What to do if your dog is sick with distemper. Distemper in dogs: how to treat, what to do, possible causes, symptoms, prescribed treatment, recovery period and veterinarian advice What to give a dog from distemper

Distemper in dogs - a viral disease resistant to the action of various physico-chemical factors. At a temperature of minus 24 degrees, the canine distemper virus retains its ability to spread for 5 years. High temperature, on the contrary, "disarms" the distemper virus, at 60 degrees it loses its ability to infect after 30 minutes, at 38 degrees it dies after 14 days.
The use of 2% sodium hydroxide solution is detrimental to the distemper of dogs, the activity disappears within 1 hour. 1% formaldehyde solution or Demp's solution kill the virus within 3 hours.

Infection with the distemper virus is especially likely at a young age of the dog from 3 to 12 months. This is due to the fact that the young body of the dog is weakened due to the change of teeth, the intensive growth of the body. Often, infection with the virus is associated with poor care of the dog. It is extremely rare for puppies who suckle their mother's milk to become infected; together with milk, antibodies enter the body that protect them from the virus. When it comes to the distemper virus, there is no specificity among breeds - any dog ​​can get sick with distemper. Most dogs get sick in spring or autumn when the weather is bad. The sources of distemper are infected dogs (sick or in which the virus is in the incubation period). Infection with plague occurs through direct contact with a sick animal, with dog care items. Animals, humans, birds, and even insects can be carriers of the virus. A dog cured of distemper retains the ability to infect other animals for 2-3 months.

Distemper in dogs, symptoms. The incubation period for an infected dog is 2-3 weeks. At this time, the distemper is almost imperceptible. Forms of the disease: hyperacute, acute, chronic, typical and atypical and fulminant (in this case, the dog dies instantly without showing any symptoms of the disease).
Symptoms may be severe or mild:

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Distemper is an animal disease caused by viruses. The causative agents of the disease are very resistant to low temperatures and lose their strength at high temperatures. Medicines for such a disease have not yet been invented, then how to treat distemper in a dog? There is a therapeutic regimen that the veterinarian will prescribe. Also, many are interested in how to treat distemper in a dog with folk remedies. In this article, we will consider the causes of the disease, symptoms, methods of treatment, folk and medication.

Which dogs are at risk?

Most of all, puppies and young dogs are prone to this disease, the most dangerous period is the age from three months to one year. During this period of life, the animal's teeth change, the immune system becomes weak, and the body is exposed to various kinds of diseases. If a puppy is still being fed by its mother, then it is not threatened by distemper, because antibodies against this terrible disease enter the body with milk, but there are exceptions.

Dog breed has nothing to do with predisposition. Both a mongrel and a purebred dog can get sick with distemper. The peak incidence is noted in spring and autumn, and it is during these times of the year that every owner should know how to treat distemper in a dog. Providing first aid in time will speed up the recovery process, minimize the possibility of death of the animal.

Causes of infection

Distemper is caused by the most dangerous virus for animals. It penetrates through the respiratory tract or orally.

The main source of infection is communication with a sick animal, in this case the dog emits the virus through saliva, urine or feces. If a dog gets sick with distemper, then the virus is on all objects that have come into contact with it, and these things need to be eliminated, the best way is to burn them. Do not discard these items as they may infect another animal. Never accept used items from a dead dog as a gift, as they can carry a dangerous virus. Common causes of animal infection are:

• feeders;
• toys;
• beds;
• carrying bags;
• enclosures that have ever kept infected individuals.

If a dog is domestic and does not come into contact with other animals, this does not mean that he is safe. The cause of infection can be even ordinary dirt on a person’s shoes brought home, clothes, or the remains of dirt on a dog’s paws after a walk.

The danger of infection arises in early spring and late autumn, when the above-zero temperatures are not as high as in summer. It is at this time of the year that you need to especially protect your pet. So, how to treat distemper in a dog?

period of infection

From the moment the animal comes into contact with a sick individual or with a virus-carrying object, the dog is affected by the disease. But in the first 5-20 days, the dog is only a carrier and distributor, and it is almost impossible to find out that the pet is sick.

The incubation period makes it difficult to diagnose symptoms of distemper in dogs. How to treat a pet at this time? If you see that something is wrong with the dog, but you are not sure that it is distemper, then be sure to contact your veterinarian, you cannot self-medicate. The only thing is to provide first aid with folk remedies, which we will talk about later.

