Canine Distemper

[livingwith]

I have two puppies, the first one is bought from the market, we took him to the vet for the vaccine a few days after we bought him home, but the vet said he is too thin and refused to vaccine him. The other puppy is given to my boyfriend by his friend, he is a very lovely fat puppy only two months old, but we didn’t know that the first puppy got Canine distemper it’s terribel, we took him to the vet but when we found out it was too late, he is gone forever. I am so worried my other ...Read the full article

[Daveyo]

Hi I am Daveyo

If you say your second surviving dog is two months old it is border line for the antibodies from the mother. I strongly suggest you give those vaccination shots as soon as possible.

Odds are still in your favor that the disease did not hit your 2 month dog yet. Best way to confirm if positive or negative is do that brush border bladder smear test.

Here is how its done.>>>>>>

The very best test for rapidly diagnosing ACUTE distemper is to do what is called a brush border smear of the cells of the inside lining of the bladder. These cells ALWAYS have inclusions. So, easy to collect, easy to stain (quick dip) and instantly diagnosed with inclusions in these cells which are carmine red and para nuclear.

Any medical person can tell you how to get cells from the bladder. Urinary catheter. Empty bladder flush with saline and collect some of the last saline. Spin down the saline and remove the cells. Place on slide and dry stain with diff-quick. Very common stain used by most medics or lab people who use medical microscopy. Everyone? I should hope so.

Very fast, very cheap, very accurate for Dx of distemper. If present then Distemper If negative then either kennel cough or respiratory Herpes.

If that dog is positive, then you have to find NDV pronto from some agriculture poultry store. If you don't know where there is one go into your phone book and call the main agriculture department and ask them where there is a nearest store to your location. If they ask you any questions just tell them you need it for your chickens. Save yourself the hassle. Once you have found it buy the necessary NDV of the LaSorta strain. The Dx is 0.1cc for every pound the dog weighs and if between add another 0.1cc. Then have the VET inject it straight into the blood vein of the front leg of the dog. The cure for the disease takes between 12-48 hours usually within 24. Also have one extra NDV in case you need to do the CSF tap if your outside the 6 day window from onset of symptoms of the disease. If you are then the VET has to do that Tap if your going to save your dog from neurological complications because that virus will breach the blood brain barrier after day 7. Cure for this is within 36 hours. Your vet will need anti-shock meds, anesthesia, Saline and NDV to do this procedure. The dose is 0.2cc of NDV mixed with 0.1cc of spinal fluid, inject and and 0.1cc of Saline to flush the needle hub and the VET is done. After that your dog will survive hopefully without any serious side effects of the disease. Pneumonia always accompanies Distemper and you need to give the dog Baytril of 0.5cc and Penicillin G of 1.0cc mixed together twice a day for 7 days. After that your dog should be OK.

Once this is all done, DO NOT GIVE IT ANY PARVOVIRUS VACCINE for the next 6 months. If all is clear then you only give KILLED parvo vaccine (NOT MODIFIED LIVE) as single shot of only 1/2 dose and wait a month and then the last 1/2 dose. No more after that point. As of Distemper Vaccine you need not ever give that dog any more vaccinations of this because your dog is immuned for life (THE BODY PART) against the disease. The titer readings will shoot up to 1/1600 which will take a very long time before it ever does come down.

As to the rest of the vaccines, give only once every 3 years. Same for Rabies From then on you should be OK.

Do post here if you have any problems.

Daveyo