[Scorp9681]

I'm desperate to find out if there is anything I need to do to disinfect an area next door to my yard. Today a very sick Raccoon was hiding in a seculed area and it attracted my 2 Yorkies. By time we found out what was causing all the barking, they both had been outside scratching and simply going crazy. After finding the animal, we called animal control. They found out the hard way it had distemper What, if anything, can we do to sterilize the area the animal was hiding in? Only one of the dogs has been up to date on her vaccinations due to severe allergic reactions in the past. It will be corrected first thing tomorrow with a visit to the Vet. But the damage might already be done. If someone could help me out ASAP, I would be extremely grateful.

[Daveyo]

Well as for the area, Bleach with water with a ratio of 1 to 30 does the trick, since BLEACH usually kills the viruses of any kind.

Please post here your dogs vaccination history

Are you sure it was Distemper?? Most Raccoons get RABIES. Have them retest that Raccoon again for both diseases, ASAP The only way to get rabies is via a bite or scratch from the infected animal.

Distemper is an airborne and contact disease. It is possible for your Dogs to get this Disease if not fully vaccinated. If fully vaccinated you don't have to worry about it. Assuming that as you say here one of them is not fully vaccinated I hope it already had at least two previous vac shots fully done. Each VAC shot takes 14 days for it to take full effect. With two under the belt and done, the chances are slim that it will infect that dog, just on a brief encounter.

So in case they do get the disease it takes 6-9 days from onset of infection to begin having the dogs show the signs of Distemper. Average is 7-8 days. The very first sign is VERY HIGH FEVER going up to nearly 106 deg F. If you have between 104 degs or higher then the dog is infected.

At that point you got a 4-6 day window to get the NDV injected into that dog to avoid any major damage and this stops the Distemper between 12-48 hours. I have posted this cure under this topic of Distemper in Peer to Peer.

So right now WEIGH YOUR DOG THE ONE NOT FULLY VACCINATED. The dosage is 0.1cc for every pound or 2.2kg. From that weight of the dog then go to the phone book as call the agriculture Department and ask where they sell Newcastles Disease Virus Vaccine. Most common is the LaSorta strain. Each vial can hold up to 3.0cc. This means that this amount is good for a dog at 30 pounds of weight, or 62.0kg. If your dog weighs more then get another until you have enough to cover the dog regarding its official weight.

Once you have this Vaccine in your hands before the signs show up from your dogs, your ahead of the Disease timetable. Hold on to it, keep it refrigerated and have the syringes and needles on standby.

Observe and wait and WATCH them very closely especially their body temperature OK as you get closer to the expected time frame of when the disease will begin to show its effects on the dog. Once you feel the body temperature start to get hot to your touch, then take a thermometer and insert it to the anus, and wait a minute and then look at the temp reading. Keep doing this every hour until you see the temp peak. If over 104, then get the NDV, the solution bottle that comes with it, the syringes and needle together and do the mix and get the right amount set to go. YOU MUST INJECT INTO THE BLOOD STREAM OF THE ANIMAL. So find the vein most preferred on the leg (shave the hair off so you can see it), twist the leg a little and try to get the vein to pop to the surface. Then you put the needle in and back the plunger a bit to make sure you see blood going into the syringe. If you do, then inject.

If you cannot do this, find someone who can, like a nurse or somebody familiar on how to use a syringe and needle. After this your done and the disease will be gone in betwen 12-48 hours.

Your problem on the Disease is over and your dog will be fine.

IF THEY SAY THE ANIMAL HAS RABIES, IN THE MEANTIME RIGHT NOW, inspect your dog very carefully for any scratch marks from that animal. ANYTHING

If your animal had the scratch coming from that animal, then you have to take your dog to a vet and have it checked for RABIES. it takes about 7-10 days before the system will show up.

If positive for RABIES, your dog has a guaranteed DEATH SENTENCE. THERE IS NO CURE FOR RABIES ON ANIMALS. On humans yes, but not on animals.

This is the assumption that your not fully vaccinated dog also did not get the Rabies Vaccination.

Sad to say, that is why these animals must get the vaccines in them or a whole lot of mess can happen. Any of the BIG 10 Diseases can cause them problems.

THE WORST OF ALL OF THEM IS CANINE DISTEMPER. PARVOVIRUS IS SECOND AND RABIES IS THIRD.

RABIES is the only one out of all the BIG 10 Diseases that cannot be cured.

Hope this help you OK so look under the post here for the full instructions if your dog has confirmed Canine Distemper.

[Scorp9681]

First of all, please excuse my delay in replying to you VERY helpful post. The information you provided to us was extremely helpful in possibly saving both dogs lives. The very next day, both were at the Vet. Even though Teddybear was already vaccinated, she received another booster as a precaution. Ewok, the one that had not had her shots for five years because of reactions, was kept all day and given a pre-injection before any further treatments. The neighbor was notified to clense the area thoroughly and remove all material left behind by the Raccoon. We picked up a very sleep Ewok just beore closing and monitored her closely for nine to fifteen days. Both pups are in wonderful shape! It would have been very sad for our family if we had lost both at this time of year (or any time for that matter).

Thank you again and may you and your family have a wonderful holiday season.