Distemper Dog

The name distemper is a misnomer but evolved in days gone by from many maladies that were called a distemper. Benjamin Franklin writes in his autobiography that he had a distemper for many months.

There is no doubt that this one disease was responsible for dog population control in days prior to preventive inoculations.

So feared by dog owners and once the scourge of dogs, distemper is now rapidly dwindling in incidence. Although still a menace in some areas, in others it has been practically eliminated and is approaching the status of human poliomyelitis in its infrequency. The control of distemper is ass eloquent demonstration of the excellent results of cooperation between researchers, veterinarians, and dog owners.

Distemper is a disease of the epithelial tissue, which covers the body inside and out. All of the mucous membranes, such as the lining of the nose, the mouth, the tissue around the eyes, the intestinal lining, the internal genital organs, and the bladder lining, are attacked, as are the glands and those cells that secrete substances.

Although the incubation period is five to seven days, some dogs appear to develop signs of distemper many weeks after known exposure. Puppies taken from shelters that cannot afford to give inoculations may be normal until five days from exposure, at which time they have a sudden elevation of temperature to perhaps 504° F. At this time vomiting and listlessness are evident, as well as photophobia, or a fear of light, in many cases. In a few days the temperature returns to normal and the dog acts well, but for only a day or two, and then the temperature rises again to 504° F or higher. It is thought by many that the initial viral attack weakens the dog known by opportunist bacteria, which are always present, can, flourish in the damaged tissue. In any event, a dry cough, purulent eye and nose discharges, diarrhea, and vomiting may all be present.

Throughout the course of the disease the coat appears rough and unkempt. In some cases pustules may be found on the skin of the abdomen. As the disease progresses with the secondary diseases that complicate it, dehydration often occurs. The skin can be pulled up in folds and does not snap back into place as healthy skin does but re-mains in ridges that return to normal very slowly. The tongue usually is coated and sometimes ulcerated.

Distemper generally lasts a full four weeks. When complicated with certain diseases, it may be a three-month disease.

These are the symptoms that are obvious to the dog owner. Your veterinarian can find others of more certain diagnostic value.

If this were the total extent of the problem snort cases of distemper would recover, but serious complications do occur, the worst of which is encephalitis, or inflammation of the brain. This is the result of the virus attacking the brain and inflaming it, riot the result of a secondary disease.

Some dogs are left deaf, blind, or with an impaired sense of smell. Of those that survive encephalitis, many are left with a chorea jerk in one or more muscles; some have complete reversals of personality, and some develop epileptic seizures.

Method of Infection: From infection with the virus until the appearance of the earliest symptoms, the incubation period is five to seven days. During that time the disease is extremely contagious. It requires 'so more than the merest sniff of a sick dog's breaths to infect healthy dog.

Infection probably occurs chiefly through the nose, eyes, and mouth. It is believed flies and other insects can spread it. Even earthworms may become infected from excreta, keep the virus alive in their bodies, and spread it when they crawl up out of the ground. Distemper is not confined to any one season of the year, nor does it exempt any age, sex, breed, or color of dog. One possible exception is the remarkable resistance of the pregnant bitch, who in some way is protected by her pregnancy to such an extent that one often hardly realizes she has the disease. If she does contract it toward the end of pregnancy, she may help her puppies and, at this time, lose her protection and be as severely affected as any other dog.

It has often been suggested that dogs in fine physical condition are able to throw off the disease. This is doubtful. Whole kennels of dog sin top condition have been known to contract distemper.

How long will the infection last in an area after a dog has died with the disease? Outside the body the virus is generally short-lived. It may live for several days in insects, and dogs that eat them will be infected. In extreme cold the virus ‘nay not dies for a number of years. Heat kills it quickly. In moist stools it may live longer in cool weather than in hot. But the old idea that a new dog may not be brought into a house for six months after the previous dog has died finds no support in modem research. In summer the safe period is probably nearer to a week.

Immunization: Since distemper is such a loathsome disease, it be hooves all dog owners to have their dogs properly protected against it. Even though in some sections the disease is dying out, immunization still remains the humane, sensible, sporting, and economical thing to do. It is easy to accomplish.

Whereas the disease ran rampant in pet shops years ago, it is virtually never found in pet shop puppies today since breeders inoculate their puppies prior to shipment and pet shops re inoculate them upon receipt. The reservoir of infection today is in shelters that keep dog for adoptions. With dog collected from one area and housed often in crowded quarters, the disease is transmitted freely. The operators of these kinds of shelters usually cannot afford to pay for inoculations for unwanted dog.

Treatment: The history of the treatment of this disease is interesting. Sulfa drugs and antibiotics cannot cure such viral diseases.

Some people claim that forcing a dog to inhale ether on a regular basis improves the chances of recovery.

This treatment came about by clinical observations and the consideration of some seemingly unrelated facts. Anticancer preparations are thought to deplete the system of folic acid, necessary for certain types of cancer to flourish. Raw egg white is indigestible in dogs and it also robs the system of biotin which is necessary for life. Alcohol also has the effect of robbing the system of part of the vitamin complex. The virus needed the nutrition that these two substances depleted the system of, just as the antipolice drugs do in cancer therapy.

The first dog we tried the treatment on was an Old English Sheep-dog puppy that was in the encephalitis stage, having started convulsing. It was brought in as a consultation since euthanasia had been suggested. With two raw egg whites and a tablespoonful of whiskey three times daily and a diet devoid of fresh meat or milk for two months, the dog made a miraculous recovery. Apparently the dog could outlast the virus on a deficient diet. This treatment has worked on many dogs since, but the disease has been so rare that we have not been able Tomas’s test it to reinforce the treatment's effectiveness.

Presently accepted treatments vary with veterinarians but antibiotics are useful in keeping secondary infections under control and fluid therapy will maintain hydration.

Hard pad. Toward the end of the distemper era a condition calendared appeared which still bewilders marry researchers. Dogs that appeared to have all the signs of distemper also developed a foot pad condition wherein the pads of the feet became hard and, in those that recovered, dropped off.

When affected dogs walked across a hard surface their pads were so, hard a clicking sound was heard with each step. This variation is prevented by proper distemper inoculations but a large percent of those not properly protected develop the same type of encephalitis that terminal distemper cases develop.