Distemper Dog Symptoms
Distemper, “the scourge of dog doom,” is quite similar to influenza in human beings and, like the latter, 
is caused primarily by a virus, followed by a secondary bacterial invasion. For the most part it attacks, young dogs from 2 months to a year old, producing catarrhal, inflammation of all the mucous membranes of the body, frequently accompanied by nervous symptoms caused by disturbances of the brain and spinal cord. The disease is highly contagious and often fatal; affected animals should be promptly isolated, and the premises should be thoroughly disinfected.
Stein emphasizes that diagnosis and the prescription of treatment should be in the hands of a competent veterinarian. There is no cure, but injections of an antiserum administered early enough can lessen the severity of an attack. Otherwise, treatment consists in careful nursing and feeding.
Two basic methods of immunization are effective in preventing the disease, one involving the use of a vaccine and a living virus, the other the use of an antiserum and a living virus. Some investigators believe that puppies vaccinated under 4 to 6 months of age do not become completely immune; hence they should not be vaccinated until after this age. In case of imminent exposure, however, puppies6 to 8 weeks old can be protected by a vaccine or antiserum and then immunized later.