When the signs of distemper in dogs are revealed, the veterinarian will tell each dog breeder how to treat. It is urgent to start therapy with the following symptoms:

1. A short-term increase in body temperature up to 40 degrees. The heat subsides on its own, and therefore strange things can be noted in the behavior of the animal: the dog is either active or becomes lethargic.
2. Appetite is reduced, even if the pet is a lover to eat. The dog refuses even his favorite treats, becomes lethargic.
3. The mucous membranes begin to turn red.
4. Diarrhea, cough, vomiting - always accompany distemper.
5. The dog begins to be afraid of the light, her eyes water, she hides in the dark corners of the home, refuses to go for a walk.
6. The most recent signs are the inability to get up. The dog becomes weakened, lies, does not respond to the voice of the owner and does not respond to stimuli. Heavy breathing, protruding tongue and rapid or, conversely, weakened heartbeat.

The disease primarily affects the gastrointestinal tract and respiratory system. The virus infects the central nervous system, and the animal has convulsions, coordination of movements becomes confused, and paralysis occurs. All the latter symptoms are 100% signs of nervous distemper in dogs. Everyone should know how to treat this disease at home, because the disease cannot be left without therapy, the death rate for distemper is 90%. The sooner you start treatment, the more likely you are to pull your pet out of the world. Is it possible to treat a dog with distemper with vodka? This question comes up all the time on the internet. Answer: you can, vodka will be an excellent first aid. How to do this, we will write further.

Course and diagnosis

The intensity of the course of the disease depends on the immunity of the dog. There are several forms of the development of the disease:

1. Fulminant development - the dog has no symptoms, but it dies within a day.
2. Super-acute course - the dog's temperature rises sharply, it falls into a coma, and if treatment is not started, the animal will die within 2-3 days.
3. Acute form of the disease - the dog has the symptoms described above.
4. Chronic distemper - symptoms come and go, in this form the dog is a constant carrier of the virus.

Diagnosis of the disease should be made in a hospital. It will be necessary to pass tests to exclude other viral diseases, the symptoms of which are similar to distemper.

How to treat distemper in a dog?

It is advisable to send the pet for treatment to a hospital where professionals will take care of it. If this is not possible, then call the veterinarian at home so that he can make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe treatment.

Since there is no cure for distemper, the fight against the disease goes by increasing the immunity of the animal, which will fight the virus itself. The owner needs attention, love, support. It is necessary to build a place for the dog in the dark, where he will not be disturbed by the light. You also need a special diet. We will talk about what to feed a pet during an illness in the future content.

Specific treatment

Unfortunately, there are no magic injections from distemper yet. Scientists are trying to develop them, but so far to no avail. But there are serums that will help minimize the possibility of death - these are liquids with antibodies obtained as a result of processing the blood of animals with high immunity to the disease. The following serums are prescribed:

• "Vitafel";
• "Giksan";
• "Globkan";
• "Avirokan" and the like.

In rare cases, a blood transfusion is applied to the patient from an immune dog.

The complexity of such therapy lies in the fact that serum must be administered at the very beginning of the disease, and as we have already understood, symptoms can appear both on the first and on the twentieth day after infection. The sooner the serum is administered, the greater the chance of a successful outcome. If the serum is applied late or completely abandoned, then in rare cases a miracle of healing can occur. When the disease is started, it remains to rely only on the strength of the immune system and the pet's zeal for life.

Serum should be administered to the animal 1-2 times a day. Since we are talking about the introduction of a foreign protein, you must first inject "Dimedrol" to exclude allergies.

Vodka from the plague

Treatment of distemper in a dog with vodka is a proven folk method that has helped save the lives of many four-legged animals. You can give the dog a forty-degree "medicine" in two ways:

1. Take a large syringe, remove the needle. Fill it with vodka in the amount of 30-50 grams (depending on the size of the animal), pour it into the mouth, hold the head until the dog completely swallows the drink. Give water to avoid mucosal burns. This procedure is carried out twice a day. Usually on the second day the dog becomes more active, he has an appetite, which means that he is on the mend.
2. The second method: dilute one raw egg in half a glass of vodka, stir well. Divide the product into two halves, pour one portion into the animal's mouth, and the second after 12 hours.

Now you know how to treat a dog for distemper at home while you wait for the veterinarian to arrive. Of course, it will not be possible to cure the animal only with vodka, other therapy must also be used, but this drink will minimize the likelihood of death and help the pet recover sooner.

