Distemper case

Re: Distemper case

jane alexander — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 09:25:22 GMT

We have had two cases, in December, brought over from Ireland by a charity, rehoming older dogs. One has been euthanased, the other is, currently. doing ok, but - we'll see! These are the first cases I have seen, since moving to Bucks, apart from a 'circus' dog, brought onto a local farm. No vac history for any of them, but I would presume that the Irish ones might have had primary protection.

Re: Distemper case

Noweia — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 14:03:44 GMT

We give full DAPPi/CvL twice according to datasheet, 1st from I think 6 weeks and 2nd from 10 weeks.

This pup had received the vaccine in August and died in December.

These cases that everyone else has seen, when where they?

Re: Distemper case

Richard Carter — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 12:48:39 GMT

Just more worried about what Laura said where dog died of vaccine strain. I tend to promote a later vaccination - 8 or 10 weeks full vacc and repeat full DHPPi/L at 12 weeks then full vacc at 1 year - after that owners choice as really not seeing too many vaccine reactions to be overly concerned about full vacc every year - based partially on discussions at BSAVA congress, part on graduating in South Africa where parvo and distemper are common and kill dogs very efficiently. In South Africa a measles strain was recommended for early vacc in pups as the maternal antibodies of normal vacc bitch definitely affected the success of the vaccine. Have a small problem with the data sheet that says a single distemper vacc in dogs > 10 weeks protective.

Re: Distemper case

Hannah Wynne Richards — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 12:26:47 GMT

I do it by the book DAPPi/LC at 2 to 4 week interval, must be over 10 weeks at 2nd (exactly according to manufacturers instructions ) DAPPi/LC at 1 yr etc This puppy (2nd vac 23/10 and presented 15/12 ) is the first to have recently had full vaccine Most of others had 2 x Pi/LC since last full vac, which is why I'm wondering whether full vac alternate years might be better, but I'm one of those cowardly souls who won't go against manufacturers recomendations without VERY strong evidence. Could just be that some animals have poor immune systems, and we have never totally eradicated these diseases here, as population vaccination levels have never been high enough I'm doing my best, but that is another story

Wynne

Re: Distemper case

Richard Carter — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 11:50:27 GMT

For those that are seeing cases in vaccinated dogs, what is your puppy vacc schedule? do you insist on full vacc > 10 weeks or > 12 weeks depending on manufacturer and do you repeat full DHPPi twice (8 and 10 or 12 weeks age) or is only lepto repeated?

Re: Distemper case

Hannah Wynne Richards — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 09:45:48 GMT

David What are the references ?

Julian Perfect description of what I call "distemper eyes "

Wynne

Re: Distemper case

Julian Earl — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 20:52:59 GMT

[quote user="david hopper"]... but I personally would not lose any sleep if the blood sample titres are low - except with the Rabies titres where I have to explain to the client that we need to start the whole procedure again and Pooch can't go to Spain for his summer holidays in June as arranged.

[/quote]

Pooch can go to Spain - he just can't come back!

Anyway, distemper. Several (or many, depending on how old I feel) years ago, I used to work in Lancashire and every three to four years we would have outbreaks of distemper and would see anything from six to ten or more cases per day, often for weeks on end. It became easy to spot these dogs as they walked through the door; blinking/holding their eyes partially closed all the time due to their ocular discharge, mucky noses, head down, maybe coughing. We would advise people that about fifty per cent would survive, although chances did seem to be markedly improved by early use of the anti-serum, Maxaglobin. Of course, I have no statistical evidence for this, just a subjective impression.

Another point of note was that a small number of dogs would present with facial spasms and pyrexia before they showed other signs. Any dog with a fever would immediately be checked for subtle spasms by having his/her head gently held under the chin and over the top of the head to feel for any twitching.

Interestingly, in one particular outbreak we had twelve vaccine breakdowns, i.e. dogs that were within the then one year-interval between boosters yet clearly had symptoms of distemper. One ot two might be able to be dismissed as alternative infections but under the circumstances there seemed little doubt that distemper was the cause.

Re: Distemper case

David Hopper — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 11:04:20 GMT

Recent articles I have read about blood testing for protection titres after vaccination appear to suggest that it is fraught with problems namely that it may not reflect the animals true resistance to the disease? I am not an immunologist nor do I ever want to be, but I personally would not lose any sleep if the blood sample titres are low - except with the Rabies titres where I have to explain to the client that we need to start the whole procedure again and Pooch can't go to Spain for his summer holidays in June as arranged.

Re: Distemper case

Hannah Wynne Richards — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 09:35:52 GMT

NWL result arrived Distemper titre 20 and adeno < 5 Both below 40 necessary for protection Parvo titre in 3 figures, so that took OK, and I didn't ask for lepto. I'll re test next week, and let you all know result

Wynne

Re: Distemper case

Hannah Wynne Richards — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 17:53:20 GMT

PS to above, no other symptoms in most, though 1 I am treating at the moment has also got a cough. Identical to all the others, but I am still waiting for NWL to tell me antibody titres. This one is a puppy, but too much of a gap to be a vaccine reaction. NWL only tell me titres, not virus strains

Wynne

Re: Distemper case

Hannah Wynne Richards — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 17:49:16 GMT

Symptoms unrelated to time of vaccination usually a year or more later. Like you, I vaccinate for distemper every 3 years-am begining to wonder should we reduce it to 2. I don't yet have enough evidence to go against data sheets. Maybe just poor immunity in some dogs. There was another dog, had it's 1st vac but ill between 1st and 2nd (unrelated illness ) Rather than give a 3rd I blood tested it-immune to everything but lepto, so re did lepto, and re blood sampled-several times, tried 2 doses of a different brand-I just can't get a protective titre, even though I am absolutely certain that my storage is definitely not at fault

Wynne

Re: Distemper case

Utlendigur — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 17:34:08 GMT

By vaccinated dogs, do you mean recently vaccinated (vaccine reaction) or are the symptoms unrelated to time of vaccination/vaccine interval (just wondering as we've gone to every 3yrs to distemper vaccination)? If untreated do any other symptoms occur?

Re: Distemper case

Hannah Wynne Richards — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 17:14:21 GMT

Like David, I saw classical distemper in the 80s. What I've seen in the last few years is vaccinated dogs presenting with "distemper eyes "If I'm allowed a free hand with costs, I blood test and find the titre to either distemper or adeno virus below protective levels. If I then treat with virbagen, they do very well, totally recover, and , when re blood tested a fortnight later, titres have risen to a protective level, (though not the 4 fold increase needed to prove active infection ) ? effect of virbagen killing the virus early. If not given virbagen they progress to glaucoma

Wynne

Re: Distemper case

David Hopper — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 16:46:09 GMT

Speaking as a vet in practice, many vets have not seen clinical cases of Distemper. I saw a lot of classical Distemper as a young graduate in the early 80's. It presented as stated in the literature as a diphasic condition; the dog would have brick red conjunctiva, yellow ocular and nasal thick discharge and a high temperature. The dog would look very sick. Then it would apparently recover and all of these signs would disappear and the owner would be over the moon. I would hold my breath but inevitably the neurological symptoms would appear ranging from spasms, chorea to seizures. Some survived, many were euthanased. Not sure if that helps to put your case in perspective? Good luck!