disease is more frequent in winter and spring, dogs of different breeds, ages and sexes can be infected, the susceptibility of puppies from 2 months to 1 year old is the strongest.
1. Main symptoms
Sick dogs show symptoms of anorexia, depression, fever and upper respiratory tract infection. The body temperature is biphasic (i.e., the body temperature rises to about 40 ℃ at the beginning of the disease, drops to normal after 1~2 days, and then rises again after 2~3 days); when the body temperature rises for the second time (a few cases die at this time), respiratory symptoms appear, showing lacrimation, increased eye discharge, which turns from liquid to mucopurulent, and red conjunctiva. The rhinoscope is dry and the nose is runny, starting as a plasma nasal fluid and becoming purulent at a later stage, with difficulty in breathing. Gastrointestinal type pathology may present with vomiting, diarrhea, intussusception, and finally death by dehydration and collapse. The neurological type of canine distemper, which mostly shows symptoms late in the onset, manifests as seizures, spinning, ataxia, convulsions and other neurological signs, and the prognosis is mostly poor. Some sick dogs also develop epidermal keratinization of the nose and foot pads, rice-sized red spots, edema and purulent papules on the skin of the lower abdomen and medial femur.
2. Diagnosis
Diagnosis is usually made by immunological test paper and PCR
3. Prevention
Generally, puppies are immunized once at 6 weeks of age after birth, a second immunization at an interval of 3 weeks, and a third immunization at an interval of 3 weeks. Subsequent vaccinations can be given once a year.”