Respiratory manifestations

Can distemper in dogs be treated with antibiotics? Only whey and vodka will not save the animal. How to treat distemper in a dog at home? The veterinarian will prescribe a complex therapy, the scheme of which must be strictly adhered to. With respiratory manifestations of the disease (sneezing, coughing, dry nose and cracking of the lobe, inflammation of the eyes), it is necessary to restrain the reproduction and spread of harmful bacteria. Therefore, it is also necessary to treat distemper in a dog with antibiotics. These drugs will only help to cope with the multiplication of bacteria when respiratory symptoms appear, but antibiotics do not treat the distemper itself. The doctor will prescribe "Ampicillin", "Levomycetin", "Sulfalen", "Sumetrolim", "Streptomycin" or another antibiotic.

If it is not used, deterioration will occur - blindness, loss of smell, pneumonia, bronchitis or pulmonary edema.

Antibacterial drops should be used to clean the eyes and nose. Don't let scabs appear.

How to treat intestinal distemper in dogs

With this type of distemper, dogs will vomit profusely and have foul-smelling yellow liquid stools. There is often mucus and even blood in the stool. You can’t do without qualified help here, you need to urgently call a doctor. The veterinarian will prescribe droppers from plasma-substituting solutions and salts: lactosalt, disol, sodium chloride plus 0.5 glucose.

To stop diarrhea and vomiting, so that dehydration does not occur, the following drugs are prescribed:

• "Bificol";
• "Cerukal";
• "Intestopan";
• "Abomin";
• "Smecta" and others that help eliminate toxins and stop diarrhea and vomiting.

There are also folk remedies for the normalization of the digestive tract and the removal of toxins. Give the dog juices from carrots, a decoction of linden and chamomile. If the dog refuses to drink it voluntarily, then pour it forcibly.

With this form of distemper, treatment with vodka is unacceptable. The drink will harm the already irritated mucous membranes, will cause severe dehydration.

Other types of illness

If distemper affects the nervous system, the doctor should prescribe the following medications: "Mydocalm" or analogues - to reduce muscle tone, "Pagluferal 2" for epilepsy, for weakness and partial paralysis - one percent "Strychnine", in case of severe excitability - diphenhydramine with "Aminazin ", benzonal, folic acid, sodium barbital. Intracranial pressure will help reduce the 25% magnesium sulfate.

With a skin lesion with distemper, vesicles and a crust appear on the skin, which must be treated with an ointment with an antiseptic effect. So that the pet does not comb the sores and does not lick off the ointment, you will need to wear a protective collar. In severe cases, immunostimulants, antibiotics and vitamins are prescribed.

The dog got sick with distemper. How to treat? Do not give the animal medicines from your first aid kit "maybe it will help." All recommendations should be given only by a veterinarian. The article prescribes remedies for information only, the doctor will prescribe the correct dosage and, possibly, other drugs.

Diet

We must not forget about special feeding during the distemper. Food should help boost immunity so that the body can fight hard:

• give more minced meat or finely chopped meat;
• raw egg - twice a week (during illness and during recovery);
• cottage cheese and kefir of low-fat varieties;
• broths from meat and vegetables are required, if you cook cereals, then make them liquid, like soup;
• a decoction of motherwort must be poured into drinking water during damage to the nervous system.

Recovery after illness

We talked about how to treat distemper in dogs at home. As soon as the pet is on the mend, you should not give up a special diet that includes a lot of protein foods.

You can’t immediately send the dog back to the yard, if she lives in a booth or aviary, the dog must fully recover. Do not drive your pet, do not overload it on walks, everything should be at a minimum, you need to conserve strength.

Make sure your dog always has plenty of fresh, clean water. Wash the bowl consistently, because bacteria multiply quickly in dirty dishes, and the dog can pick up another disease while the immune system is still weak.

The place of residence of the animal must be clean and dry in order to avoid pneumonia and bronchitis, which can occur during the recovery period after distemper. The room must be ventilated.

Veterinarians advise: in order not to expose your pet to the risk of contracting such a serious disease as distemper, put annual vaccinations. Today there is an effective distemper vaccine with which you can not worry about the health and life of your pet.

Having been ill with distemper once, the animal will no longer be exposed to this dangerous, difficult-to-treat disease. But there are many other equally dangerous viruses. Therefore, do not forget to wash your pet's paws and stomach every time after a walk, do not allow food to be picked up on the street, let's always have fresh food.

