Distemper – dog illnesses in focus

Dogs get ill too. Just like us humans, they struggle with back pain, diabetes, joint problems and much more. However, there are also some illnesses that we humans are spared, but which hit our four-legged friends all the harder. Dog owners often find it difficult to recognise these illnesses and to assign the symptoms to the corresponding clinical picture – yet this is usually urgently necessary. A typical example here is distemper: almost everyone has heard of this often fatal animal disease, but very few know more than the name. Yet an early diagnosis can be life-saving in many cases.

Distemper – a dog illness

Distemper is one of the few illnesses that actually affect only dogs and canines. Affected, besides dogs, wolves and foxes, are also their more distant relatives such as martens, seals and small bears. Cats can theoretically be infected, but in these velvet-pawed creatures the infection proceeds completely free of symptoms. For humans, on the other hand, distemper is harmless.

It is a viral illness that is triggered by the canine distemper virus, which is related to the human measles virus. Against external influences such as heat or cold the virus is surprisingly resistant, though it can be killed off well with common disinfectants.

The transmission of distemper normally takes place via droplet infection: all of the animal's excretions, whether urine, faeces or nasal secretions, are highly infectious and, because of the high resistance of the germs, can also be contagious indirectly (that is, through contact with contaminated blankets, brushes and the like). The illness normally appears about 3–7 days after infection and can affect dogs of all age groups. Most frequently, however, it is puppies between 2 and 6 months that fall ill with distemper. How intensely the illness proceeds depends, among other things, on the dog's general condition.

Typical distemper symptoms and course of the illness

Distemper can affect different organ systems – which is why, to begin with, there is no clear-cut course of the illness. What can generally be said, however, is that the first symptom to appear is a high fever, often up to 41 °C. The further symptoms depend on the organ system affected.

Most frequently, the gastrointestinal tract is affected. Here the ill dog shows, in addition to the fever, vomiting and diarrhoea too. Alternatively, or at the same time, the respiratory system may be affected. In this case the common symptoms are breathlessness, nasal discharge, sneezing, coughing and often conjunctivitis as well. Up to this point one speaks of a "mild course", in which the dog's organism may under certain circumstances still be able to cope with the illness on its own. If, however, not enough antibodies are formed up to this period, death is to be expected without treatment, for next the pathogens attack the nervous system.

Once the nervous system is affected, the extent of the illness becomes clear: visual disturbances, muscle tremors, signs of paralysis and many other neurological damages can occur. Frequently, in this phase, the nose and the pads of the toes also become hardened (hard pad disease). Without medical help the prognosis is very poor, but even with veterinary support survival is by no means certain. And even if healing succeeds, it may be that the four-legged friend carries lifelong nerve or brain damage: the typical tilted head posture (distemper tic) or permanently trembling muscle areas are just some examples of such long-term consequences.

Therapy and treatment options

Since distemper is a serious, highly contagious and frequently fatal illness, medical treatment is urgently necessary. As with all viral illnesses, however, the therapy is difficult, for there are no direct remedies as there are with bacterial illnesses. Attempts are indeed made to stimulate the immune defence by injecting antibodies (serum), but the main concern is a relief of the symptoms. In addition, antibiotics are frequently prescribed in order to prevent bacterial secondary infections from additionally weakening the organism.

Ideally, a dog that has fallen ill with distemper can be cared for in an animal clinic: for there not only can the risk of infection for other animals be kept low, but it is also possible there to give the infusions that are often necessary. However, care at home is also possible: in that case be sure to ensure an adequate intake of fluids (in an emergency the responsible vet can also administer infusions) as well as scrupulously precise hygiene in order to avoid the infection of other animals.

Take precautions

Distemper is a serious illness which, once it has broken out, can only be treated with difficulty. Often it is a matter of luck whether ill animals survive or not. It is therefore worthwhile, for the animal's wellbeing, to take precautions: the vaccination against distemper is considered safe and should be given to puppies from the 8th week of life. A small jab as protection against a potentially fatal illness.