Distemper in dogs It is a disease that in addition to being viral, it is quite contagious This disease has a high mortality rate and usually affects younger dogs that do not comply with all their vaccinations, especially when they are only 6 to 12 weeks old.
Among the symptoms they present, we can mention the following:
Secretion from the nose as well as from the eyes, which initially tends to be watery, to later become a mucopurulent substance.
- Anorexia, so we can observe our dog with a lack of appetite.
- Presence of vomiting as well as diarrhea, which can cause dehydration.
- Presence of a dry cough.
- At the time that the condition occurs in the brain, the symptoms are those of encephalitis, which produce drooling, shaking of the head, as well as we can observe chewing movements that are involuntary, seizures or also myoclonus, which are rhythmic contractions of each of the muscle groups. These begin when the dog is asleep, following an evolution until it occurs at any time of the day or also at any time of the night, in addition to causing pain.
- Secondary infections due to each of the immunosuppressive effects of the virus in question.
If you don't get treatment, the evolution of each one of the symptoms, I could end up causing the death of the dog. It is for this reason that the main thing is to take our dog to a veterinary clinic as soon as possible if we observe the presence of any of these symptoms.
As with any situation that concerns us, it's much better to be safe than sorry, being vaccines at all times the main measure.
Veterinary care of dogs with distemper
Apart from administering each of the corresponding vaccines, if our dog has contracted the disease, the vet will most likely have to take a number of steps:
- Admission to the hospital in the most serious cases, this is when you need to place a serum or some medication intravenously.
- Antibiotics, since even though we are talking about a viral disease, these are medicines that help maintain control of bacterial infections that may be present in the body of our dog, to take advantage of the fact that it is weak.
- Taking into account each of the symptoms that our dog presents, pain relievers, gastric protectors, anti-inflammatories, and antiemetics can be administered Their function is to control vomiting as well as nausea.
Home care if we have a dog with distemper
We have to comply with each of the medical treatments prescribed by the veterinarian, the doses, the schedule and each of the administration guidelines.
- We have to keep our dog in a place that is dry and warm, thus avoiding drafts and humidity.
- We have to give him the right diet. The normal thing is that he does not consume the feed that we usually give him, so we have to find another alternative that he likes much more.
- We have to monitor his temperature, as well as any abnormality in his condition. It is important that we take note of each of the things that are important, such as improvements or any inconvenience, and then discuss it with the veterinarian.
- Place it in isolation, as much as we can from other dogs with whom it is living, because this is a very easy disease to catch. It is for this reason that we have to keep every corner of our home disinfected.
- We have to keep it in a space where we can keep a check on it. In the case that our dog usually lives outside, at least observe it until the treatment is over.