Kare's disease, Crimean disease or carnivorous distemper is a viral illness that often leads to the death of an infected pet. Without treatment, the mortality rate is extremely high. And, unfortunately, distemper in a dog shows symptoms very different and to varying degrees, which greatly complicates the diagnosis. Therefore, at the slightest suspicion, it is necessary to contact the veterinarian, even if you are sure that the described signs exactly repeat the condition of the pet. Treatment is prescribed only by a doctor.

There is an opinion among owners that in our time only puppies, unvaccinated dogs and pets that are poorly cared for are sick with plague. To some extent, this is true - bright manifestations of distemper in dogs from the above groups are observed more often than in vaccinated healthy animals. But any dog, at any age and regardless of the state of immunity, can become infected with this virus on a walk, at an exhibition, and even at home, through a person’s shoes and hands.

Is your pet vaccinated, eating right, active and healthy? Great, but the owner must still remember how distemper manifests itself in dogs. Even if the pet has already reached an advanced age and is vaccinated annually, the danger exists. Don't dismiss symptoms simply because "my dog ​​is vaccinated and healthy, what else is distemper?".

pay attention

Such dangerous dog diseases as distemper show symptoms long before a clear deterioration in the condition. Of course, if we are not talking about the lightning-fast course of the disease. When the disease develops typically, the pet gets sick gradually - eats less, does not want to play, walks without interest. Somewhere he coughed, sneezed at night, something transparent flows from his nose, his eyes seem to have turned a little red - all these are the very first signs of distemper in dogs, which often go unnoticed. But if you catch the disease at this stage, the probability of a cure is almost 100%, and the probability of severe complications is close to zero. Do not be too lazy to measure the temperature and carefully examine the pet, once again get to the clinic and take tests.

Read also: Fibrosarcoma - all about tumors in dogs

Don't expect patterns

The plague virus is very insidious - affecting the entire body, it makes itself felt with different symptoms, even in two dogs of the same age and the same breed that are ill at the same time. Therefore, do not expect that the signs of distemper in a dog will develop according to a typical pattern: discharge from the nose and eyes, fever, cough, diarrhea. Depending on the rate of reproduction of the virus and the place of its localization, several forms of this disease are distinguished.

If the first symptoms of distemper in dogs appeared suddenly (yesterday he ran and ate, today he lies and does not respond to the call), they speak of an acute or subacute form of the plague. In a chronic course, on the contrary, the signs are hardly noticeable - the pet seems to have weakened, but nothing concrete can be said. Puppies often die without any symptoms of illness, whole litters - a lightning-fast form.

Typical picture (enteropulmonary form)

In most cases, the plague virus infects the intestines and respiratory system, resulting in fever, indigestion, and respiratory problems.

The first signs of distemper in dogs with damage to the respiratory system are as follows:

• painful hacking cough, dry. It may seem that the pet is choking. The tonsils are enlarged, the throat is reddened;

• the eyes are filled with "tears", yellowish paths are visible in the corners of the eyes. Expiration liquid, transparent;

• a clear liquid flows out of the nose, which is why the pet constantly licks its lips. Droplets of dried exudate are noticeable in the corners of the nostrils, especially after sleep.

The temperature may remain normal, be elevated, or fluctuate throughout the day from normal to 42°C. After the onset of distemper in dogs, it can take from one day to several weeks before it worsens. More often it is about 3-5 days.

From the respiratory system:

• wet cough, paroxysmal. Rattling in the chest, gurgling. The pet coughs hysterically, leaning on its front paws, attacks cause vomiting of mucus and even fainting;

• Tears no longer flow from the eyes, but thick pus. The eyelids become inflamed and stick together, especially after sleep. Sometimes the cornea becomes cloudy, and the eyes are swollen with pus so much that the pet cannot open them;

• nose filled with thick greenish or greyish liquid, along the edges of the crust. The nose mirror cracks, touches are painful.

As with other viral diseases of dogs, the symptoms of distemper are not limited to respiratory problems.

In the treatment of viral diseases in canines, special importance is attached to rehabilitation after a dangerous disease - plague.
The introduction of special drugs in the first hours allows you to minimize the adverse effects, so the properties of antiviral drugs are manifested.
It is important to recognize the plague by its first symptoms.

Symptoms and signs

The first signal that something is wrong with the pet is a change in its behavior. In the first few hours of activation of the virus, the first stage of the disease starts.
A tropic plague virus selects an organ that is susceptible to its effects, so there are different forms and types of distemper.

