Category: Canine Distemper

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Blog Canine Distemper

Fighting distemper in the age of COVID-19

I received this video from Vanna Truong of San Jose, CA, and of the many videos I had been sent from all over the world, this was one of the hardest to watch. Not only did Vanna lose her sweet puppy Simba to distemper, but the COVID crisis made everything much more difficult. You can see all the pain and sorrow in her face.

But this is also a very important video for people to watch and learn from.

As she explains, the COVID crisis has worsened the problem for dog owners and for those of us trying to fight canine distemper. Because people are more interested in getting a puppy to help deal with the anxiety and isolation, more puppies are available, but possibly from sources who do not take the proper precautions to prevent disease. So, potential dog owners need to be smart about who you get a puppy from.

The COVID crisis has also stressed the veterinary profession and it’s possible that basic steps like getting a distemper test ordered don’t happen. What Vanna has learned, unfortunately, is that now more than ever dog owners need to be on top of things and be an advocate for their pups. Simba was weeks into the neurological stage of the disease before the vets realized they had not followed through in ordering the distemper test. They didn’t get the results confirmed until after this puppy died.

Some points I would like to underscore after I watched her video:
• Even when puppies are vaccinated, they can still get distemper. This is because they may have already been exposed before adoption or because their ability to build an immune response has been blocked either by worms, mange or simply because the maternal antibodies are still in their system.
• Early diagnosis is essential. The sooner you know what you are dealing with, the faster you can start looking for therapies that can help. So, not only would that give you a better chance when dealing with neurological distemper, but we also believe that if a dog can be treated with NDV serum before the onset of the neuro stage, we have a much better chance of saving their lives. (But that is something that has yet to be proven through published studies, which is a main topic of my book. )
• Distemper is a nasty, cruel disease that does not play fair. In the early stages of the disease, he had symptoms more like parvovirus and that was another reason they were thrown off the proper diagnosis.

But you should really hear what Vanna has to say:

Thanks again for sending me this video, Vanna. And thank you for giving a shout out to Kind Hearts In Action. (One small, minor point, I’m not the founder. My sisters, Jane and Karen Bond, started this group. I’m a volunteer for them, but I manage the distemper project here.)

— Ed Bond

Categories
#distemperdogs Saved Dogs

After distemper battle, Ryo is back to his old self

Ryo and Giselle celebrate his survival of canine distemper.
Ryo and Giselle celebrate his survival of canine distemper.

My dog, Ryo, and I have been a family for just over a year now. I received him from a breeder in another part of the country (India) on the 3rd of July 2019. The breeder sent me his medical records which included proof of all vaccinations including Canine Distemper.

However, to my great sorrow, Ryo was diagnosed with Canine Distemper on Monday, the 23rd of March 2020.His symptoms started with a cough and wheezing in the month of February, which were treated with antibiotics. The cough and wheezing seemed to have died down after a week or two.

However, in a few days’ time he started having a discharge from his eyes, which the vet thought was an allergic reaction to building construction work in the neighborhood. What followed was a crusty nose with green discharge, thickening and cracked paw pads and the return of the wheezing/cough.Around the 19th or 20th of March I noticed his head ‘ticking’ and could tell that it was due to the tightening of his jaw.

I took Ryo to the vet immediately and he confirmed that he had Canine Distemper and suggested the NDV spinal tap, stating that his chances of survival are low but this gives him about a 20% fighting chance. The NDV spinal tap procedure was performed in Bangalore, on Tuesday, the 24th of March, 2020 at 10:00 in the morning under general anesthesia.

For the initial month following the procedure, Ryo refused to eat regular food and I had to put his food in the food processor and feed it to him via syringe in batches. In about 5 days’ time I could see small signs of improvement in him. He had started asking for treats and eating a couple, although with difficulty. He had started playing and running around within a week and although he was still a little wobbly for the next couple of weeks, I could tell that his strength was returning. What followed in the next couple of weeks were bouts of respiratory issues which were treated with Toxomox-250. Luckily, Ryo did not have any digestive issues and he started eating his food regularly after about a month and a half of the procedure.

