I AM the foxpro
New member
i really want to know. what is distemper? i heard only foxes get. do they have visual symptoms, like mange. if i was to see a fox would i be able to tell if it had distemper? thanks
distemper? please reply
- Thread starter I AM the foxpro
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littletoes
New member
I know that dogs can get it, and also carry it. The only visual signs that I know are that they can foam at the mouth, they look "drunk", and they just look "sick." But when you notice these signs, its usually too late to do anything for the animal. It is highly contagious to animals not immunized. The eyes get nasty too.
Robert Cobb
New member
Yeah littletoes is right with the symptoms and it is very contagious and K-9's aren't the only species to get it, Racoons, Skunks, Minks, Ferrets, Cats and a number of other species can also get it... But it changes names in some other species... Below is some more info on the disease I found in a search and it goes pretty indepth.
Canine distemper is a contagious, incurable, often fatal, multisystemic viral disease that affects the respiratory, gastrointestinal, and central nervous systems. Distemper is caused by the canine distemper virus (CDV).
Incidence
Canine distemper occurs worldwide, and once was the leading cause of death in unvaccinated puppies. Widespread vaccination programs have dramatically reduced its incidence.
CDV occurs among domestic dogs and many other carnivores, including raccoons, skunks, and foxes. CDV is fairly common in wildlife. The development of a vaccine in the early 1960s led to a dramatic reduction in the number of infected domestic dogs. It tends to occur now only as sporadic outbreaks.
Young puppies between 3 and 6 months old are most susceptible to infection and disease and are more likely to die than infected adults. Nonimmunized older dogs are also highly susceptible to infection and disease. Nonimmunized dogs that have contact with other nonimmunized dogs or with wild carnivores have a greater risk of developing canine distemper.
Transmission
Infected dogs shed the virus through bodily secretions and excretions, especially respiratory secretions. The primary mode of transmission is airborne viral particles that dogs breathe in. Dogs in recovery may continue to shed the virus for several weeks after symptoms disappear, but they no longer shed the virus once they are fully recovered.
It is possible for humans to contract an asymptomatic (subclinical) CDV infection. Anyone who’s been immunized against measles (a related virus) is protected against CDV as well.
Symptoms
Macrophages (cells that ingest foreign disease-carrying organisms, like viruses and bacteria) carry the inhaled virus to nearby lymph nodes where it begins replicating (reproducing). It spreads rapidly through the lymphatic tissue and infects all the lymphoid organs within 2 to 5 days. By days six to nine, the virus spreads to the blood (viremia). It then spreads to the surface epithelium (cell lining) of the respiratory, gastrointestinal, urogenital, and central nervous systems, where it begins doing the damage that causes the symptoms.
Early symptoms include fever, loss of appetite, and mild eye inflammation that may only last a day or two. Symptoms become more serious and noticeable as the disease progresses.
The initial symptom is fever (103ºF to 106ºF), which usually peaks 3 to 6 days after infection. The fever often goes unnoticed and may peak again a few days later. Dogs may experience eye and nose discharge, depression, and anorexia. After the fever, symptoms vary considerably, depending on the strain of the virus and the dog’s immunity.
Many dogs experience gastrointestinal and respiratory symptoms, such as:
Conjunctivitis (discharge from the eye)
Diarrhea
Fever (usually present but unnoticed)
Pneumonia (cough, labored breathing)
Rhinitis (runny nose)
Vomiting
These symptoms are often exacerbated by secondary bacterial infections. Dogs almost always develop encephalomyelitis (an inflammation of the brain and spinal cord), the symptoms of which are variable and progressive. Most dogs that die from distemper, die from neurological complications such as the following:
Ataxia (muscle incoordination)
Depression
Hyperesthesia (increased sensitivity to sensory stimuli, such as pain or touch)
Myoclonus (muscle twitching or spasm), which can become disabling
Paralysis
Paresis (partial or incomplete paralysis)
Progressive deterioration of mental abilities
Progressive deterioration of motor skills
Seizures that can affect any part of the body (One type of seizure that affects the head, and is unique to distemper is sometimes referred to as a “chewing gum fit” because the dog appears to be chewing gum.)
Many dogs experience symptoms of the eye:
Inflammation of the eye (either keratoconjunctivitis, inflammation of the cornea and conjunctiva, or chorioretinitis, inflammation of the choroid and retina)
Lesions on the retina (the innermost layer of the eye)
Optic neuritis (inflammation of the optic nerve which leads to blindness)
Two relatively minor conditions that often become chronic, even in dogs that recover are:
Enamel hypoplasia (unenameled teeth that erode quickly in puppies whose permanent teeth haven’t erupted yet - the virus kills all the cells that make teeth enamel)
Hyperkeratosis (hardening of the foot pads and nose)
In utero infection of fetuses is rare, but can happen. This can lead to spontaneous abortion, persistent infection in newborn puppies, or the birth of normal looking puppies that rapidly develop symptoms and die within 4 to 6 weeks.
