Canine Distemper Flashcards
Canine distemper is apart of what virus and genus group?
Mobillivirus genus and PARAMYXOVIRIDAE
Does this virus affect wide range of hosts?
yes, just like rabies
what does the nucleocapsid look like?
herring bone
are there inclusion bodies?
Yes! but they are intranuclear and intracytoplasmatic. you’d expect to see them only in the cytoplasm since that’s where they replicate.
They also form syncytiums.
Are the inclusion bodies used in diagnostics?
no
Is canine distemper contagious?
yes! there’s multi systemic acute or subacute febrile disease
T/F Canine distemper is highly tropic and highly multisystemic
TRUE so that means the virus can shed from ANYWHERE
Why are young animals more susceptible?
Well, all ages can get it but the young ones are more susceptible after maternal antibodies have dropped which is around 4-6 months.
Why are there so many forms of this disease?
Because it’s pantropic
What are the 5 forms of canine distemper?
1) severe multisystemic (mainly resp/GI/CNS), severe lymphopenia and death. ACUTE
2) mild to inapparent resp/GI signs but can get CNS issues weeks later
3) Old dog encephalitis years after the initial infection. Means virus can hang out in CNS. Fatal
4) Hyperkeratosis of foot pads and nose
5) enamel hypoplasia
What’s another name for hyperkeratosis of foot pads and nose?
hard pad disease
what’s the prognosis for hard pad disease?
not good
clinical signs associated with canine distemper depends solely on the virus or the host?
the host!
Biphasic fever is characteristic of canine distemper. Why is this important?
Because during the second peak, there’s onset of severe leukopenia and severe bloody diarrhea! have to make sure you’re not dealing with Parvo instead….
Why do you have to rule out Parvo when dealing with a distemper case?
because of the severe leukopenia and severe bloody diarrhea (usually seen during the second peak of the biphasic fever in distemper)
Clinical signs
anorexia, conjunctivitis and depression — see these FIRST
some dogs will have more resp issues (cough, bronchitis, pneumonia, pleuritis) more than GI (severe V and D watery/bloody) and the opposite is true.
CNS can happen as well…tonic clonic spasms, forced movements, paresis, seizure like…
Can dogs survive distemper?
yes but will typically have permanent CNS sequelae
What are the two late forms of the disease?
old dog encephalitis—mental deterioration etc.
hard pad disease
could other diseases cause ^^? Sure.
Does catching the disease early make a difference?
Nope. prognosis is always guarded with canine distemper because it depends on the host’s immune system
What do you look for in severe disease?
pathognomonic clinical signs associated with resp/enteric/CNS
severe lymphopenia
How can you diagnose this disease in a live animal?
antigen detection by immunohistologic methods of impression smears of eye stuff or peripheral blood lymphocytes
How can you diagnose this disease in a dead animal?
choose any part of their body because the virus is multi-systemic
Differential dx associated with canine distemper?
parvo hepatitis lepto toxo rabies
How is canine distemper spread?
direct contact since envelop virus
spread via aerosol as well!
When is the virus shed?
From the 5th day of infection BEFORE c/s and long after!! Very important
why are there outbreaks despite herd immunity in urban dogs?
because of the isolated rural dogs
Control of canine distemper is based on 4 things:
1) adequate diagnosis
2) quarantine
3) sanitation
4) vaccination
Why are puppies around 4-6 months more susceptible to canine distemper?
because around that time, the maternal antibodies start to wear off. start VAX NOW and BOOOOOOSTER!!
T/F You must treat canine distemper symptomatically
TRUE