We are now three months past the date of his procedure and Ryo is back to being his usual happy and bouncy self. He can now play with his other four legged friends and other than the nervous tick that remains, there are no signs of distemper in him. We are still continuing with a nerve support tablet a day along with a multivitamin. I also use a paw butter on his paws and snout which has helped immensely.

If anyone needs any further information on how we overcame CD, please reach out to me at me at sequeira.giselle@gmail.com

Attaching videos of his nervous tick that I’d taken back in March when it first appeared and also a picture from his party that we had to celebrate him overcoming Distemper and one of him from last week with his cat friend. 

Lots of love,
Giselle

Ryo with his friend, a cat, after his recovery from canine distemper.
Categories
Saved Dogs

Happy results for Buddy!

Received from Rochelle Puczkowskyj of Arizona on May 12, 2019:

Buddy was brought up from Hermosillo, Mexico as a 4 month old terrier mix.  He was given his first DHPP on 3/1/19 and a booster on 3/18/19.

4/1/19: diagnosed with Pneumonia, 103.5 TEMP
    started on Clavamox
BREATHING DIFFICULT, ENERGY LOW, COUGH

4/8/19: diagnosed with Distemper  103 TEMP
    one injection Covenia, also Baytril tablets
BREATHING DIFFICULT, ENERGY LOW, COUGH

4/11/19: Started NVD serum
    Azithromycin tablets 102.5 TEMP
    inhalation therapy: Camomile tea with a tsp vodka, three times a day
    Robitussen DM for cough three times a day

4/18/19: NORMAL TEMP
Finished Azithromycin, Did a round of Baytril, then 10 days Cephalexin
CONTINUED inhalation therapy and Robitussen
COUGH STILL PRESENT, OCCASIONAL BREATHING DIFFICULTY, GOOD APPETITE, ENERGY LEVEL IMPROVING

5/8/19
NORMAL ENERGY LEVEL, CURED OF DISTEMPER

BUDDY never got crusty nose, nor crusty feet. I think we caught the disease in its infancy and eradicated it immediately.  HAPPY RESULTS.

Categories
Canine Distemper Saved Dogs

Becca still enjoying life!

2 1/2 years after treatment and Becca is still enjoying life! She goes hiking and horseback riding all the time and LOVES being at the barn (as you can see). Thank you guys again for all your help. You are truly the reason she has this chance.

I can’t thank you enough for the information you provided. Looking on Facebook for answers was my last resort, as well as hers. Before I messaged you I already had 4 vets tell me to euthanize her. But she wasn’t ready to give up. She is no longer a foster dog and is now part of my family (tried to find her a home for over 2 years). She is the best dog I have ever had!

Becca was confined to a wheelchair soon before and several months after her treatment until she got better. She has slowly improved since then and is doing absolutely amazing now.

Sent to Save Dogs From Distemper Facebook page by Cortney Lea Adams of Tucson, AZ

December 14, 2017

Categories
Saved Dogs

Lost Treasure but saved Finnegan

From Rochelle Puczkowskyj of Arizona:

Below is my experience with Distemper.
Treasure:
Toy Poodle 5 lbs, 18 months old.
Rescued from Santa Cruz Animal Care Center, Nogales, Arizona 9/7/16
Rabies shot, DHPP/spay 9/7/16

9/10/16: fever spike 105.2
Given subcue fluids and amoxicillin
9/11/16-10/09/16: temp 102-102.5 energy level: Normal  eating well.

10/10/16: Fever spike 105.8
Eyes and nose crusted, cough
HOSPITALIZED  Nogales Veterinary Clinic, Nogales AZ,
Diagnosis: Pneumonia

10/14/16 Friday:
added symptoms, muscle twitching and inability to hold up head.
Diagnosis Distemper.
Told about NDV serum, but could not be treated in time.
Put to sleep
Above is a non-emotional description of a traumatic experience.

What I have found out is that Distemper mimics several other diseases and is often misdiagnosed, as kennel cough, pneumonia, allergies and sometimes, even Valley Fever. Blood tests are not an effective way to diagnose.  Until the dog has all the symptoms or a smear test is done specifically for Distemper, the disease is wracking havoc on the dog.  Once, the disease has all the symptoms, it is too late.

