Because the symptoms of dogs in the early stage of infection with canine distemper are similar to a cold, the body temperature of the infected dogs fluctuates, reaching a maximum of 39.5-41℃, which will last for 2-3 days. Discharge, dry throat, swollen eyes, etc. and puppies are a high-risk group for canine distemper. So when puppies have cold-like symptoms, people tend to associate canine distemper.
This canine distemper with a mortality rate as high as 80% is silently reaping the lives of countless dogs. It is precisely because of its hard-to-eradicate virus and inexorable ways of transmission: airborne transmission, contact of the same species, secretions from sick dogs, etc.
So as long as you take your dog out and socialize it, you may get canine distemper. This is one of the reasons why it is recommended that puppies go out as little as possible until they are vaccinated. Some owners may wonder: Yes, you said that you have been vaccinated, so you won’t be infected with canine distemper after you get vaccinated? Vaccination ≠ 100% acquisition of corresponding antibodies, this is a basic common sense.
Many vaccinated dogs passed their infancy safely, but the vaccine did not work, and waited until adulthood , The body’s antibodies to canine distemper may be restored, and there is no canine distemper antibody in the body. Whether it is a juvenile, adult or old dog, there is a chance of suffering from canine distemper. Therefore, if you want to be 100% assured after a course of vaccines, you should do an antibody test. As long as the antibody can maintain a certain level, you will not be infected with canine distemper .
Another point is that dogs who have been diagnosed with canine distemper as a child and have been successfully cured will produce corresponding antibodies in their bodies, so there is no need to worry about them, and they will recur in adulthood. What should I do if my adult dog seems to have canine distemper? It’s normal for an adult dog to catch a cold. You can’t go to the hospital for a test every time, right?
It is certainly good to have this vigilance, but the easiest way to detect whether your dog has canine distemper at home is to use CDV distemper strips. However, I want to remind everyone here that the test strip test is not 100% effective. You can test it several times, then measure the dog’s body temperature (to see if it increases), and then combine it with the dog’s symptoms to get a more accurate answer.
There are five main types of canine distemper: hyperacute, acute, gastrointestinal symptoms, neurological symptoms, skin symptoms, etc. It is mainly limited to the respiratory tract, so coughing and runny nose will be obvious, but colds can also have this symptom, so it cannot be used as the only standard for testing.
In the beginning, we mentioned the initial symptoms of canine distemper. In addition, dogs will have Loss of appetite, constipation, vomiting, diarrhea and other symptoms. In the middle stage of canine distemper, the dog’s body temperature will rise again, and the duration is uncertain. At this time, the dog’s mental state is relatively sluggish, inactive, just want to lie down, and lose appetite, and the secretion of pus and eye mucus will become more and more More, there will be fine cracks in the nostrils. Cough symptoms will be more pronounced. In the middle stage of the dog, the state of the dog is quite different from the symptoms of a cold, so many adult dogs are noticed at this time that something is wrong, and then go for treatment.
Through the above detection methods, once a dog is found to be infected with canine distemper, please seek medical attention in time, and don’t imagine the “miracle” that the dog can heal itself. Again, prevention is better than cure, and both puppies and adult dogs need to do enough preventive work.
Finally, I will summarize the prevention methods for canine distemper:
1. Vaccination. Dog vaccination is to prevent canine distemper, small and other diseases, but vaccination is not 100% successful.
2. When buying a dog, choose a regular kennel or breeder, and don’t go to some unknown dog farms and some dog dealers to buy it.
3. The puppies do not go out and do not come into contact with other dogs. The resistance of puppies is poor. Only by not having too much contact with outside dogs can greatly reduce the probability of getting sick.
4. Regularly disinfect the home environment to prevent the growth of bacteria.
