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Symptoms & Disease Progression
Disease Progression
Macrophages are cells that ingest foreign disease-carrying organisms, like viruses and bacteria. Marcrophages carry inhaled CDV to nearby lymph nodes where it begins replicating or reproducing. It spreads rapidly through the lymphatic tissue and infects all the lymphoid organs within 2 - 5 days. By days 6 - 9, the virus spreads to the blood, becoming Viremia. It then spreads to the surface epithelium (lining) of the respiratory, gastrointestinal, urogenital, and central nervous systems, where it begins doing the damage that causes the symptoms of canine distemper.
Symptoms
Early symptoms include fever, loss of appetite, and mild eye inflammation that may only last the first 2 days. Symptoms become more serious and noticeable as the disease progresses. Dogs may experience eye and nose discharge, depression, and loss of appetite or anorexia. After the fever, symptoms vary considerably, depending on the strain of the virus and the dog's immunity.
Fever
The initial symptom is fever, spiking to 103° - 106°F, and usually peaks 3 to 6 days after infection. The fever often goes unnoticed and may peak again a few days later.
Gastrointestinal & Respiratory Symptoms
Many dogs experience gastrointestinal and respiratory symptoms, such as:
These symptoms are often exacerbated by secondary bacterial infections. Dogs almost always develop Encephalomyelitis, or an inflammation of the brain and spinal cord. The symptoms of which are variable and progressive. Most dogs that die from distemper, die from neurological complications such as the following:
Many dogs experience symptoms of the eye:
Two relatively minor conditions that often become chronic, even in dogs that recover are:
In utero infection of fetuses is rare, but can happen. This can lead to spontaneous abortion, persistent infection in newborn puppies, or the birth of normal looking puppies that rapidly develop symptoms and die within 4 - 6 weeks.
Macrophages are cells that ingest foreign disease-carrying organisms, like viruses and bacteria. Marcrophages carry inhaled CDV to nearby lymph nodes where it begins replicating or reproducing. It spreads rapidly through the lymphatic tissue and infects all the lymphoid organs within 2 - 5 days. By days 6 - 9, the virus spreads to the blood, becoming Viremia. It then spreads to the surface epithelium (lining) of the respiratory, gastrointestinal, urogenital, and central nervous systems, where it begins doing the damage that causes the symptoms of canine distemper.
Symptoms
Early symptoms include fever, loss of appetite, and mild eye inflammation that may only last the first 2 days. Symptoms become more serious and noticeable as the disease progresses. Dogs may experience eye and nose discharge, depression, and loss of appetite or anorexia. After the fever, symptoms vary considerably, depending on the strain of the virus and the dog's immunity.
Fever
The initial symptom is fever, spiking to 103° - 106°F, and usually peaks 3 to 6 days after infection. The fever often goes unnoticed and may peak again a few days later.
Gastrointestinal & Respiratory Symptoms
Many dogs experience gastrointestinal and respiratory symptoms, such as:
- Conjunctivitis -discharge from the eye
- Diarrhea
- Fever - usually present but unnoticed
- Pneumonia - cough, labored breathing
- Rhinitis - runny nose
- Vomiting
These symptoms are often exacerbated by secondary bacterial infections. Dogs almost always develop Encephalomyelitis, or an inflammation of the brain and spinal cord. The symptoms of which are variable and progressive. Most dogs that die from distemper, die from neurological complications such as the following:
- Ataxia - problems with muscle coordination
- Depression
- Hyperesthesia - increased sensitivity to sensory stimuli, such as pain or touch
- Myoclonus - muscle twitching or spasm which can become disabling
- Paralysis
- Paresis - partial or incomplete paralysis
- Progressive deterioration of mental abilities
- Progressive deterioration of motor skills
- Seizures that can affect any part of the body
One type of seizure that affects the head and is unique to distemper is sometimes referred to as a chewing gum fit because the dog appears to be chewing gum
Many dogs experience symptoms of the eye:
- Inflammation of the eye
- Chorioretiniti: inflammation of the choroid and retina
- Keratoconjunctivitis: inflammation of the cornea and conjunctiva
- Lesions on the retina - the innermost layer of the eye
- Optic neuritis - inflammation of the optic nerve which leads to blindness
Two relatively minor conditions that often become chronic, even in dogs that recover are:
- Enamel Hypoplasia: Unenameled teeth that erode quickly in puppies whose permanent teeth haven't erupted yet that the virus kills all the cells that make teeth enamel
- Hyperkeratosis: Hardening of the foot pads and nose
In utero infection of fetuses is rare, but can happen. This can lead to spontaneous abortion, persistent infection in newborn puppies, or the birth of normal looking puppies that rapidly develop symptoms and die within 4 - 6 weeks.