Canine distemper virus incubation time

Nasal swabs should be taken over a several-day period at least 2 weeks after recovery. If negative, the dog is most likely not shedding virus in significant quantities and is not a threat to other dogs as with any test, false results are possible; careful sample handling is a must. When one animal from a population is diagnosed with distemper, many questions arise: what do we do about other animals in the environment?

Are they all likely to get sick? Will widespread quarantine or even depopulation be necessary? Or is it okay to simply carry on business as usual? Or do we fall somewhere in between? The answers to these questions are dependent on several factors. Not all exposed dogs will become infected. Due to varying levels of maternal antibody, it is not even uncommon for only some members of a litter to develop disease.

However, even incompletely vaccinated animals may survive a possible exposure. If a single case occurs in an area where all animals have been vaccinated and environmental spread risk is deemed low based on the above listed factors, further steps to mitigate risk may not be necessary.

Using serology to assess individual dog risk Serology can be used in healthy dogs to detect protective distemper antibody titers and is a very useful tool to further clarify the need for quarantine of individual animals.

Dogs with no current or historical clinical signs no respiratory disease during their shelter stay or within the past four months, whichever is less can be tested for antibody titers. In these dogs, a positive titer indicates probably protection even if they have been exposed to the virus. Titer testing cannot be used on dogs with current or recent clinical signs of respiratory disease or distemper, as in these cases a positive result may indicate a response to infection rather than prior protection.

A careful physical exam of each animal to be tested is a must. Titer testing should be performed using a validated test or laboratory. Some laboratories can report quantitative results within 24 hours of sample submission, making this a reasonably efficient decision-making tool. In-house serology tests can also be used and have the advantage of more rapid turn-around time, often within minutes. The results are compared to positive and negative control wells and give non-quantitative positive or negative results.

This kit is a well test; each time the test is run two additional wells must be used to run a positive and negative control. Because of this, the test is most economical when running several tests at once. The kit looks like a flat comb; each tooth of the comb is a test for an individual dog and includes the positive and negative controls.

Results can be scored by their shade relative to the positive on a scale from 1 - 6. Results develop for all three viruses on the same comb simultaneously. The test provides results within approximately 20 minutes. Our September Newsletter contains an article with more information on this test, and you can find a video demonstrating its use on Youtube:. Asymptomatic adult dogs testing positive for protective titers are at low risk for developing distemper infection.

It is reasonable to move these dogs through the shelter as usual rather than placing them in quarantine. Puppies testing positive are likely low risk but this is less certain than with adults and immunity may rapidly wane.

These puppies are relatively safe to move to adoption or rescue, but should leave the shelter quickly if possible and it is prudent to advise adopters or rescuers of their recent exposure to distemper virus. Continue their vaccine schedule as usual. All dogs, of any age, testing negative for protective titers at the time of exposure must be considered high risk; however, many of these dogs will not develop infection.

Quarantine for weeks is indicated for this group if possible. While assigning risk groups never gives an absolute guarantee of whether a particular animal will become infected or not, defining which animals are at low risk of becoming sick and which are at a higher level of risk helps make decisions about who can be safely sent on their way and who needs more attention.

Often, identifying the low risk animals and sending them happily along opens up resources for animals who are more at risk. Risk assessment can be used to minimize the amount of quarantine, euthanasia, and other drastic or costly measures taken while still effectively controlling an outbreak. Establishing risk categories for exposed animals also limits the number of dogs who need quarantine, isolation, or special rescue. When the number who would need something special falls to only those who are truly at risk, often the situation turns quickly from unimaginable to manageable.

You can learn more about risk assessment by using our Canine Parvovirus Outbreak Simulator and Guide. Unlike parvovirus which can remain viable for months to years, distemper virus can be removed from the environment easily. Thus, beefed up sanitation is not likely to be the most important element in controlling a distemper outbreak.

That said, a shelter should always be cleaned as if there is an extremely hard to kill pathogen present such as parvovirus. There is no benefit to a waiting period prior to re-use of a kennel after distemper decontamination; either mechanical cleaning and disinfecting was effective, or it was not.

Waiting a day or even a couple of weeks will not result in a significant further decrease in contamination. To be on the safe side, kennels should be completely cleaned, disinfected, and dried at least twice before re-use, however this can happen in a short period of time. As with all shelter disease, prevention is the key to addressing CDV. Learn about canine distemper vaccination, diagnosis, treatment, and disinfection.

Table of Contents: What is Canine Distemper virus? Infectious disease cheat sheet for Canine Distemper Distemper is a highly contagious viral infection caused by an enveloped, single stranded RNA virus of the genus Morbillivirus , family Paramyxoviridae.

