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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.
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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: • Dogs • Wolves • Foxes • Others: 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-B1jx49SI8 PLEASE 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