Happy New Year! It’s Corgi Corner time! This is a series that’s posted on the first Saturday of every month! These posts will help spread education and awareness on topics like general dog care, corgi specific things, medical care, health facts, etc. This month’s Corgi Corner post will be all about canine distemper! Canine distemper is a contagious and serious disease caused by the canine distemper virus. The virus attacks the respiratory, gastrointestinal, and nervous system of dogs and other carnivores like ferrets, raccoons, skunks, and foxes. All dogs are at risk of canine distemper, but those at particular risk are puppies younger than 4 months old and dogs that haven’t been vaccinated against the virus. Canine distemper is most often spread through airborne exposure to the virus from an infected dog or wild animal. This can occur through sneezing, coughing, or barking. The virus can also can be transmitted through shared food, water bowls, and other items. Once infected, dogs shed the virus in body fluids like respiratory droplets, saliva, urine, or feces, and could be contagious for several weeks to months. Infected mothers can also pass the virus to their unborn puppies. The virus quickly spreads throughout the entire body and significantly weakens the immune system, leaving them susceptible to secondary infections. The skin, respiratory, gastrointestinal, and central nervous system can all be affected. Because canine distemper can also affect wildlife, contact between wild animals and dogs can cause the disease to spread. Canine distemper outbreaks in local wildlife populations can increase the risk of the infection for pet dogs in the area, and unvaccinated dogs may serve as sources of infection for wildlife. Veterinarians typically diagnose canine distemper through a combination of clinical signs and laboratory testing. There is no cure, and no antiviral drugs have been approved to combat the infection. Treatment usually consists of supportive care such as fluids to correct dehydration, and medications to prevent secondary infections and to control vomiting, diarrhea, and neurologic signs. Dogs with canine distemper need to be separated from other dogs to prevent the disease from spreading. As these signs suggest, canine distemper is a serious disease. About 1 in 2 dogs will die from their infection. Although dogs that survive will have lifelong immunity to the canine distemper virus, they usually have permanent, irreparable nervous system damage. The best way to prevent canine distemper is through vaccination. The canine distemper vaccine is included in a combination vaccine (sometimes abbreviated as DAPP, DA2PP, or similarly) that also protects dogs against some other common canine viruses, like parvovirus. This vaccine is considered “core”, and is recommended for all dogs. To help build immunity, puppies need to undergo an initial series of vaccinations starting with their first dose between 6 and 8 weeks old. It should be repeated every 3-4 weeks until 16-20 weeks of age. If an adult dog is unvaccinated or not current on their vaccination, they just need one additional dose about 3-4 weeks after their initial dose. To maintain protection, a booster dose of the combination vaccine is recommended within one year after the last dose in the initial vaccination series. Afterward, boosters are recommended every three years. There are also additional measures you can take to help protect your dog and other animals from canine distemper. Until the initial vaccination series is complete, use caution when bringing puppies to places where dogs gather. This includes pet shops, parks, obedience classes, doggy day cares, kennels/boarding facilities, and groomers. It’s also imperative to choose establishments and training programs that require up-to-date vaccinations, health examinations, good hygiene, and isolation of sick puppies and dogs. Keep your dog away from other dogs when sick, including other dogs within your home. Avoid contact with known infected dogs and their premises. And keep your dog away from wildlife.