Canine distemper (CD) is a highly contagious and fatal infectious disease caused by canine distemper virus. The diseased dogs are characterized by biphasic fever, acute catarrhal inflammation of the respiratory tract and digestive tract, and moderate Later, muscle twitching or paralysis is characterized. The fatality rate is high, and the fatality rate of puppies can reach more than 80%.

【Pathogen and Epidemiology】

1. Pathogen and Transmission

Canine distemper virus, Paramyxoviridae, Measles virus, single-stranded RNA virus.

It is mainly infected through the respiratory tract and digestive tract, but also through the conjunctiva, oral mucosa and nasal mucosa.

2. Source of infection: Mainly infected dogs and infected dogs.

3. Susceptible animals: Canines, mustelids and raccoons of all ages, sexes and breeds dogs can be infected, but puppies aged 3 to 12 months are the most susceptible, often in litters, and recovered dogs can obtain long-term or even life-long antibodies.

4. Popularity: It has obvious variety, age and seasonality. Purebred dogs are prone to hair, and dogs that are weaned to less than 1 year old are prone to hair, and the number increases significantly in late autumn and early summer.

[Symptoms]

1. Biphasic body temperature increase:

Incubation period of the disease 3 ~6 days. Body temperature rises to 39.8-41°C for 1-2 days, followed by a 2-3 day remission period (body temperature tends to 38.9-39.2). As the body temperature rises again, the symptoms of respiratory and digestive system infections are obvious, and even nervous system infections.

2. Respiratory system symptoms:

The main symptoms of the disease: mild depression, loss of appetite, tearing, and watery samples at the beginning of the disease Nasal fluid, sometimes positive for cough or artificial cough induction. Afterwards, the ocular and nasal secretions became mucous or purulent, and the laryngotracheal and lung auscultation sounds were harsh. In the middle and late stages of the disease, bronchopneumonia often develops, and the dog's nose is dry (cracked) and there is a lot of pus in the nose.

Most of the affected dogs have the characteristic appearance of purulent conjunctivitis: that is, purulent eyeballs are attached to the inner and outer canthus and upper and lower eyelids, and the canthus and the periphery of the eyelids are depilated and bald, like wearing a pair of glasses.

3. Digestive system symptoms:

There is often vomiting in the early and middle stages of the disease, but the frequency is not large. have a certain diagnosing significance. Puppies usually have dark brown loose stools mixed with mucus or blood, while adults generally have no bowel movements for several days. Suffering dogs gradually become dehydrated and exhausted due to vomiting, diarrhea and loss of appetite.

4. Nervous system symptoms:

Neurological symptoms are mostly in the middle and late stages of the disease, and a few appear at the beginning of the disease, which is an important symptom of the disease significance. In mild cases, twitching of the lips, eyelids, and roots of ears; in severe cases, stepping, circling or rolling, motor ataxia, hind limb paralysis, and repeated rhythmic twitching of the masseter muscle or limbs when lying on the side are the characteristic manifestations of this disease.

5. Symptoms of skin and foot pads:

In the early or late stage of the disease, some dogs have hyperkeratinization and hardening of the limbs and foot pads. In dogs, rice- or bean-sized erythema, blisters, or pustules often appear on the lower abdomen and in the thin medial femoral skin. After antibiotic treatment, the purulent rash on the lower abdomen and inner thigh quickly dried up and disappeared. The hardened stratum corneum of the recovered dog gradually peeled off.

【Diagnosis】

Imported canine distemper rapid diagnostic test strips, take the eyes, nasal secretions, saliva or urine of dogs as test samples, Diagnosis can be made within 5 to 10 minutes. Other methods are not described in detail.

【Treatment】

Inject canine distemper monoclonal antibody or anti-canine distemper hyperimmune serum as soon as possible at the beginning of the disease, the dose should generally be greater than 1~2ml /kg body weight for 2 to 3 days. In order to inhibit virus proliferation and control bacterial secondary infection, ribavirin, Shuanghuanglian, Qingkailing, ampicillin, cephalosporin V or ceftriaxone are often used. For dogs with fever, Antondine or compound aminopyrine should be used, together with hydrocortisone or dexamethasone. If there are symptoms of blood in the stool, Anluoxue or Zhixuemin can be applied.

Early infusion and combined application of canine interferon, cytokines and other immune enhancers can effectively prevent dehydration, improve disease resistance, and promote the recovery of dogs.

【Prognosis ]

When the typical symptoms of the dog at the beginning of the disease have not yet appeared, the injection of monoclonal antibody against canine distemper or high-dose hyperimmune serum as soon as possible can enhance the immune status enough to prevent the development of the disease. If characteristic clinical symptoms, especially neurological symptoms, appear, the prognosis is poor, and even after patient treatment, the dog is often left with the sequelae of limb convulsions or unconsciousness.

Currently commonly used serums include monoclonal antibody, potent canine distemper serum, triple serum (canine distemper, parvovirus, infectious laryngotracheitis), penta serum (canine distemper, parvovirus, infectious Hepatitis, parainfluenza, coronavirus), six serum (canine distemper, parvovirus, infectious hepatitis, parainfluenza, coronavirus and rabies)

【Prevention】

At present, domestic canine penta, hexa or seven vaccines can be used to prevent canine distemper and other common diseases.

Five joints (rabies, canine distemper, parvovirus, infectious hepatitis, parainfluenza), six joints plus coronavirus, seven joints plus pseudorabies virus.

The recommended immunization program is: puppies should be vaccinated at 7-9 weeks of age, then vaccinated 2-3 times at 2-3 week intervals, and then boosted once every six months. Dogs over 3 months old can be injected twice. In order to prevent the puppies from contracting infectious diseases, an additional exemption can be given about 45 days after the female dog is bred.