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You may have seen recent stories in the news about raccoons and dogs being euthanized due to canine distemper, including coverage of an outbreak at the Colorado Humane Society (CHS) in Englewood. The CHS shelter is currently closed, but will resume operations as test results on quarantined dogs continue to be negative. If you have adopted a dog in the last 60 days from CHS, you can take it back to the shelter for an eye swab and testing.
About canine distemper
Distemper is an infectious disease caused by a virus and is spread through airborne exposure. Canine distemper is a serious disease that can cause death, but about 50% of affected dogs survive with treatment, if the disease is identified early. Distemper is present in wildlife like raccoons and foxes. If you encounter a raccoon, skunk, or fox that is active during the day or is doing anything other than running away from you (day or night), call animal control immediately – do not try to handle the animal yourself. It’s not worth being bitten or exposed to rabies!
Which pets are at risk?
Because of widespread vaccination of dogs, canine distemper is uncommon in the general dog population; it almost exclusively affects unvaccinated puppies. If your dog has been vaccinated for distemper, it is very unlikely to develop the disease – vaccine protocols are very reliable. If your dog has not been vaccinated for distemper, it may be at risk, especially if it is a puppy – ask your veterinarian about your dog’s vaccine history to make sure he/she is protected. Canine distemper is not a risk for domestic cats, humans, birds, or most small mammals. Ferrets can contract distemper, but usually are not in situations of exposure; many ferrets are vaccinated for distemper
Symptoms of canine distemper
• Initially, dogs may sneeze, cough, and have a large amount of mucus production.
• Some dogs may experience vomiting and diarrhea.
• Late in the course of the disease, dogs may have seizures, may be wobbly, weak, or paralyzed, or they may have muscle tremors.
If you have adopted a dog from Colorado Humane Society in the last month, watch for symptoms like nasal discharge, sneezing, coughing, vomiting, or diarrhea. Although these symptoms do not necessarily mean that your dog has distemper, the sooner your dog is seen, the better.
Dr. Jed Rogers, a member of the Denver Area Veterinary Medical Society, provided the facts about canine distemper for this story.
Comments
Please stop spreading the myth that raccoons seen during the day means they are sick with rabies or distemper. Females switch to going out during the day during the spring and all raccoons will come out if they are hungry or find a source of food only available during the day.
Ferrets that have not been vaccinated and contract canine distemper is always fatal. It can be brought indoors on your clothing, shoes, etc. Even being exposed to a dog that has recovered from canine distemper, can still carry the virus.
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