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Distemper signs & symptoms · Distemper diagnosis · Distemper treatment · Distemper r elated articles
Distemper medical terms: Ataxia, Attenuated, CSF, Cytokines, Enamel hypoplasia, Free radicals, Gastrointestinal (GI), Lymphopenia, Myoclonus, Titer
Distemper is a viral respiratory disease that can progress to cause brain damage. Fortunately, many animals infected with distemper do not become seriously ill, but when they do become ill, about half will die. The animals that die are usually young puppies or older dogs with weak immune systems.
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The distemper virus is similar to the human measles virus. The virus is successful because it suppresses the pet’s immune system and actually multiples within the immune system as it spreads through the body.
Distemper is highly contagious and spreads as dogs breathe or cough on each other (aerosol infection). It also spreads through discharge from the eyes and nose, and even from food and water that has been contaminates. Fortunately, the virus
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is easily killed by cleaning with household detergents. This is unlike parvo virus that persists in the environment unless killed with bleach or strong chemicals.
Who gets Distemper?
Puppies and older dogs with poor immune function are prone to develop distemper infections. This disease also infects many wild animals including hyenas, mink, weasels, raccoons, civet cats and large zoo cats. Distemper occurs throughout North America, Europe, and Australia and is one of the leading causes of death in dogs.
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Occasionally, humans are infected with the distemper virus, but it does not cause symptoms. Scientists investigated humans with canine distemper virus to see if there was a connection between distemper and the development of multiple sclerosis (MS), but they did not find one.
Visit the Department of Natural Resources for information on Feline Distemper.
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The articles here were answered by a variety of pharmacists and veterinarians
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Fever
Runny nose
Eye discharge
Cough
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Depletion of white blood cells (lymphopenia)
Seizures
Paralysis
Spasmodic muscle jerks (myoclonus)
Muscle tremors
Eye problems
Hardening of foot pads
Unusual tooth enamel
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Vaccine protection against distemper is best for most pets
Distemper causes respiratory and gastrointestinal signs and can initially be confused with parvo disease
Titer tests help determine the best time to vaccinate |
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Puppies
Immune-suppressed dogs
Hyenas
Mink
Weasels
Raccoons
Civet cats
Lions and large zoo cats
Seals |
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| Vaccines protecting against distemper |
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