How Albuquerque Dog Vaccinations Prevent Canine Distemper

As dog parents, we’ve heard this term a lot: distemper.

We know our dogs need to be vaccinated for it, and it sounds like something we don’t want our dogs to get.

At Petroglyph Animal Hospital, we highly recommend that your Albuquerque dog receive regular vaccinations, including that for canine distemper. Here’s why.

What is canine distemper?

Canine distemper is a highly contagious virus, found in dogs, ferrets, and some wildlife. It attacks the animal’s respiratory, gastrointestinal, and nervous systems.

There is no cure for canine distemper, and it’s fatal in 50% of the dogs and 80% of the puppies that contract the disease. In ferret exposure, the disease is nearly 100% fatal.

Dogs that do survive usually have permanent and irreparable nervous system damage. The virus affects the developing tooth enamel of a puppy, leaving survivors with yellowed, pitted teeth, often called “distemper teeth.”

Canine distemper has also been found in wildlife:

Foxes
Wolves
Coyotes
Raccoons
Skunks
Ferrets

How do dogs get canine distemper?

Most dogs and puppies become infected during a local outbreak through airborne transmission. This typically occurs when infected animals are coughing and sneezing.

The virus can also be spread through saliva, urine, and feces, so dogs and puppies can also catch the virus through shared water bowls, food bowls, and other surfaces. Transmission through close contact with wildlife is also a risk.

Mother dogs can pass the virus to their puppies in utero through the placenta.

What are the symptoms of canine distemper?

Usually, the first symptoms include watery or pus-like discharge from the eyes.

As the infection grows, other symptoms appear:

Fever
Nasal discharge
Coughing
Lethargy
Reduced appetite
Vomiting
Once the virus attacks the nervous system, additional symptoms develop:
Head tilting
Circling movements
Muscle twitches
Seizures
Partial or complete paralysis
Convulsions with jaw chewing motions and drooling (chewing gum fits)

Dogs may also develop thickening or hardening footpads.

In wildlife, the symptoms closely resemble rabies.

How is canine distemper diagnosed and treated?

Diagnosis includes clinical examination and blood tests, which can take several days or weeks to come back from the reference lab.

Since there isn’t a cure for canine distemper, once the veterinarian suspects infection due to the animal’s history and symptoms, treatment in the form of supportive care and secondary infection prevention usually begins right away.

Due to the high mortality rate, there’s no time to wait for lab confirmation! Dogs and puppies with this virus are isolated from other canines and ferrets in the household. Infected dogs remain contagious for months.

How can I keep my dogs and puppies safe from canine distemper?

The most crucial thing you can do for your dogs and puppies is to keep them fully vaccinated.

Puppies

A series of vaccinations including canine distemper are given to puppies starting from 8 weeks to between 16-20 weeks. This helps build resistance to distemper infection as their immune system begins to mature.

Until your puppy is fully vaccinated, keep your puppy away from dog parks or any public parks or nature areas, since the virus is easily spread from infected dogs or wildlife.

Make sure your puppy completes the entire series of puppy shots to ensure she has been fully vaccinated against canine distemper.

Dogs

Make sure your dog receives his yearly vaccinations on time. Gaps in vaccination could lead to a weaker immune response if exposed to the distemper virus.

Ferrets

The USDA has approved a canine distemper vaccine specifically for ferrets. Getting your pet ferret vaccinated is vitally important if they go outside at all or potentially interact with other ferrets or unvaccinated dogs. Distemper in ferrets is almost 100% fatal.

Ready to schedule your dog vaccinations in Albuquerque?

At Petroglyph Animal Hospital, we not only treat dogs and cats, but we also treat ferrets and other exotic animals. We can give your beloved pet the best chance at avoiding a deadly canine distemper infection.