Research Paper for the Pet Technician Certificate :
Module 3 -Infectious Disease
Owner: Alice Lam
All Rights Reserved.
Canine distemper is a highly contagious viral disease of dogs. It is
the leading lethal infectious disease in dogs. The virus infects the
gastrointestinal system, respiratory tract, brain, and the spinal cord.
Symptoms include fever, eyes discharge, running nose, vomit and
diarrhea, dehydration, excessive salivation, coughing and/or labored
breathing, loss of appetite, weight loss, hardening of the footpads and
nose, seizures of any part of the body, in particular, the developing of
“chewing gum fits”.
Another lasting symptom commonly is enamel hypoplasia. Puppies,
especially, might suffer damage to the enamel of teeth that are not
completely formed or those that have not yet grown through the gums, as a
result of the virus killing the cells responsible for the production of
tooth enamel. Teeth affected tend to erode quickly.
The animal may also show signs of sensitivity to light, coordination
disorder, prolonged circling, increased sensitivity to sensory stimuli
such as pain or touch, and deterioration of motor capabilities.
Sometimes, it may cause blindness and paralysis.
HOW THE CARRIER STATE DEVELOPS
The virus first enters the bronchial lymph nodes and tonsils 2 days
after exposure, then the blood stream on the 2nd or 3rd day. A first
round of acute fever tends to begin around the 3rd to 8th day, which is
often accompanied by a low white blood cell count, especially of
lymphocytes, as well as low platelet count. These signs may go unnoticed
or be accompanied by loss of appetite, may or may not be accompanied by
anorexia, running nose, and discharge from the eye. This first round of
fever typically recedes rapidly within 96 hours, and then a 2nd round
of fever begins around the 11th or 12th day and lasts around a week.
Gastro-intestinal and respiratory signs may follow and are usually
complicated by bacterial infections. Overgrowth of the skin of the
footpads (“hardpad” disease) and hardening of the nose may be seen.
This is called the Mucosal Phase.
Neurological signs will then gradually appear. These may include
seizures in the form of : 1) localized involuntary twitching and
seizures of a muscle or group of muscles, such as in the leg or face, 2)
slight or complete paralysis, often most noticeable in the hind limbs
as failure of muscle coordination, followed by weakness and paralysis in
all 4 legs, and 3) the development of chewing-gum fits.
The seizures become more frequent and severe as the disease
progresses. The dog may fall on its side and paddle its legs.
Involuntary urination and defecation sometimes occur.
This is the Neurologic Phase.
Younger puppies or dogs with weak immunity often die during the
mucosal phase while stronger ones may have relatively mild mucosal signs
and may not be apparent until reaches the neurologic phase.
WHAT ARE THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT MAKE THE CARRIER ANIMAL INFECTIOUS TO OTHER ANIMALS
CDV spreads in 6 to 22 days after exposure, through aerosol droplets
and contact with infected bodily fluids. The time between infection and
disease is 3-8 days for first fever to appear and 14 to 18 days for full
infection is noted.
It is with this long incubation period that stray animals lacking
vaccinations are more susceptible to the virus and be the host to spread
to the community. The typical distemper suspect is a rescue dog or a
pet shop puppy, usually with questionable vaccination history or an as
yet incomplete vaccination series, or dogs or puppies which has been
housed with other rescue dogs. Puppies from three to six months old are
particularly susceptible. Puppies and dogs that have not received their
shots can then be easily infected.
Moreover, an infection of CDV may or may not be noticeable as the
symptoms may be mild with few or even no signs, or the attack comes
strong at a late stage when the patient is already suffering from acute
health conditions and showing neurological signs, which may not come
until several weeks or months later. Infected dogs with no signs at all
may be spreading the infectious virus for months without being
discovered.
HOW THE DISEASE IS SPREAD
The Canine Distemper Virus (CDV) transmission must involve dog to dog
contact or at least contact with extremely fresh infected body
secretions. The infected dog typically infects other dogs via coughing
infected respiratory secretions though the virus is shed in most other
body secretions including nasal and ocular secretions, faeces and urine.
It can also be spread by food and water contaminated with these fluids.
The virus enters the new host via the nose or mouth and promptly begins
to replicate.
WHAT MEASURES CAN BE TAKEN TO MINIMISE THE SPREAD TO OTHER ANIMALS IN THE SAME HOUSEHOLD?
Infected animals should be quarantined from other dogs for several
months due to the length of time the animal may shed the virus.
The virus is destroyed in the environment by routine cleaning with disinfectants, detergents, or drying.
It does not survive in the environment for more than a few hours at
room temperature (20–25°C), but can survive for a few weeks in shady
environments at temperatures slightly above freezing.
It, along with other labile viruses, can also persist longer in serum and tissue debris.
Vaccination is the best available prevention for canine distemper.
Puppies should be vaccinated when they are 6 weeks old and then at 2- to
4-week intervals until they are 14 to 16 weeks old. Annual
revaccination has been suggested because of the breaks in neurologic
distemper that can occur in stressed or diseased dogs or those with
weakened immune systems.
數碼港的草地以及狗公園的設施都保養得不錯，可能是因為它是由數碼港公司 (不是政府) 維護的關係吧 (君不見由政府維護的狗公園都是不知所謂)。那裡有很多樹蔭、垃圾桶、長椅。。。等。只要在公園多走兩步，多數都可以找到有樹蔭的長椅坐下休息一下。
因為附近沒有四邊的高樓，所以很多時候，我們都可以看到藍天白雲。因為在西邊，又有無敵海景，在炎夏的黃昏，更擁有美麗的日落MAGIC景。難怪那裡的樓都賣這麼貴。:p