The one hope was not revealed to me until it was too late.  NDV serum is only effective within 6 days of onset of symptoms.  Treasure was already in her fourth day with full blown symptoms and would have to wait thru the weekend, plus Monday and Tuesday to get the vaccine.  That would bring her into her eight day of symptoms.  She was already getting the muscle twitching and seizures.  It was too late.  She had to be PTS.

However, being in dog rescue held other problems.  There were other lives at stake in my home.
As soon as a dog is rescued, they are given Rabies, DHPP and altered.

DHPP:
1. The DHPP vaccine does not protect them from a disease they have already been exposed to prior to rescue.
2. The vaccine takes several days to be effective
3. The vaccine does not give 100% immunity even after that

finnegan-again
Finnegan, about 2 weeks before symptoms began.

Finnegan, 12 lb 18 month old toy poodle was rescued and given vaccine on 9/28/16.  He came home with me on 9/30/16, where Treasure already was living.

10/18/16 PM: 103.5 temp, stopped eating, wheezing cough, low energy level
10/19/16:  Vet prescribed NDV serum and Covenia injectable antibiotic,
10/21/16:  Began NDV serum injection series every 12 hours for three injections.
10/22/16  Temp 102.3  eating when hand fed, sleeps a lot
10/23/16  Temp 102  eating better, low energy, sleeps a lot.
No additional symptoms

10/24/16  Finished NDV serum three injections at 4:20 PM on 10/22/16.   This entry was made approximately 48 hours after final injection.

Temp normal, appetite good for turkey lunchmeat, drinking water, normal bowel and bladder movement, barks and plays with toys.  Very interested in other dogs barking outside of his quarantine room.  I took him outside away from other dogs.  He loved it.  He is totally house trained and had been saving it for when he was taken outside, so he went about his business and enjoyed the approaching stormy sky.  He has slight breathing noises, slight cough and NOSE CRUSTY.  see picture

finny-too102416

10/26/16  Finnegan’s nose is not as crusty.  He actually ate all by himself today.  He is still wheezing, however.  LIttle baby steps….I am hopeful.

11/5/16  Finnegan is doing well.  Slight sneeze once in a while. Cough is gone.  He is eating and drinking well.  I would say he is recovered thanks to the NDV serum, my veterinarian in Nogalas, Arizona, and your support.  He is a happy boy.  Today I took his picture playing with his toy. see attached.

THANK YOU

finnegan-playing

Categories
Saved Dogs

“Jumping so high and he just couldn’t get enough”

bearcombined

Received October 18, 2016

Good morning,
I came across your website this morning in regards to treating canine distemper.  I adopted a Labrador pointer [Bear] on 10/15/16 from a shelter when I brought him home I noticed he started having a wet sneeze.  On Monday 10/17/16, I took him to the vet for a checkup and at that point he suspected distemper.  They gave him antibiotic, so this morning, 10/18/16, he woke up sneezing even more with wet green mucus on his nose, not much stuff on his eyes.  He ate, was active this morning…but I am very afraid this is turning into distemper.
Can you please tell me what vet would administer the NDV treatment?  I live in the Baytown/Houston area.

Nuria Enciso

Received October 26, 2016

He examined Bear and he got the serum and guess what? 6hrs after he received the first shot I could already see a difference!  At 12hrs he had ZERO green mucus coming out of his nose, he was no longer congested.  At 24hrs all he has is a little clear drainage from his nose and he is “sneezing” as if trying to get the last of it out.  But I could tell he felt 100% better!  When I got home from work he greeted me with SO MUCH excitement.  He was jumping so high and he just couldn’t get enough. J  At 30hrs I noticed even his pink color had come back to his face and belly.  I am so grateful to you guys!!!  I cannot thank you enough!!

I attached some pictures of before and after the serum.  Unfortunately I don’t have any pictures of the amount of green gunk coming out of his nose…I was too busy wiping it off J.  But I am amazed I look at these pictures and just by looking at how his color came back….wow….

