A Detailed Guide to Comprehensive Prevention and Treatment Methods for Canine Distemper

Canine distemper can occur in all four seasons, but it is epidemic in winter and spring. In October 2004, the author diagnosed seven cases of canine distemper at a veterinary station. Based on clinical experience, comprehensive prevention and treatment measures were adopted. The symptoms and the diagnosis and treatment process are reported as follows:

1. Clinical symptoms

(1) Early stage: watery discharge from the eyes and nose, body temperature as high as above 40°C, lasting 2 days; the sick dog seems to improve and eats a little, with temperature nearing normal, then the body temperature rises for a second time, lasting several weeks, at which point the respiratory tract and digestive tract show catarrhal inflammation. This stage generally lasts 1-2 weeks.

(2) Middle stage: with the second rise in body temperature, continuous fever appears, and the condition further deteriorates: chills and shivering, spirit alternating between good and bad, increased nasal and ocular discharge that turns purulent, erosion at the corners of the mouth, coughing and inflammation of the trachea, similar to symptoms of lung disease, frequent vomiting and diarrhea, reduced or complete loss of appetite, and the body gradually becomes emaciated; this generally lasts more than one month.

(3) Late stage: neurological symptoms appear. In addition to the above middle-stage symptoms, the dog also shows listlessness, muscle pain, paroxysmal muscle spasms, ataxia, circling movements, epileptic-like convulsions and coma; death generally occurs within 1-2 weeks. In some sick dogs, in the middle and late stages, papules and herpes appear on the skin under the abdomen or on the inner side of the abdomen.

2. Comprehensive prevention and treatment

(1) Immunotherapy: healthy dogs are injected with pentavalent serum. In the early and middle stages of canine distemper, a large dose of canine distemper hyperimmune serum is injected. Small dogs: 5 ml per day. Medium and large dogs: 10-15 ml, used continuously for 3-5 days.

(2) Symptomatic treatment: for medium and large dogs, inject daily 6 vials of ampicillin sodium (0.5 g), 6 vials of dexamethasone (2 mg), 3 vials of metamizole sodium (5 ml), 3 vials of Ouxiening (2 ml), 3 vials of Quanwenling (2 ml), and 3 vials of vitamin C (10 ml).

(3) Fluid replacement therapy: fluid replacement should be carried out for dogs with severe dehydration.

(4) Use 5%-10% glucose and 0.9% normal saline for fluid replacement at a ratio of 1:1; 200-250 ml for small dogs and 500-1000 ml for medium and large dogs; add 5-10 ml of 10% potassium chloride to 500 ml of fluid for infusion; when acidosis occurs in the body, add 30-60 ml of 5% sodium bicarbonate.

3. Observations

With the above comprehensive prevention and treatment measures, treatment in the early and middle stages of the disease achieved a cure rate of 86%, yielding good prevention and treatment results.