Canine distemper virus Canine distemper virus (CDV) (sometimes termed "footpad disease") is a viral disease that affects a wide variety of mammal families,[2] including domestic and wild species of dogs, coyotes, foxes, pandas, wolves, ferrets, skunks, raccoons, and felines, as well as pinnipeds, some primates, and a variety of other species.

In canines, CDV affects several body systems, including the gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts, the spinal cord, and the brain.

Common symptoms include high fever, eye inflammation and eye/nose discharge, labored breathing and coughing, vomiting and diarrhea, loss of appetite and lethargy, and hardening of the nose and footpads.

In domestic dogs, while the acute generalized form of distemper has a high mortality rate, disease duration and severity depend mainly on the animal's age, immune status, and the virulence of the infecting strain of the virus.

[5] The origin of the word distemper is from Middle English distemperen, 'to upset the balance of the humors,' which is from Old French destemprer, 'to disturb,' which is from Vulgar Latin distemperare, 'to not mix properly.

It also may have played a considerable role in the extinction of the thylacine (Tasmanian tiger) and recurrently causes mortality among African wild dogs.

The length of the systemic disease may be as short as 10 days, or the start of neurological signs may not occur until several weeks or months later.

This diversity arises from mutation and, when two genetically distinct viruses infect the same cell, from homologous recombination.

[26] CDV spreads through aerosol droplets and through contact with infected bodily fluids, including nasal and ocular secretions, feces, and urine, 6 to 22 days after exposure.

[29] The canine distemper virus tends to direct its infection toward the lymphoid, epithelial, and nervous tissues.

The virus then enters the blood stream and infects the respiratory, gastrointestinal, urogenital, epithelial, and central nervous systems, as well as optic nerves.

[17] Therefore, the typical pathologic features of canine distemper include lymphoid depletion (causing immunosuppression and leading to secondary infections), interstitial pneumonia, encephalitis with demyelination, and hyperkeratosis of the nose and foot pads.

Inflammation of the brain and spinal cord, otherwise known as encephalomyelitis, either is associated with this, subsequently follows, or comes completely independently of these problems.

[14] Thus, finding the virus by various methods in the dog's conjunctival cells or foot pads gives a definitive diagnosis.

These infected cells have inclusions which stain a carmine red color, found in the paranuclear cytoplasm.

[32] A number of vaccines against CDV exist for dogs (ATCvet code: QI07AD05 (WHO) and combinations) and domestic ferrets (QI20DD01 (WHO)), which in many jurisdictions are mandatory for pets.

These dogs are not protected against the virus, so are susceptible to canine distemper infection, continuing the downward spiral that leads to outbreaks throughout the world.

[17] Care is geared towards treating fluid/electrolyte imbalances, neurological symptoms, and preventing any secondary bacterial infections.

Examples include administering fluids, electrolyte solutions, analgesics, anticonvulsants, broad-spectrum antibiotics, antipyretics, parenteral nutrition, and nursing care.

This provides a great threat to both the rural and urban communities throughout the United States, affecting both shelter and domestic canines.

An unaccountable number of strays that lack vaccinations reside in these areas, so they are more susceptible to diseases such as canine distemper.