Symptoms of pneumonic plague

Quite often the target is: the upper respiratory tract, bronchi, nasopharynx. Very often the lungs are involved in the process.

Signs:

• Eyes with viscous, copious discharge;
• Runny nose, swelling of the mucous membrane of the nome, the appearance of crusts in the nose, shortness of breath with a closed mouth;
• Heat;
• Cough, wheezing, shortness of breath.
• The animal lies all the time, drinks a lot, has no appetite.

The lightning-fast form quickly turns the malaise into pneumonia, the pet dies in a day.

Symptoms of intestinal plague

The stomach and intestinal tract of the animal is another weak point where plague viruses rush. The intestinal form is dangerous for puppies up to six months old, not vaccinated against distemper. Its main features are:

• Temperature rise;
• Repeated vomiting, diarrhea after drinking or feeding, appetite suffers;
• Diarrhea with blood clots, offensive smell;
• Dryness of mucous membranes, white tongue with indentations from teeth;
• Loss of consciousness, collapse.

The fulminant form of intestinal plague ends in death from severe intoxication, coma, and intestinal bleeding.

Nervous distemper and its symptoms

This form gives complications in the form of paralysis, deafness or visual impairment, periodic frequent epileptic seizures, clonic convulsions. The development of the disease against the background of recovery after a pulmonary or intestinal form is characteristic.

• Temperature rise;
• Unsteadiness of gait
• head up movements;
• Unmotivated aggression;
• Cramps and twitching of the neck muscles;
• epileptic seizures;

The nervous form of the plague is so unpredictable and so often produces complications incompatible with life that it is impossible to make predictions. With the development of meningoencephalitis, the pet dies or remains disabled.

Cutaneous plague

The mild form proceeds almost imperceptibly for the owner, there is only a general, without specific symptoms, a depressed state of the dog. Bubbles and spots are localized on the abdomen, the temperature rises, dandruff is visible at the end of the disease. If the skin form is not complicated, then the prognosis is the most favorable.

Symptoms

The radical and undeniable presence of a difference in the diagnosis of distemper with diseases with similar symptoms is sometimes minimal, the special signs are rather small:

1. Viral gastroenteritis differs from the plague in that the body temperature is lowered during enteritis, high readings are noted only on the first day, the temperature during the plague is noted for the entire period.
2. The nervous form of the plague sometimes resembles the picture of rabies in dogs, but with plague there are always purulent discharges, there is no inflammation process in the upper respiratory tract with hydrophobia.

Treatment at home

If a dog has distemper, only a doctor can identify the symptoms and treatment. It is not recommended to engage in self-treatment and rehabilitation of such a complex and unpredictable disease as distemper. This is due not only to the fact that the diagnosis can be incorrectly made, but also to the recommendation of the urgent administration of hyperimmune serum and interferons, which suppress the development of the virus.

Important: immunostimulants and interferons are not recommended for the manifestation of nervous phenomena!

If it is not possible to quickly contact a veterinarian, then symptomatic treatment can be offered. This means that the pet is treated by suppressing the life-threatening symptoms of the disease. But maintenance therapy should be aimed at strengthening protection, so do not get carried away with antibiotics or other drugs, they reduce immunity:

• Intravenous injections of calcium preparations are certainly prescribed for distemper to compensate for the deficiency of calcium ions, and vitamins to support internal reserves.
• Antibiotics (only in injections) for inflammation of the upper respiratory tract and intestines.
• In case of intoxication, the animal must be soldered, giving rehydrating solutions and herbal decoctions in a teaspoon every half hour.

It is undesirable to use antipyretic drugs and corticosteroids during the febrile stage of the plague. High temperature inhibits the reproduction of the virus.

Prices for medicines

• Calcium gluconate in ampoules - 40 rubles.
• Ascorbic acid - 55 rubles.
• Gammavit 10 ml - 160 rubles.
• Cefotaxime - 20 rubles.
• Saline 200 ml - 45 rubles.
• Regidron - 270 rubles.

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How to treat

If you have identified symptoms of distemper in a dog, only a doctor will tell you how to treat it. If the owner was able to deliver the pet to the clinic on the very first appearance of symptoms of the plague, then the treatment prognosis is favorable. The intensity of treatment is regulated, taking into account the characteristics of age, nature, severity of symptoms, relying on instrumental studies.

There are a number of advantages to this approach:

• the animal is periodically given intravenous infusions;
• she is under round-the-clock medical supervision;
• if you feel worse, the risk of losing the animal is much less than even with the best home treatment.

