[kjm]

We adopted a rescue puppy who was taken from a shelter in N. Carolina, no info on back ground other than that. She had some diarrhea from the beginning which has gotten progressively worse over the course of the week that we've had her. As of two days ago she was playing, happy, active, eating, etc. Yesterdayshe lost her appetite and became sleepy, diarrhea turned into liquid greenish. I brought her to the vet this morning because she appears to be losing wt and has lost interest in food. Her conjunctiva were reddened and now swollen, and she has a runny nose. Found at the vet she had lost a lb. and had a temp of 103.5. Vet suspects distemper drew a blood sample to send out and said results will be back in 3 days. It sounds like from reading some of these posts that this is not the preferred method for testing for distemper? I'm afraid the test will be inconclusive and we'll have to sit and wait. I am so worried, we fell in love with her, she's the greatest puppy and already very much part of the family and it would be devastating to lose her and to have to explain to my two little girls.
The vet put her on Metronidazole and Clavamox. He gave us some cans of Purina I/D and she ate a can a a half today. She also drank about 12oz of the electrolite solution he gave us. She has perked up and no more diarrhea (no stool yet today) she is peeing, but her eyes look awful and her nose is still runny. She never vomited and no cough.
I would appreciate any advice! I just hate that I have to sit and wait for the next 2-3 days, feel like I should do something.

[Daveyo]

Hi I am Daveyo

You can find out the answer to whether or not your dog has acute Canine Distemper. Please rush to the VET and do this test. If he or she not capable find someone who can do it.

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 or Toxoplasmosis.

You need to do a quick process of elimination. The test above is 99% accurate and you can find out in 20 minutes. I hope this is fast enough for you.

If your dog has Kennel cough it will be coughing a lot as one of the symptoms. Respiratory Herpes involves the lungs. You can do another quick test on your dog. Have it stand on all four legs, and take your hand and give a couple of quick hard taps on the bottom area of the chest where the dog breathes. If that dog coughs after the second tap then check the other side of the lung area. If it also coughs, then it has Pneumonia, and at that point I would strongly suspect either Distemper or Respiratory Herpes. Toxoplasmosis is another similar disease but it is not that common but it does happen on some dogs.

NDV also takes care of Kennel Cough and Respiratory Herpes. Do not use NDV for these two diseases unless it is absolutely necessary and that Canine Distemper is all ruled out. Save the NDV procedure as your very last resort. It is the only method known to cure Canine Distemper if the dog ever catches it. This procedure can only be used one time for the body and one time for the CNS (Central Nervous System)

Do this quickly as as fast as you can. Sounds like your dog is in the early stages of some disease. If it is Distemper (usually the temps go near 106 deg) and at 103.5 is a strong suspect for Distemper, then you need to find NDV from a nearby agriculture poultry store or call the agriculture department to locate it. When they ask you why tell them you have chickens and you need some to save yourself a hassle of explanations coming if you tell them you need it for a dog. Be smart here.

Farmers who raise chickens also know where to find the NDV. Newcastles Disease Virus Vaccine of the LaSorta Strain.

If the dog is running a fever you can tell by touching and holding the ears with your hands. It will feel like very warm to like burning heat. This indicates high temps ongoing so take a thermometer into the anus of the dog and get a reading, holding it for a good minute or two.

The fever stage is the onset of Canine Distemper Symptoms if test confirms such and this is when the clock of the 6 day window begins.

If you catch this inside the 6 day window from onset of symptoms you can avoid this virus from breaching the CNS (central nervous system) If it does breach you will need a VET to do the CSF tap to save your dog.

If confirmed Distemper and you have the NDV handy and ready to go, then do the body injection first. This is the procedure.

BODY INJECTION PROCEDURE THIS PROCEDURE IS BASED ON WEIGHT OF DOG

Have the NDV and the clear solution diluent ready with two syringes and needles and a rubber strap, and a small razor to shave off the hair on the front leg of the dog between the paw elbow and the leg elbow.

You must weigh your dog and find out how much it weighs. If between then add. The prescription protocol is as follows. The formula is 0.1cc for every pound or 0.45kg .

Example if the weight of the dog is 5 pounds or 2.25kg you give 0.5cc of NDV and add another 0.1cc for some extra weight. Total amount of the clear diluent solution is 0.6cc. Take this out of the bottle and put this into the NDV LaSorta strain vial and inject inside. Then shake it to mix it. Take another clean syringe with needle and > Then take out ALL THE CONTENTS INSIDE THE NDV and have it on the side once you get all the air out of the syringe and needle.

Go to the dog, pick up the front leg front portion and shave off the hair carefully to make a small spot to see the blood vein. After this take the rubber strap and tighten it at the upper thigh area to bring out the blood vein. Have someone with you hold the dog and you or the VET sterilize the area and then take the NDV syringe with needle and get it in the blood vein going at an angle sideways. Draw back on the plunger a bit to see the blood go into the syringe. If you do, then inject the NDV into the dog, and as you are doing this release the rubber strap to allow it to flow into the body. Once finished again take some alcohol rub the punture wound and then your done.

The cure for this Disease in the body will take on average of 24 hours. The range is 12-48 hours depending on the genetics of your dog.

Then you need to have Baytril and Penicillin G. Baytril of 0.5cc and Penicillin G of 1.0cc combined and inject intramuscular twice a day for the next 7 days. This will take care of the Pneumonia that always comes with Canine Distemper.

If inside the 6 day window from onset of symptoms your home free and the dog will be fine.

If outside the 6 day window from onset of symptoms, then you need a VET to do the CSF tap which will require another NDV vial with the clear diluent.

The CSF tap procedure is based on the size of the animal. Repeat the size of the animal.

I will tell you what to do and of how much to give the dog when you reach this stage.

Daveyo

Keep me posted.