What is Dog Distemper?

Canine distemper ranks among the greatest perils to the world's dog population.  It primarily strikes young dogs, typically affecting those below one year old.  Among pups the mortality rate caused by distemper is around 80 percent.  The disease also attacks unvaccinated matured dogs. More than 50 percent of the full-grown dogs that get the disease die from it. And even if a dog does not die from distemper, its health could be permanently impaired.  Blindness in one or both eyes could result from discharges striking the cornea.  The same discharges sometimes leave the dog deaf or impair its sense of smell. Permanent damage to the nervous system may cause chorea (muscle twitching), convulsions, partial or absolute paralysis.

Canine Distemper is caused by an airborne virus.  It could be picked up by the dog that comes in contact with mucus and watery secretions from the eyes and noses of contaminated dogs, and also from contact with these dog's urine and feces.  A healthy dog can be infected with distemper even without direct contact with the infected animal. Kennels, runs, bedding and practically everything touched by a dog with distemper could spread the infection—this includes the hands, feet, and garments of the person handling the sick dog.

Read more on Canine Distemper:  Canine Distemper: Symptoms and Treatments

What to Do If Your Dog Has Diarrhea

Diarrhea often ensues from several systemic and other problems. It's occasionally caused by bad feeding. If it occurs only once or twice, it could be nothing more than a slight intestinal upset. A sudden shift in diet can bring it on; a swap from one brand of food to another is best done over a period of a few days, the new food gradually blended in increasing amounts with the old. Often diarrhea results from nervousness or fear brought on by unaccustomed journeys or exhilaration. Spoiled food, likewise, will cause it.

Diarrhea can be an sign of canine distemper or canine parvovirus, in which case the fecal matter emit a particularly foul odor. Intestinal parasites like hookworms and whipworms are also a chief cause. Serious diarrhea involving numerous daily evacuations, evil-smelling or blood-streaked stools, must be treated right away by a veterinarian.

Mild or casual cases may be eased by the same treatment as for vomiting: withholding food and water for 12 to 24 hours, giving only ice cubes to lick, then extending water gradually, after a period of time. At the same time, Kaopectate or Donnagel, given based on your veterinarian's instructions, will help to stop the diarrhea and calm the stomach. Begin giving bland food after twenty-four hours.

By Tip Writer