But the animals often suffer greatly and are afraid to be left alone, so the decision to leave the pet in the clinic is always made by the owner.

Treatment can take place at home with the advice of a veterinarian: the doctor comes, puts a dropper and makes injections, assesses the condition of the dog, and makes recommendations. Of course, in an emergency, the doctor may not have time to help with a sharp change in the dog's condition.

Distemper treatment takes at least two weeks. The nervous form of the plague is difficult and time consuming to cure, but there have been cases where recovery occurs spontaneously. It all depends on the individual qualities of the dog's health, its immune status and concomitant diseases.

Complications of the plague sometimes occur after a few weeks, against the background of the absolute health of the pet. Most often, these are the consequences of damage to the gray matter of the brain, the death of neurons and the nervous system. The dog retains lameness and slight difficulties in the mobility of the limbs, deafness may occur, and epileptic seizures may persist. But complications can be, if the puppy has been ill during the change of teeth, then the permanent teeth become ulcerated, dark.

Complications after the nervous form of distemper, unfortunately, are irreversible, due to the death of brain cells. In rare cases, after some time, lost functions can be restored, but this depends more on the adaptive capabilities of the animal.

Successful treatment of a serious and insidious disease, which is considered distemper of dogs, is preferably carried out only under the supervision of a physician. Timely diagnosis, the introduction of immune and antiviral drugs, good care can prevent complications.

The reasons

The causative agent of distemper in dogs is a virus belonging to the group of paramyxoviruses. A dog can become infected with the causative agent of the disease through the digestive system and respiratory organs. Having penetrated into the body, the virus begins to spread rapidly along with the blood flow throughout the body and settles in almost all organs and tissues.

A sick dog excretes a dangerous pathogen with saliva, feces, urine, mucous secretions from the eyes. The virus is also found in epithelial, dead skin cells.

In this regard, there are several possible sources of infection:

1. Sick animals. In addition to domestic dogs, it can be ferrets, hyenas, wolves, jackals, minks, foxes.
2. Feeders, bedding.
3. Premises for keeping - aviaries, booths.
4. The virus can be carried into the home and by the person on shoes or clothing.

After direct infection, a latent period continues for several days, during which the virus actively multiplies in the body, but there are no external symptoms of the disease yet. The incubation period lasts on average 5-7 days, but can be extended to three weeks, or reduced to two days.

Kare's disease does not apply to seasonal diseases, the virus survives well at temperatures down to minus 24 degrees. At the same time, a pattern was revealed in which a larger percentage of dogs with distemper is registered in spring or autumn. Despite the fact that during the incubation period the dog looks absolutely healthy, it is already a source of infection.

The distemper virus can be excreted from the body of a dog for several weeks after its successful recovery. The risk group includes weakened animals that do not receive proper nutrition, puppies from one month to a year, stray animals.

Puppies up to two months old, feeding on the milk of a mother who, when she had a disease, have their own immunity and therefore very rarely become infected from a sick animal.

Canine distemper in dogs is caused by a virus from the paramyxovirus family (contains RNA). This pathogen is extremely close in its structure and characteristics to the virus that causes measles in hosts. It is similar to the causative agent of plague in large (and, of course, small) livestock.

It is important to take precautions when dealing with sick or even recovered animals.

The causative agent is extremely stable. Unless it dies instantly in boiling water, so be sure to disinfect care items for a sick pet in this way (bowls, toys).

Even after complete recovery (when dogs have clinical signs of distemper), a virus remains in the blood that can cause the disease. Therefore, the animal can infect other pets. Even nasal discharge contains a dangerous microorganism. But the most dangerous are urine and feces.

The course of the disease

Canine distemper can be fulminant, acute, or chronic. The fulminant course passes without obvious clinical signs of the disease, and the death of the animal occurs in one day. The hyperacute form of distemper is manifested by a sharp jump in temperature, refusal to eat.

The dog falls into a coma and dies in 2-3 days. In the acute form of the disease, all signs of distemper are present - temperature, lethargy, inhibition of reflexes, dyspeptic disorders, photophobia. Conjunctivitis and rhinitis develop.

The chronic form of the disease can proceed for several months with periods of exacerbation and remission of the vital activity of the virus. Damage to the nervous system is considered to be an extremely unfavorable prognosis - with the appearance of epileptic seizures, paresis and paralysis, the sick dog dies in almost 90% of cases.

