Being able identify symptoms of common diseases could prove to be the difference between life and death for your pet. There are a number of diseases that can infect your pet, and some more harmful than others � but they all have various signs and symptoms, for which you should always be on the look out. One of the most common diseases is the highly contagious canine distemper. The main cause is an airborne virus, which is spread easily with mucous and water secretions from infected dogs.

Infection can occur from exposure to urine, faecal material or simply through the air � much like humans contracting the common cold. More often than not, the disease affects young puppies although dogs of any age can catch the disease. It goes without saying that, again like humans, dogs in a healthy environment are more able to fend off the disease than those on the street struggling for survival.

Distemper in dogs has a mortality rate of around 90% - and, once again, like the common cold, there is no cure or treatment. Of dogs that do survive the disease, many may suffer permanent damage to the nervous system. There have even been occasions of partial or total paralysis in some dogs, while others have suffered from uncontrollable limb jerking and seizures.

As the disease progresses through the animal, these signs will become more frequent and more severe. It should be mentioned that Cats are not susceptible to canine distemper. So called �cat distemper� is caused by a different virus � we will look at this in detail in another issue.

Symptoms of the disease

There are a number of symptoms for which you should keep an eye out, including, but not limited to:

� Squinting
� Congestion of the eyes, or runny
eyes and nose
� Fever � although not always the case
� Weight loss and poor appetite
� Vomiting and diarrhoea
� Bronchitis and pneumonia may develop as the immune system falters
� Occasionally the virus will infect the foot pads resulting in �hard pads�

In combination with the above symptoms, some vets may run various blood tests. However, owners should be aware that there is no definitive blood test for distemper and if your vet if relying purely on the serology results, you may wish to get another opinion.

Treatment

Again like the common cold in humans, there are no drugs available that can kill the virus. The medications that are used to treat canine distemper are purely to strengthen the dog�s immune system to help it fight the virus. Therefore, treatment is aimed at supporting the general health of your dog and preventing bacterial infections.

� Give your dog medication as advised by your vet
� Encourage your dog to drink fluids
� Ensure your dog eats a healthy, balanced diet such as liver and meat.
� Wipe away any secretions from the dogs eyes and nose, but notify your vet if the dogs nose is continually blocked
� If your dog has distemper it is imperative that you advise your neighbours and be sure that all dogs exposed have had a booster vaccination within six months.

Prevention

Always better than a cure, the best way to provide proper immunity is to have your dog vaccinated when the pup is between six and eight weeks old followed by a series of immunisations. Yearly boosters are also required to keep your dog immune throughout its life.

All the puppies that PAWS vets deal with will be vaccinated at the appropriate age. We also appreciate that many of the stray dogs that we would like to re-home are much older than six to eight weeks, however, we will ensure that they have up-to-date boosters.

Key points to remember

� Canine distemper is highly contagious so any unvaccinated dogs are likely to come down with it.
� If any signs or symptoms persist or worsen, notify your vet immediately.
� Never be afraid to take your dog to the vet and ask some questions � there may be nothing wrong, but on the other hand, being pre-emptive may just save their lives.

And lastly, remember that combining vaccinations with a healthy diet and lifestyle can help to immunise your dog against distemper and other infectious diseases, leaving you to spend a happy, healthy life together.

If you would like to donate some time or funds to PAWS or would like to adopt or foster an animal, then please email us at: paws@phuket-animal-welfare.com or got to www.phuket-animal-welfare.com/