Anything For Animals

posted by admin on Jun 16

There is no cure for distemper.

Vaccination is the only way to prevent your dog getting this virus, but once it has contracted the disease there are treatments available.

Vaccination occurs with a live vaccine - but in a very mild non contagious form - allowing the virus to multiply in that animal only and to stimulate a mild response, making that animal resistant to the real virus if it should ever attack.

Puppies can be safely vaccinated from around 9 weeks of age, with the primary vaccination programme completed at your vets by around 12 weeks. It can of course be given to any dog at any point in time if it’s vaccination history is unknown or any annual boosters were missed.

Treatments:

There is no specific therapy for CDV so treatment remains symptomatic - basically your vet can only treat what you see in each animal on an individual basis.

They may recommend broad spectrum antibiotics - for the bacterial infections which should help limit infections in affected animals.

They may offer:

Intravenous fluid therapy - to compensate for the water and electrolyte losses in a sick or physically disable animal.

Anti-emetics (anti-sickness) and anti-diarrhoeal drugs - to control the feelings created by uncontrolled movement and feeding issues.

Anti-convulsants - to treat any nervous signs (including seizures and twitching)

Treatment close to the time of infection may be short lived and could be the only treatment you need. However treatment for old age or advanced distemper will be ongoing from identification or diagnosis until your pet dies, as all distemper symptoms and disabilities will be permanent.

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