Dogs that have had distemper often remain inferior. They may suffer from hearing, smell and vision, and nervous disorders appear. Some animals are mentally disturbed.

Alternative treatment

Alternative treatment methods should be used only in combination with the main treatment prescribed by the veterinarian. Help to remove toxins from the body decoctions of herbs - chamomile, St. John's wort. Motherwort decoction calms the nervous system and prevents the development of severe symptoms.

Distemper in dogs is a dangerous viral disease that can be treated early. If you identify the first symptoms and contact a veterinarian in a timely manner, a sick animal can be saved.

• What is a dog in the house? This is happiness from communicating with a four-legged friend, joint walks, eternal devotion and fidelity that a dog gives
• The most important thing is that the dog stays healthy. But this is not always the case: our pets, especially young ones, are prone to many diseases.
• One of the most serious is canine distemper or, as it is popularly called, distemper.

How does distemper appear in dogs - symptoms?

Distemper is a very ancient disease, mentioned in the writings of Aristotle. Only in 1905, the French scientist Carre managed to establish the causative agent of the disease - filterable virus.

IMPORTANT: Distemper is a viral disease with a variable incubation period of three days to three weeks from the moment of infection. The animal still appears healthy, but is already contagious.

The virus makes itself felt gradually: the dog begins to get bored, tired, loses appetite and the disease enters the first stage of development.

Such a manifestation of the disease, if diagnosed in time, is quickly treated and in 90% of cases the dog recovers.

IMPORTANT: If the owner of the dog ignored or did not notice changes in the behavior of his pet, the distemper develops and smoothly passes into the next stage.

At the next stage of the development of the disease, the temperature rises, discharge from the conjunctiva of the eyes and nasal mucosa begins, diarrhea is possible, the coat becomes unkempt, it may fall out, exposing the skin, the animal does not eat, but drinks a lot, clogs up in the darkest corner.

After some time, the hind limbs are paralyzed, and then the respiratory tract and death occurs.

Depending on the focus of the virus, distemper is divided into:

• pulmonary
• intestinal
• skin
• nervous

IMPORTANT: It is noteworthy that none of the forms is present in its pure form, so the above clinical characteristics are almost the same for all varieties of the virus.

The duration of the course of the disease is different and depends on many factors:

• with a lightning-fast variant, the clinic of the disease is practically absent, and the animal dies within a day
• the hyperacute form is characterized by high fever, refusal to eat, coma and death of the animal within 2-3 days
• in the acute form, all of the indicated symptoms are observed and, with proper treatment, 30% of pets survive. However, the body of an ill animal can no longer function as before: problems with hearing, vision, smell appear, nervous and mental disorders are characteristic.
• in the chronic form of distemper, lasting for months, there is a gradual "extinction" of the animal, with outbreaks of the clinical characteristics of the disease, which ultimately leads to death

The terrible virus does not spare any organ of the animal, but the nervous system suffers the most: the dog shakes and twitches its paws, it has seizures, and often paralyzes the entire body.

Is distemper transmitted from dog to dog?

A pet can become infected with distemper anywhere and any way, since the causative agent of the disease belongs to the family of viruses that spread by airborne droplets.

IMPORTANT: If a healthy animal is in close contact with an infected one - plays, eats and drinks from the same bowl, sniffs feces - distemper is guaranteed to him.

Even the owner of a pet, walking in the places where a sick dog walks, can bring the virus on his clothes or shoes. In most cases, infection occurs through the ears, mouth, nose. The pathogen, entering the body, affects the blood and tissues of the animal.

Is distemper transmitted from dogs to humans?

If a pet is sick, he needs the help of the owner, who can safely take care of an infected dog, since the causative agent of canine distemper is not transmitted to humans.

IMPORTANT: You need to know that this virus is very stable in the external environment, and in order not to bring it into the house with a healthy animal, you need to treat clothes and shoes with ether or chloroform.

Is distemper transmitted from dog to cat?

Not less beloved by many people, cats can also get sick with distemper. But they do not become infected with it from dogs, that is, mutual infection is excluded.

Pathogen panleukopenia(distemper) in cats is parvovirus. So, if two types of pets live at home, they will not be able to infect each other with distemper.

How to treat distemper in a dog?