THANK YOU!!!

Thank you for all of your information!

Thank you,

Nuria Enciso

Categories
Blog Canine Distemper

Distemper study concludes

So, we’ve heard from Dr. Ken Harkin at Kansas State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine.

He’s been running a study on the effectiveness of the NDV spinal tap on dogs in the neurologic stage of canine distemper.

He wanted us to let our followers know:

 

1) That the study has concluded, meaning that if people want their dogs treated at Kansas State, they will need to pay out of pocket.

2) That he will not be treating distemper dogs with myoclonus — spasmodic jerky contraction of muscles. But he would still consider treatment in other cases without myoclonus because he believes those are most likely to respond.

3) He will be publishing his insights on CDV infections at a later date.

We are grateful for Dr. Harkin’s willingness to investigate the potential of NDV to treat canine distemper. And it sounds like he may have helped answer one question that has long perplexed us. With the NDV spinal tap in neuro distemper cases, some dogs would make remarkable recoveries and some would not. The success rate seemed to be under 50 percent. According to Dr. Harkin, it appears that the dogs with myoclonus do not respond to the treatment. Those without myoclonus are more likely to respond, but they were too small a number in the study to make any conclusion. But this absence of myoclonus had been the case with Nilla, a dog from South Dakota, which was the first to be successfully treated at Kansas State

Dr. Harkin says: “I am still happy to speak to clients about their dogs with distemper.  ….  I will still consider doing the NDV therapy in specific cases, but in my experience it isn’t the holy grail for CDV.”

We look forward to seeing Dr. Harkin’s completed study.

Here is the original post about the study.

– Ed Bond

 

Categories
Saved Dogs

First use of NDV serum in Bulgaria

Received from Justine Garratt of Bulgaria, Aug. 14, 2016:

“Hi, I am running a very small charity Santerpaws Bulgarian rescue in Pleven Blugaria, I sadly for the second time this year have picked up a puppy with the virus, and worryingly I have 20 other dogs here that are still only half way through the vaccinations. I really would like to know more. I see dogs dying from this on the streets everyday, I have a vet that I am sure I could convince to help me, please can you let me know what I can do to get involved, selfishly to help the ones around me. Reading about the Newcastle virus vaccine. Many thanks Justine.”

We exchanged information, including contacts in Romania. One dog died before the serum could be made.

Today, Aug. 23, I received this video:

From Justine:

“Both these 2 were diagnosed with distemper a week ago. Both had the Sears serum. Think we may have cracked it. Thank you so much.  We have a long  way to go as I have said before we have loads of dogs here but I have real hope that we will have more survive than not.”

I believe this is the first example of the NDV serum being used in Bulgaria. Thanks so much for sending us this, Justine!

bulgaria

 

Note from Justine: “I would like my vet Zari [Заривет Плевен — “Zari of Zarivet Pleven”] mentioned because when he got on board he did not charge me for his time or anything.”

Categories
Saved Dogs

Michelia makes a complete turnaround

From Anna Alexis Bariring of the Philippines

July 22, 2016

Hello again! First of all I want to thank you for all your help with our questions regarding Michelia’s distemper. I really appreciate you answering my e-mails. I wanted to update you also on her condition 🙂
We opted to go for the Newcastle vaccine body shot and she responded amazingly to the medicine! In about 12 hours her mood completely changed. She has been very active and her appetite improved a lot. Her doctor advised us to go back to the clinic two weeks after her shot. We brought her last Monday and the doctor cleared her of distemper! It was such great news for us. She has follow up check-ups now for vaccinations 🙂
The people who assist there were a bit surprised and were happy as well to see Michelia since they said most puppies they treated were not able to make it. I really believe that aside from the treatment that was given to her, the attention and care given to her has been a huge factor in her immediate recovery 🙂
This is Michelia after her recent check-up. She seems to be happy as well for being cleared of distemper 🙂
image2
image1
Categories
Saved Dogs

Meet Bailey, my cream-colored Distemper survivor/warrior!

Had this posted to my Facebook wall by Joyce Burton Titular. Made my day!

Ed Bond