Considerations in a shelter Although greatly reduced by widespread vaccination, canine distemper continues to be a frustrating problem for many shelters. Susceptible host species Canine distemper virus infects dogs and other mammals, including ferrets and raccoons.

The following steps will limit the risk posed by raccoon transport and handling: Do not transport sick raccoons in vehicles with dogs. This has been linked to canine distemper outbreaks in shelters.

Double bag dead wildlife for transport and disposal. Always handle wildlife with gloves. Wash hands after removing gloves and before handling domestic animals.

Wear protective clothing when handling wild animals, or avoid contact of wild animals with clothing. Use separate equipment carriers, traps, etc. Transmission and control Canine distemper virus is shed in all body secretions of acutely infected animals. Incubation period The incubation period is usually weeks from the time of exposure to development of initial clinical signs, but it can be as long as weeks or even more.

Disease course Distemper virus can invade the respiratory, gastrointestinal, skin, immune and nervous systems. Environmental decontamination Distemper virus survives no more than a few hours in the environment at room temperature.

Vaccination Vaccination is the cornerstone of distemper prevention in a shelter. Clinical Signs of Canine Distemper Clinical signs of upper or lower respiratory infection and gastrointestinal disease are non-specific; a diagnosis of distemper should not be made based on these signs alone. Signs associated with dogs infected with canine distemper Respiratory signs Nasal discharge Ocular discharge Coughing Dyspnea difficulty breathing Pneumonia lower airway disease Diagnostic value of respiratory signs: Upper respiratory signs alone are much more likely due to canine infectious respiratory disease complex a.

Gastrointestinal GI signs Anorexia loss of appetite Vomiting Diarrhea may be bloody Diagnostic value of gastrointestinal GI signs: There is slightly increased suspicion for distemper when GI signs are seen in conjunction with URI signs in a dog with consistent age and exposure history.

Dermatological signs Pustular dermatitis skin rash - associated with a favorable prognosis Nasal and digital hyperkeratosis thickening of the nose and footpads - associated with a poor prognosis and progression to neurological disease Diagnostic value of dermatological signs: Same as for ocular signs.

Treatment of CDV No specific treatment for distemper has been proven effective. Recovery Shedding may persist for as long as 4 months in recovered dogs, although shedding is greatly reduced following complete resolution of clinical signs. Risk assessment: how do you decide how much to worry about exposed animals? It is shed in the urine, feces, and secretions of infected animals.

The virus is resistant to cold and the majority of cases in domestic dogs occur in the fall and winter. Increased susceptibility to distemper in juveniles results in more wildlife cases in the spring and summer when babies are being born. However, there are cases year round. The virus causes respiratory issues and fever. It also causes gastrointestinal illness including vomiting and diarrhea, as well as thickened skin on the nose and footpads hyperkeratosis. The neurologic phase of the disease affects the central nervous system and can cause disorientation and weakness along with progressive seizures.

Wild animals with late neurologic stage distemper have can exhibit fearlessness, aimless wandering, and aggressiveness. The treatment for canine distemper is supportive care as there is no cure.

Some cases resolve as quickly as 10 days. Other cases may exhibit neurological symptoms for weeks and even months afterward. Canine distemper is entirely preventable. There are several things you can do to prevent distemper in dogs:.

Learn more about the risks of socializing your puppy. By following these steps, you can keep your dog safe from distemper. If you have more questions about distemper in dogs, talk to your veterinarian, and call your vet immediately if you suspect your dog might be showing symptoms of distemper. Compare Breeds Compare up to 5 different breeds side by side. Dog Name Finder Browse our extensive library of dog names for inspiration.

Find out the best and worst foods for your dog and which to avoid. Additional Resources AKC. Clubs Offering: Training Classes. By Anna Burke Nov 15, 4 Minutes. Nov 15, 4 Minutes. What Is Canine Distemper?

How Is Canine Distemper Spread? There are three ways dogs can get canine distemper: Through direct contact with an infected animal or object Through airborne exposure Through the placenta Canine distemper is spread through direct contact or airborne exposure, rather like the common cold in humans. Stage One: The first symptom of distemper in dogs is usually watery to pus-like discharge from his eyes, followed by fever , loss of appetite, and clear nasal discharge.

Secondary bacterial infections can cause respiratory and GI symptoms, including: Vomiting Diarrhea Difficulty breathing Change in respiratory rate Pneumonia Stage Two: Some dogs develop neurological signs as the disease progresses and attacks the central nervous system.