Dog with Distemper: How to Know If It Has Distemper and How to Take Care of It 

One of the most serious problems that we animal lovers can have is having our dog with distemper, a disease that, although it may seem otherwise at first glance, is quite serious.

This disease is so named because it produces characteristic green mucus in the dog, which is very similar to what humans can have when we have other diseases such as the flu.

The worst thing about having this kind of disease is that the dog with distemper could suffer serious consequences, such as dehydration or even death in the most serious cases.

The good thing about this disease is that, as we will see below, it is one of the easiest to detect. However, it is also a complicated disease to cure, since once you are inside it, it is difficult to get out and find a cure for it that is 100% effective.

In addition to that, it is quite unpleasant to have a dog with distemper, since we are going to see him sad, looking like he wants to cry and not having the dog contain him, something that will make us feel very sad if we are animal lovers and we love our dog very much.

This disease of distemper could drive many crazy, since many people cannot find a cure as easily as they would like, making them practically desperate to cure their pet or best friend as you want to call it. This will make them lose all hope that the dog will be cured, which will make them very sad.

However, you should not be sad, because today we are going to help you finally cure your dog with distemper. In this way, you will be able to be prepared to cure this disease, since in addition to curing it, we will also teach you how to detect it correctly and, of course, how to prevent its appearance.

Instructions to know if you have Distemper and take care of it

Symptoms:

The first things we are going to learn today are the symptoms of distemper, which will help us to detect the disease in a simple way. Actually, these symptoms are very common and easy to see, therefore, we will be able to detect with some ease if our dog has distemper if we find 2 or more symptoms that I will tell you about in it. I am really going to give you all the symptoms of distemper, since it will not only be enough to see the most common ones, but you have to see the symptoms that also occur in more serious cases of the disease.

1. 1. Lack of energy: The first symptom that we are going to find in the dog with distemper is an evident lack of energy. We are going to notice how our dog no longer wants to play, how he is without strength and how he spends the day under the bed or in a hidden place, without wanting to interact with you or the rest of the people in the house. The reason is that the disease is consuming him, therefore, he will not have the strength to carry out the activities that he normally does.
   2. High fever: The second symptom is high fever, that is, the dog’s body temperature rises abnormally, reaching a couple of degrees above its usual temperature range.  This fever is accompanied by the classic symptoms of it, such as having the snout too hot or having continuous panting. High fever appears because the dog’s body is fighting the disease; therefore, the body temperature rises to be able to deal with it more effectively.
   3. Does not drink water and does not feel like eating: Another very common symptom is dehydration and malnutrition, which occur because the dog does not feel like eating or drinking water. We are going to see how the dog has completely lost its appetite and has stopped drinking water, since this is one of the symptoms of the disease. It is undoubtedly one of the most dangerous, since it is really very dangerous to see how an animal dies of thirst, something that could happen if it is only two days without drinking water.
   4. Green mucus: Another characteristic symptom is green mucus, which always appears in dogs in this disease. These mucus draw a lot of attention because they are quite striking, being much larger than the mucus that they may have in a normal cold. In addition, we are going to see them sneeze much more often than usual, since the dog will try to expel the mucus, which is preventing him from breathing correctly.
   5. Diarrhea and vomiting: By not eating food and being sick, it is likely that the dog will not be able to digest properly and therefore have diarrhea and vomiting. In addition, everything the dog eats; it will throw away, something that greatly complicates the treatment of the disease, being another of its most dangerous symptoms, since we will also see how the dog loses a large amount of fluids due to diarrhea.
   6. Many problems breathing well: Having the airways obstructed by mucus, the dog will not be able to breathe properly. This is a problem, since in addition to not having water, not having energy and not feeling like anything, there will also be a lack of oxygen. Oxygen is necessary for life and its lack could produce catastrophic consequences, among which we have even more lack of energy and bad mood.
   7. Tears in the eyes: Due to the great irritation caused by this disease, it is also common for us to see the dog with tears in the eyes, an image that is undoubtedly sad and that could shock more than one. These tears are accompanied by irritation, having what is commonly known as conjunctivitis.
   8. Skin with marks and wounds: Another thing that happens with distemper is that small rashes appear on the skin that manifest in the form of marks or wounds.  For example, it may be that they appear on the skin, having skin problems as well. These symptoms already occur in an advanced stage of the disease, which are already bad news symptoms.
   9. Tremors and strange gestures: Finally we have involuntary tremors, which make the dog have a kind of tremor and ticks that appear suddenly in the dog. Again, these symptoms indicate an advanced state of the disease, which is why they are very bad news for our pet, and it is necessary to go to the vet immediately in the event of a symptom similar to this.

Cure:

Once we know the symptoms of the disease, it is time to see how we can cure it, something that will allow us to try to restore your dog’s health again. These methods are really easy to apply, since they allow both to relieve the symptoms and improve the dog’s quality of life, as well as to attack the disease and make it lessen and finally disappear.  We are going to have 5 methods that are capable of curing your dog, some methods more effective than others, but that will undoubtedly be able to improve the health of your dog just by applying them, since they are really prepared to cure a disease as serious as it can be the distemper The 5 methods are not listed in any particular order, however, the vet’s method should be done first.

1. 1. Moisturize and nourish: The first thing we must do to cure distemper is to hydrate the dog and try to nourish it. This is because as it has a lack of appetite and lack of thirst, we must be very careful that the dog does not run out of water and does not become malnourished. Try to take foods that he likes a lot, that he cannot refuse and try to make him eat everything. It doesn’t matter if you throw it up, because a small part of what you eat and drink is always absorbed. As for water, it is best to give it to him with a syringe, which we must give to his mouth until it reaches the bottom of it.
   2. Go to the vet: The vet is the best doctor to find out what is happening to a dog. The veterinarian will know what type of distemper your dog has, the degree of progress in the disease that he has and of course, he will tell you how you can easily cure it. What you have to do is take him to the vet as soon as you find out that he has it and then apply all the advice that he has asked you to apply and thus completely cure the disease.
   3. Medicines: Medicines can be used for two things, firstly, to relieve the pain that the dog will feel due to the disease and secondly, to try to eliminate the virus that contains the disease and that is harming your dog. I advise that the medicines you give your dog are prescribed by the veterinarian, that is, that you do not try to self-medicate it yourself to avoid greater evils.
   4. Hygiene: The hygiene of the animal is crucial to ensure that it is in good health, since distemper is one of those diseases that also cause the dog to be dirty, due to mucus and diarrhea. Dirt causes opportunistic diseases to take advantage and enter the body, therefore, try to clean the dog and that it is completely clean at all times.
   5. Vitamin B: Finally we have vitamin B, a vitamin that will allow us to make the dog recover a little vitality and appetite. The way to give it is by crushing a capsule of this vitamin and giving it to the dog in a rich meal. In this way, you can treat the vitamin B deficiency that causes distemper and restore your dog’s health.

Prevention:

As I always say, prevention is the best cure, therefore, it is the best way to keep a disease away from your dog and ensure that he is never infected with it.  There are two main ways to prevent distemper, one is in the vaccination schedule and the other is in common sense.

1. 1. Vaccinate him: If we have taken the dog to veterinary check-ups, he will have given us a vaccination schedule, which will indicate the vaccines that we must apply to our dog. One of them is distemper, which will help us prevent this disease from entering the dog.
   2. Keep him away from other dogs with distemper: Distemper is spread by liquids, that is, if we see other dogs with distemper nearby, keep your dog away from them, as dogs lick and play and are likely to get it. Hit each other.