• The sooner treatment of a sick animal is started, the greater the chance of a favorable outcome.
• The most dangerous of the symptoms is damage to the central nervous system, so therapy should be comprehensive, aimed at individual clinical manifestations of the disease.
• The use of etiotropic therapy will help to influence the pathogen. For the manufacture of serum, antibodies of already ill dogs are used, as they give the strongest therapeutic effect.
• Domestic veterinary medicine relies on preparations of firms "Biocenter", "Narvak" or foreign analogues "Merial", "Biovet"
• Serum dose for overweight dogs less than 5 kg is 2ml, a over 5 kg – 5ml. If necessary, the procedure is repeated at the same dosage every other day. However, this is not a panacea, and the introduction of serum is effective only at the initial stage of the disease.

IMPORTANT: In order for the dog's immune system to work at the proper level during an illness, it must be maintained with the help of immunostimulants containing interferon, which suppresses the vital activity of the virus.

It is also necessary to compensate for the lack of B vitamins and calcium in the pet's body by introducing appropriate drugs.

IMPORTANT: It is also advisable to take antibiotics aimed at lowering the body temperature of a sick animal. Their choice depends on the symptoms of the disease.

• If the dog coughs, then you need to help her body remove sputum from the lungs by using expectorants: mukaltin, bromhexine, etc. Anti-inflammatory drugs are required
• For eye treatment, use various drops and ointments containing antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory substances. Regularly wash and clean out suppurations in front of the dog
• This can be done with fresh, strongly brewed black tea, 1% boric acid solution.

Distemper vaccination for dogs

So that a four-legged family friend does not get sick with dog distemper, it is necessary to vaccinate him. Vaccination is carried out at the age of one to one and a half months.

Some veterinarians believe that antibodies obtained from the mother remain in the blood for up to three months, so puppies should be vaccinated at this age.

IMPORTANT: The main thing is that during the post-vaccination period, the puppy should not come into contact with other dogs for at least two weeks, or better than a month, and potential carriers of the virus should not come into the house.

The next vaccination is done at 6 months, and after that - once a year.

IMPORTANT: Only healthy animals can be vaccinated, after having cleansed the body of worms and fleas.

• A vaccine for vaccination, both domestic and imported, should be purchased at specialized clinics
• In most cases, it is a polyvalent drug ( "Nobivak", "Tetradog" and others), designed to develop immunity from several common diseases
• Such vaccinations are very easily tolerated by dogs, and it is acceptable for the animal's body to experience an immune shake once.

Can a vaccinated dog get distemper?

If the owners of the dog are responsible, they vaccinate their pet in time, he will not get sick. This does not mean that the animal will not catch the distemper virus, it is just that it is unlikely to be noticeable: since antibodies are present in the blood of the animal, the body will cope with the disease without any problems.

IMPORTANT: There are cases when a puppy is infected, but the disease has not yet manifested itself clinically, and at the same time the owners have vaccinated a small pet. In 99% of cases, this leads to the death of the animal.

If the puppy, after some time after vaccination, when the immunity had not yet had time to form, caught the virus, then the situation is also very difficult and can lead to death.

IMPORTANT: No vaccine is 100% guaranteed. It just helps to painlessly cope with the virus.

Alternative treatment of distemper in dogs at home

At the first noticed symptoms of the disease, you should definitely contact your veterinarian. After passing all the necessary tests, the doctor will prescribe the necessary treatment according to the symptoms. If it is possible to cure a pet at home, the veterinarian will certainly notify the owner of the animal.

IMPORTANT: But in no case should you independently treat distemper in a dog with folk remedies - it will not help and lead to the death of the animal.

It is possible to add some herbal decoctions to the main therapy determined by the veterinarian:

• In order to reduce the level of intoxication, you can use decoction chamomile or St. John's wort
• As a sedative, so that the pathology of the nervous system does not develop, it is possible to use decoction of motherwort

To this must be added a properly composed diet and tireless care of the owner.

Such folk methods will benefit the pet.

Treatment of distemper in dogs with vodka

Almost all veterinarians are unequivocally against treating the canine distemper virus with vodka, since, in their opinion, this will inevitably lead the dog to death.

However, some dog breeders use a vodka cocktail as a therapy: 100 ml of vodka, one raw egg, one teaspoon of honey are thoroughly mixed and the dog is soldered with this solution.

IMPORTANT: This method is relevant only at the very beginning of the development of the disease, and if the dog has good immunity.

The owner is fully responsible for the health of a domestic dog. Therefore, in order to avoid health problems, he is obliged to vaccinate his pet against dangerous diseases and exclude his contact with unfamiliar animals.

Video: Distemper in dogs