Canine distemper, also called Carre’s disease or Hard pad disease, is an acute, highly contagious and frequently fatal viral disease of domesticated and wild dogs worldwide. Canine distemper is especially life-threatening to unvaccinated puppies if not quickly diagnosed and treated aggressively.Canine distemper is caused by a Morbillivirus from the family Paramyxoviridae. It is closely related to the measles virus and to the Rinderpest virus of cattle, and it now is referred to as the Canine
Canine distemper is a highly contagious and potentially deadly viral disease that primarily affects young dogs between 3 and 6 months of age. It also can affect wildlife. The virus usually settles in a dog’s respiratory tract first, replicates there and then spreads through the lymphatic system and the blood to other parts of the body. Once an animal is exposed to the canine distemper virus (by inhaling respiratory secretions or coming into direct contact
When an owner notices weepy eyes, nasal discharge, coughing, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, weakness and/or lack of appetite and weight loss in a young dog – especially in one who is unvaccinated or has not completed its puppy series of vaccinations – distemper should be fairly high on the list of differentials, and the dog should be taken to the veterinarian as soon as possible. It is not especially difficult to diagnose distemper in domestic
Distemper in domestic dogs is a highly contagious, often fatal viral disease that affects respiratory, urogenital, gastrointestinal, ocular and central nervous system tissue. Distemper is most commonly seen in young dogs, although unvaccinated, immunocompromised or otherwise stressed dogs of all ages are at risk of contracting the virus as well. The disease causes a range of clinical signs that can include a fluctuating fever, nasal and ocular discharge, cough, depression, loss of appetite, weight loss,