Canine Distemper

[redjasmin]

Hi, my 11 week old puppy developed a cough and a snotty nose when she was about 8 weeks old - shortly after having her first vaccination. Although she was well in herself she had a fever and runny nose, dry hacking cough and runny eyes. The vet diagnosed kennel cough and gave her antibiotics (which did nothing). The vet was unhappy giving her second vaccination because she showed no improvement, so instead took throat swabs and blood. The throat swabs have come back ruling out kennel cough, now the vet thinks she may have distemper and is waiting for the blood test results to come back to confirm. Surely she would be poorly if it was distemper? She has no gastrointestinal upset, is not vomiting and no longer has a fever. She is playful, except when she wakes up in the morning when her cough is so bad she is unable to get out of her bed. I have heard that the symptoms of distemper can progress over many weeks. I am in the UK and not sure we have the same medications previously posted on this forum. Can anyone offer any advice?

[Daveyo]

Hi I am Daveyo

Sounds like your dog has respiratory Herpes. However please have the VET do the following immediately and follow my instructions.

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.

If the dog is confirmed Distemper you need to weigh the dog and find yourself some NDV (Newcastles Disease Virus Vaccine) Dose is 0.1cc for every pound or 2.2kg of the dog. If between add another 0.1cc. If this dog is outside the 6 day window from onset of this disease you have to do the CSF Tap at the same time. You need to give the VET do the following that I have posted here in this site the procedure for the tap. Tap must be done on the Foramen Magnum (cerebral Cranial Cavity) The VET needs to anesthesia, give the dog anti-shock meds, and I.V. and needs 0.2cc of NDV and 0.1cc of Saline solution. What the VET does is takes out 0.5cc of spinal fluid. Remove 0.3 of this fluid and put into another Vial to send to a lab to test for specific Distemper Leave 0.2cc of spinal fluid and mix the 0.2cc of NDV and inject into the spine and then flush with 0.1cc of saline to not leave any NDV in the needle hub.

Once the dog has both the body and the tap done you will be just fine. Cure in the body takes 12-48 hours depending on the genetics of the dog, and the cure in the CNS takes 24 hours. From then on you need not worry anymore of Distemper.

Please note do not VACCINATE THIS DOG AT ALL especially when sick. Vaccinations do not work while sick and the VET should know this. No excuse for this at all.

No vaccinations of Distemper will be needed if that brush border smear confirms the disease and you give the body injection and the tap injection of NDV. The dog will be immune for life and the titer readings will be around 1/1600. Also DO NOT GIVE THIS DOG ANY MODIFIED LIVE PARVOVIRUS VACCINE. You must wait one year and when you do vaccinate give single killed virus shots each separated. Only one killed parvo virus vaccine of 1/2 dose and another 1/2 dose spread apart one month is needed once every 3 years. The rest of the vaccines do likewise once every 3 years.

Post here and let me know and get on it immediately as I have instructed you here. Find that NDV (LaSorta strain as soon as you can and do both injections ASAP only if confirmed Distemper from the test instructions that I have given you.

Daveyo