Canine distemper is a contagious, incurable, often fatal, multisystemic viral disease that affects the respiratory, gastrointestinal, and central nervous systems. Distemper is caused by the canine distemper virus (CDV).
Incidence
Canine distemper occurs worldwide, and once was the leading cause of death in unvaccinated puppies. Widespread vaccination programs have dramatically reduced its incidence.
CDV occurs among domestic dogs and many other carnivores, including raccoons, skunks, and foxes. CDV is fairly common in wildlife. The development of a vaccine in the early 1960s led to a dramatic reduction in the number of infected domestic dogs. It tends to occur now only as sporadic outbreaks.
Young puppies between 3 and 6 months old are most susceptible to infection and disease and are more likely to die than infected adults. Nonimmunized older dogs are also highly susceptible to infection and disease. Nonimmunized dogs that have contact with other nonimmunized dogs or with wild carnivores have a greater risk of developing canine distemper.
Transmission
Infected dogs shed the virus through bodily secretions and excretions, especially respiratory secretions. The primary mode of transmission is airborne viral particles that dogs breathe in. Dogs in recovery may continue to shed the virus for several weeks after symptoms disappear, but they no longer shed the virus once they are fully recovered.
It is possible for humans to contract an asymptomatic (subclinical) CDV infection. Anyone who’s been immunized against measles (a related virus) is protected against CDV as well.
Symptoms
Macrophages (cells that ingest foreign disease-carrying organisms, like viruses and bacteria) carry the inhaled virus to nearby lymph nodes where it begins replicating (reproducing). It spreads rapidly through the lymphatic tissue and infects all the lymphoid organs within 2 to 5 days. By days six to nine, the virus spreads to the blood (viremia). It then spreads to the surface epithelium (cell lining) of the respiratory, gastrointestinal, urogenital, and central nervous systems, where it begins doing the damage that causes the symptoms.
Early symptoms include fever, loss of appetite, and mild eye inflammation that may only last a day or two. Symptoms become more serious and noticeable as the disease progresses.
The initial symptom is fever (103ºF to 106ºF), which usually peaks 3 to 6 days after infection. The fever often goes unnoticed and may peak again a few days later. Dogs may experience eye and nose discharge, depression, and anorexia. After the fever, symptoms vary considerably, depending on the strain of the virus and the dog’s immunity.
Many dogs experience gastrointestinal and respiratory symptoms, such as:
Conjunctivitis (discharge from the eye)
Diarrhea
Fever (usually present but unnoticed)
Pneumonia (cough, labored breathing)
Rhinitis (runny nose)
Vomiting
These symptoms are often exacerbated by secondary bacterial infections. Dogs almost always develop encephalomyelitis (an inflammation of the brain and spinal cord), the symptoms of which are variable and progressive. Most dogs that die from distemper, die from neurological complications such as the following:
Ataxia (muscle incoordination)
Depression
Hyperesthesia (increased sensitivity to sensory stimuli, such as pain or touch)
Myoclonus (muscle twitching or spasm), which can become disabling
Paralysis
Paresis (partial or incomplete paralysis)
Progressive deterioration of mental abilities
Progressive deterioration of motor skills
Seizures that can affect any part of the body (One type of seizure that affects the head, and is unique to distemper is sometimes referred to as a “chewing gum fit” because the dog appears to be chewing gum.)
Many dogs experience symptoms of the eye:
Inflammation of the eye (either keratoconjunctivitis, inflammation of the cornea and conjunctiva, or chorioretinitis, inflammation of the choroid and retina)
Lesions on the retina (the innermost layer of the eye)
Optic neuritis (inflammation of the optic nerve which leads to blindness)
Two relatively minor conditions that often become chronic, even in dogs that recover are:
Enamel hypoplasia (unenameled teeth that erode quickly in puppies whose permanent teeth haven’t erupted yet - the virus kills all the cells that make teeth enamel)
Hyperkeratosis (hardening of the foot pads and nose)
In utero infection of fetuses is rare, but can happen. This can lead to spontaneous abortion, persistent infection in newborn puppies, or the birth of normal looking puppies that rapidly develop symptoms and die within 4 to 6 weeks.
I had a puppy once that had distemper. Its mother was not vaccinated. The pup started having siezures. The vet said it could be epilepsy, so we put the dog on meds, but the siezures continued. Eventually, we hit the point where any higher dosage would damage the dog's organs, and the siezures weren't stopping, so we had to put the dog down. Too bad too, because a simple vaccination to the mother would have prevented a lot of sad hearts.
mikegranger
Well-known member
Robert,
Great post. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif Good info for everyone to learn from.
Great post. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif Good info for everyone to learn from.
Tactical .20
New member
Wow, makes me glad I am not a dog!!! I shot a few coon with it, along the road, in the day time. Sometimes there are nearly no coon to trap in areas due to the distemper. I figured that is why some years I seem to catch mostly adult fox and coyote, very few pups.T.20