I first get to know the presence of Distemper virus through Hope Dog Rescue's blog on Babu.
The post left me getting emotional (opps.. I sound like...) while I was having holiday in Taiwan. Seeing how the dog slowly become weaker day by day and twitching uncontrollably really breaks my heart. And that is also when I get to know that this is another deadly virus apart from Parvo.
Read Babu's story here: http://hopedogrescue.blogspot.sg/2012/05/babu-fights-for-his-life_29.html
Many Ubin dogs died due to distemper sometime back too, and that is why Ubin is left with so little dogs now :(
See AVA's memo:
With the recent uproar of distemper outbreak everywhere (including farmway 2),
packwalk has been postponed for the time being.
packwalk has been postponed for the time being.
:(((
This is the last thing that we would want to do because we know that the furkids are surely going to feel very disappointed, (imagine yourself looking forward to weekend, and when weekend finally arrived, the humans came, but no, you are not going to go for walk T_T) but in order to be responsible to all the different dogs that we are handling as well as the public, we cannot risk bringing them out now.
Some organization had already banned their dogs from going for walk, but some others, still continues to.. And we wouldn't know if their dogs are totally cleared from distemper..
Ok, so now, for the benefit of those who have ZERO (ZEH-HO) idea of what the hell
CANINE DISTEMPER is... here it is (according to my Google research, *eh mai hiam hor, me very nice to summarize here liao* ):
Ok, so now, for the benefit of those who have ZERO (ZEH-HO) idea of what the hell
CANINE DISTEMPER is... here it is (according to my Google research, *eh mai hiam hor, me very nice to summarize here liao* ):
Disclaimer: Most of the info are being koped from the internet, therefore Im unable to guarantee the degree of accuracy of these information, I merely summarized and edit a little here and there for easier referencing. Should you be keen in knowing more about Distemper, consult a vet then.
What is Distemper?
It is a contagious and serious viral disease that affects a dog’s respiratory, gastrointestinal, respiratory and central nervous systems, as well as the conjunctival membranes of the eye. It is similar to the human measles virus. Distemper is most commonly associated with dogs and ferrets (will not spread to cats).
What are the symptoms?
Signs of distemper appear six to nine days after exposure, and in mild cases go unnoticed.
- Sneezing
- Coughing
- Fever
- Thick mucus coming from the eyes and nose.
- Lethargy
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Loss of appetite
*pictures credited to Google search*
First stage: fever up to 39.4° to 40.5°C. A second fever spike is accompanied by loss of appetite, listlessness, and a watery discharge from the eyes and nose.
These symptoms may be mistaken for a cold.
These symptoms may be mistaken for a cold.
Within a few days, the eye and nasal discharge becomes thick, yellow, and sticky.
The dog develops a pronounced dry cough.
Pus blisters may appear on the abdomen.
Frequent vomiting and diarrhea which causes severe dehydration
The dog develops a pronounced dry cough.
Pus blisters may appear on the abdomen.
Frequent vomiting and diarrhea which causes severe dehydration
During the next one to two weeks, very often the dog seems to be getting better but then relapses.
Second stage: occurs two to three weeks after the onset of the disease. Many dogs develop signs of brain involvement (brief attacks of slobbering, head shaking, and chewing movements of the jaws as if the dog were chewing gum). Seizures may occur, in which the dog runs in circles, falls over, and kicks all four feet wildly. After the convulsive episode the dog appears to be confused, shies away from his owner, wanders about aimlessly, and appears to be blind.
How does it spread?
It is normally spread from dog to dog through direct contact with all body secretions such as pee, poo, blood or saliva - 6 to 22 days after exposure.
Sneezing, coughing and sharing food and water bowls are all possible ways for the virus to be passed on.
The time between infection and disease is 14 to 18 days, although a fever can appear from three to six days after infection
Sneezing, coughing and sharing food and water bowls are all possible ways for the virus to be passed on.
The time between infection and disease is 14 to 18 days, although a fever can appear from three to six days after infection
It is also air-borne.
Unvaccinated dogs are at high risk of infection especially young puppies and older dogs with poor immune system.
Can it be treated?
There is currently no available medication to destroy the virus.
Vets will prescribe fluids to prevent dehydration and antibiotics to ward off secondary infections while the infected dog builds up his immune response
Vets will prescribe fluids to prevent dehydration and antibiotics to ward off secondary infections while the infected dog builds up his immune response
Some dogs are able to survive the infection, while for others canine distemper can be fatal.
Dogs who recover from canine distemper may have seizures or other central nervous system disorders that may not show up until many years later—sometimes in their old age. They may also be left with permanent brain and nerve damage, and these symptoms also may not show up until years later.
While some dogs recover on their own, but owners should never take a wait-and-see approach with this disease. However, distemper is similar to the measles: If your dog recovers, he'll be naturally immune to a second attack, and he's no longer contagious
How to prevent?
VACCINATION!!!!!!!!!!
Don't try to save that little bit of money and risk your dog's life!!
And don't be lazy/complacent!!
And don't be lazy/complacent!!
What should I do if my dog is suspected of Distemper?
Go to a vet ASAP.
Infected animals should be quarantined from other dogs for several months due to the length of time the animal may shed the virus.
Sources:
How a dog survived distemper:
MEANWHILE...
We will continue to bring nice food for the furkids to compensate them for not being able to bring them out and focus on our rehab work.
And people, please disinfect yourself BEFORE and AFTER you go to places with many dogs, be it shelter or what so ever, especially those with dogs at home.
I need to do start mass disinfection of my shelter bags, shoes, leash EVERYTHING liao!
YOU GO NOW TOO!!
(Ok, what kind of English is this -.-)
Use bleach, Dettol, or whatever you can find that is of use lah!
Lets all pray that this whole Distemper shit will end soon.
