Canine Distemper Vaccine

4 kinds of canine distemper vaccine exist and are currently in use: serum, “killed vaccine”, MLV (also known as “Modified Live Vaccine”), and Measles Vaccine. I will outline the four types briefly below.

Serum

Technically speaking this is not a vaccine, but rather part of the blood of a dog which has immunity to distemper. It is injected into a dog that requires immediate projection from canine distemper, such as when entering a pet shop or the pound, a kennel, and so forth. The serum contains antibodies from the dog from which the blood was taken, and those antibodies provide immediate but short term protection for the receiving dog. But it is indeed a short term preventative measure and not a proper vaccination program.

Killed Vaccine

The “killed vaccine” is made by growing the canine distemper virus in a lab and then carefuly breaking it down. This creates a virus particle that won’t multiply itself or cause distemper, but still works like an antigen and stimulates the production of antibodies, providing immunity. The main drawback of this approach is that the amount of virus particles that can be injected into the dog is predetermined, limiting the power of the antibody response.

MLV (Modified Live Vaccine)

The production of this kind of vaccine entails growing the virus in a lab in a way that makes it harmless without killing it. Once injected into the dog, this vaccine can multiply, but it will not cause the disease. This kind of vaccine offers a great source of antigens and stimulates the production of an abundance of antibodies.

MLV provides great duration and strength of protection. It is the preferred method of vaccination for longterm protection against distemper. MLV distemper vaccines are often combined with canine hepatitis and leptospirosis. It’s important to be careful with the production and handling of this vaccine.

Measles Vaccine

The viruses causing canine distemper, cattle rinderpest, and measles in humans are all very similar antigens. Therefore injected the human measles virus into a dog will stimulate the production of antibodies that protect the dog from distemper. This is usually given to young puppies of 3 to 4 weeks old, because distemper antibodies consumed through the pup’s mother’s milk will not attack the measles virus. They will, however, attack killed vaccine or MLV.

The value of giving the measles virus vaccine to puppies to prevent distemper is still debated amongst experts.

Dog Distemper Symptoms

There are various canine distemper symptoms, but they normally include thick pus discharges from the nose and eyes, as well as serious coughing and vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pustules, convulsions, body/leg spasm, lack of apetite, weakness, intermittently high fever, and footpad thickening.

Certainly there are other diseases and conditions that may cause some of the same signs, many of which aren’t so serious and aren’t so difficult to treat. This causes some problems for diagnosis of the distemper in dogs, since a certain diagnosis can not be made based on symptoms alone. Confirmation of a diagnosis can only be done based on complex procedures of isolating the virus and fluorescent antibody technique. But experienced vets can make a reasonable informed diagnosis based on their clinical experience.

There Remains Much Research To Be Done

Like the majority of viral diseases, no specific drug that can attack the canine distemper virus in the body exists. Existing treatment focuses on preventing secondary infections linked to the disease, as well as controlling and limiting some of the symptoms like cough, diarrhea, and convulsion. Vitamins and other supplements are used to ward off infection and improve general health and immunity. Drugs like ether, and vitamins like vitamin C are often cited as therapeutically useful, though the evidence for this is not conclusive.

There are also dog distemper antiserum and vaccination available, but according to studies dogs who show symptoms of the disease already have antibodies, so these may not be therapeutically useful.

One important thing to point out is that animals raised in clean and hygenic environments show mild symptoms when they contract canine distemper. Secondary and opportunistic “bacterial-invaders” cause most of the severe and debilitating symptoms. The main effect of the virus itself seems to be to break down body tissue and lower the body’s immunity to other diseases.

The rate of survival of dog distemper isn’t particularly high, especially if the dog is exhibiting symptoms like convulsions and muscle spasms. Treatment and care is often a long and prolonged process, but in spite of aggressive therapy and care, many dogs eventually have to be euthanized in order to be humane and prevent the dog’s suffering. Prevention is of course the ideal scenario to aim for.

Vaccines and How They Work

It is useful to understand the basic facts of immunity and vaccination in order to understand the treatment of your dog’s condition. When a foreign substance enters into the body, the body reacts in an attempt to kill the foreign substance.

The formation of antibodies is one kind of reaction to such invaders. Antibodies are proteins circulating in the bloodstream, which attach to the foreign substance, forming a “harmless complex”. Antibodies start being made by the body after a few days, but once they are present, they remain for the longterm. Every new foreign substance will stimulate the creation of a different antibody.