Early Symptoms and Treatment of Canine Distemper

1 Symptoms and Early Treatment

I. Symptoms of distemper

1. Early: increased eye and nose discharge, sustained high fever for 2 days, infrequent vomiting and diarrhea.

2. Middle: temperature rises again, lethargy and loss of appetite, with coughing and continued vomiting and diarrhea.

3. Late: besides middle-stage signs, neurological symptoms appear – limb twitching, loss of balance, epileptic seizures, coma. Dogs usually die 1 to 2 weeks after these appear.

II. Early-stage distemper treatment

1. Western medicine

Serum antibodies: inject monoclonal antibodies and distemper immune serum.

Antibiotics: penicillin, cephalosporins, and similar.

Nutrition: appropriately inject calcium gluconate and vitamin C to replace nutrients and fluids lost to vomiting and diarrhea.

Cough relief: use antitussive and expectorant drugs such as cough suppressants.

2. Chinese medicine: gentler on the dog than constant injections.

Use 10 g of this formula, 20 g Rehmannia, 20 g Salvia, 10 g Arisaema, 6 g Uncaria, 10 g Isatis root, 15 g Viola, 6 g Pinellia, 10 g Akebia, 15 g Forsythia, 10 g Honeysuckle, boiled in 2000 to 2500 ml water for about 45 minutes. The yield is about 250 to 300 ml; give 15 to 25 ml, two to three times daily.

Tip: Start treatment at the first signs of distemper to greatly improve the odds of recovery.