Canine distemper

By: Melissa McGarity

&Aly Martinez

Etiology

• Distemper was once thought to be caused by neglect, contaminated food, and anti-hygienic conditions, however we now know that canine distemper is a virus that is shed in body secretions.

• Pansystemic disease

History• The first case of CDV was described in

1905 by Dr. Henri Carre.• First thought to be related to the

plague or Typhus (Rickettsiae)• The first vaccine was developed in

1950.• Despite vaccine development Canine

Distemper is still very prevalent today.• May have played a role in extinction of

the Tasmanian Tiger.

Signalment• Puppies from three to six months

old are susceptible• Can infect any of the canids:DogsWolvesFoxesOthers: ferrets,

Transmission• An infected dog usually infects

another by coughing infected respiratory secretions.

• The virus can be shed in most all other bodily secretions including urine.

• The virus enters the body via the nose or mouth and begins to replicate.

• Canine Distemper is NOT zoonotic as its name implies, will only infect other canines.

Clinical Signs• Begin with:

- Ocular and nasal discharge-Fever (usually goes unnoticed)-Poor appetite-Coughing- Pneumonia

• Mucosal Phase:- Vomiting- Diarrhea- Callusing of the foot pads (hard pad dz.: hyperkeratosis)

• Enamel hypoplasia (perinatal)

Clinical Signs

• Neurologic Phase:- Seizures- Tremors (myoclonus)- Imbalance- Limb weakness- Death

Diagnostic Tests/ Results

• Although there are tests that can confirm this disease, using a positive or negative test is not going to be accurate. While a positive result will confirm infection, a negative result does not rule it out. In most cases CDV is a “clinical diagnosis” meaning the Veterinarian must look at the whole picture.- What are the symptoms?- What is the patients history?

Inclusion Bodies• Inclusion bodies are actual clumps

of the virus that are visible under a microscope.

• Immunocytology:- Test in which antibodies against

distemper are tagged with fluorescent markers.

- Antibodies then bind to the virus if present and dye the inclusion body a glow in the dark fluorescent color.

- The presence of inclusion bodies confirm the diagnosis but lack of them does NOT rule it out.

Pathogenic Lesions• Pathological Lesions of CDV

include:- Pulmonary congestion- Consolidation leading to focal

pneumonitis.• Eosinophilic or ovoided bodies

with refractile particles are sometimes located in the epithelial cells of dermis, intestinal tract, salivary glands, adrenal glands and CNS, as well as the spleen.

• If a necropsy were to be done you would most likely see an enlarged spleen.

Bronchial Epithelium Inclusions

Lung Lesion

Treatment• The best treatment is the animals

own immune response.• There are no antiviral drugs that

exist to effect canine distemper, so we treat symptomatically

- Antibiotics are administered for secondary bacterial infections

- Airway dilators are used as needed- IV fluids are given for patients with

diarrhea to prevent dehydration

Prognosis• Canine Distemper is fatal in over 50% of

adult dogs who contract the virus and over 80% of puppies (90% mortality).

• Death can occur between two weeks and 3 months after infection.

• Main cause of death is from complications to central nervous system.

• For patients in further stages of neurologic dysfuntion, euthanasia is usually recommended.

Prevention• VACCINATE!!! VACCINATE!!!

VACCINATE!!!• The distemper vaccine is a modified live

virus and induces immune response.• Puppies should be vaccinated initially at 6-

8 weeks and every 2-4 weeks after until they reach about 16 weeks of age.

• Yearly Boosters!• Maintaining a sanitary environment is

crucial in controlling an outbreak.- Bleach, Roccal, etc. instantly kill the virus.• Dogs with disease should be quarantined

and is isolated from other patients/pets.

Short Videos Of What CDV Looks Like…

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSrGz2r88dE

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFWrnVIsA8Y

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-B1jx49SI8PLEASE VACCINATE YOUR PETS!!!

References• Http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/

canine_distemper• Http://www.marvistavet.com/HTML/

body_canine_distemper.html• Http://miamiferret.org/distemper.htm• Summers MS DVM, Alleice. Common

Diseases of Companion Animals second edition. St.Louis, MO: Mosby, 2007. pg. 238-239