Canine Distemper?
I found out my pup has canine distemper this afternoon and the VET said theres no cure for it and that my pup has a very slim chance of recovering...it's painful and what more is I can only watch as she aimlessly wander around and have seizure. For now I force feed her warm porridge and force drink some yakult using a dropper.I've read about Vi-Pro Plus but we don't have it in our country.
My question would be..is there other way I can help ease my 1 and a half month old pup's pain? or something? maybe help fight this virus? anything that supports fighting this virus? I know pup's have lesser chances of surviving this virus but I don't want to give up on her. I don;t know if it helps her in anyway but I keep her warm and and wipe her nose since she has a cold and wipe the saliva during seizure...
Answers & Comments
Verified answer
Treatment
Since there's no cure for distemper, treatment is supportive.
Provide a clean, warm, draft-free environment.
Keep eyes and nose clear of discharge.
Give antiemetics (anti-nausea and anti-vomiting drugs) if there is vomiting.
Give antidiarrheals for diarrhea.
Monitor closely for dehydration. Dogs without an appetite that are experiencing vomiting and diarrhea may require intravenous rehydration therapy.
Antibiotics or bronchodilators are prescribed for pneumonia.
Anticonvulsants may partially control seizures. Many veterinarians prescribe them before seizures start.
Myoclonus is untreatable (and irreversible).
Puppies who recover but have hypoplasia (unenameled teeth that erode quickly) can have the enamel restored to prevent further tooth decay.
Glucocorticoid therapy can sometimes help blindness due to optic neuritis (inflammation of the optic nerve). This may help in the short term, but glucocorticoids weaken the immune system and may make symptoms worse.
The previous answer is correct. The best a vet can do (and I'm surprised your vet didn't offer to do it) is check your animal in to their clinic and keep them on fluids, keep them rested, do everything they can to help the animal ride through the illness. Even that doesn't always work and it is usually quite expensive.
Distemper is easily prevented by an inexpensive vaccine, all dogs receive distemper shots with their regular shots as puppies. Please make sure if you get another dog you get it properly vaccinated, it will keep this painful experience from happening to you again.
Good luck!