25/09/2025
https://www.facebook.com/share/19WAJpLS5p/
โ ๏ธ๐จ๐ฅ๐๐๐ก๐ง: ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ ๐๐ถ๐๐๐ฒ๐บ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฉ๐ถ๐ฟ๐๐ ๐ข๐๐๐ฏ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ธ
You may have already seen various posts circulating about canine distemper outbreaks.
As a practice we do not wish to make our community panic - but rather offer information and raise awareness.
It is however important as a pet owner that you familiarize yourself with the below:
๐ช๐๐๐ง ๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐ก๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ฆ๐ง๐๐ ๐ฃ๐๐ฅ ๐ฆ
Canine distemper is a virus thatโs contagious and attacks the nervous , gastrointestinal and respiratory tract of puppies and dogs.
๐๐ข๐ช ๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐ก๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ฆ๐ง๐๐ ๐ฃ๐๐ฅ ๐ฆ๐ฃ๐ฅ๐๐๐? ๐ถ
The virus is spread through the air by direct or indirect contact with the infected animal.
Airborne exposure through sneezing and coughing, sharing of food and water bowls.
The virus initially attacks the dogs tonsils and lymph nodes , replicating before moving over to the respiratory, gastrointestinal, urogenital and nervous system.
Infected dogs can shed the virus for months , and mothers can pass the virus through the placenta to their puppies.
๐ช๐๐๐ง ๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ง๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ฌ๐ ๐ฃ๐ง๐ข๐ ๐ฆ ๐ช
๐ Initially dogs will develop a watery to pus-
like discharge from both eyes.
๐ค Fever
๐ช nasal discharge
๐ท coughing
๐ reduced appetite as well as
๐ค lethargy.
Once the virus attacks the nervous system the infected dog dogs develop circling behavior , muscle twitches, jaw chewing movements, seizure, head tilts.
๐ฃ๐ฅ๐๐ฉ๐๐ก๐ง๐๐ข๐ก ๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐ง๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐ง๐๐๐ก ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ ๐
Whilst there is no cure for canine distemper you can prevent this disease by ensuring your dogs annual
5 in 1 / annual vaccinations are up to date.
๐๐๐ฆ๐ง๐๐ ๐ฃ๐๐ฅ ๐๐ก๐ ๐ช๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐
The virus has been found in arrange of wildlife such as foxes, skunks , wolves and raccoons. It has also been reported in lions, tigers , seals and other wild cats.
In wildlife distemper closely resembles rabies.
๐๐๐๐๐ก๐ข๐ฆ๐๐ฆ ๐๐ก๐ ๐ง๐ฅ๐๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ก๐ง ๐ก
Veterinarians diagnose canine distemper through clinical appearance and laboratory testing.
Unfortunately there is no cure or specific treatment for canine distemper.
There are also no antiviral drugs that are effective in treating the disease.
The mortality rate of the virus largely depends on the immune status of the infected dog. Puppies experience the highest mortality rate, where complications such as pneumonia and encephalitis are more common.
๐ฃ๐ฅ๐๐ฉ๐๐ก๐ง๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ก๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ฆ๐ง๐๐ ๐ฃ๐๐ฅ ๐
The best prevention for canine distemper is routine vaccination.
๐ A series of vaccination are administered to puppies to increase the likelihood of building immunity when the immune system has not yet fully matured.
๐ Avoid gaps in your pets immunization schedule and make sure the vaccinations are up to date.
๐ฉAvoid contact with infected animals and wildlife.
๐พUse caution when socializing puppies or unvaccinated dogs at parks or areas where dogs congregate.
๐ฆ Pet ferrets should be vaccinated against canine distemper using a approved ferret vaccine.
๐ฆ๐ต๐ผ๐๐น๐ฑ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป๐ ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ฐ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฑ๐๐น๐ฒ๐ ๐ฝ๐น๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐น ๐ณ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ ๐๐ ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ ๐ฏ๐ผ๐ผ๐ธ๐น๐ฒ๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ธ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ ๐๐ ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ญ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ต๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฌ๐ฌ.
