Clinical Signs and Symptoms of Canine Distemper

1 Distemper Clinical Signs

Clinical signs of canine distemper:

The incubation period varies with the source, usually 3 to 6 days. Signs include tiredness, reduced appetite, fever, and upper respiratory infection with watery eye and nose discharge. It is most seen in unvaccinated puppies over about 2.3 months old, possibly as maternal antibodies fade. Early natural infection is often missed: conjunctivitis, dry cough turning to wet cough, labored breathing, vomiting, diarrhea, tenesmus, intussusception, and finally death from severe dehydration and weakness. Because the virus attacks different parts of the central nervous system, signs differ.

Dogs with brain-nerve damage may show mild local twitching of the lips and face, or severe drooling, chewing motions, circling, foaming, collapsing convulsions, and epileptic seizures; gait changes from midbrain, cerebellum, vestibular, and medulla damage; spinal damage causes ataxia and abnormal reflexes; meningeal damage causes hyperesthesia and a stiff neck. A common sign is repeated episodic spasm of the chewing muscles. Eye-nerve and retinal invasion causes eye damage – sudden blindness, dilated pupils, and lost pupil reflex.

Tip: Any unexplained coughing, discharge, or odd behavior in an unvaccinated dog warrants a distemper check.