Member

Posts: 36
From:Knob Noster, Mo
Registered: Jan 2004

posted 01-14-2004 01:14 PM         

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WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF DISTEMPER??

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Moderator

Posts: 1591
From:NY, USA
Registered: Oct 2002

posted 01-14-2004 03:43 PM         

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http://www.avma.org/careforanimals/animatedjourneys/pethealth/feline.asp
"The first signs a owner might notice are generalized depression, loss of appetite, high fever, lethargy, vomiting, dehydration, and hanging over the water dish. The course of the disease may be short and explosive. Advanced cases, when discovered, may cause death within hours. Normally, the sickness may go on for three or four days after the first elevation of body temperature.

Fever will fluctuate during the illness and abruptly fall to subnormal levels shortly before death. Other signs in later stages may be diarrhea, anemia, and persistent vomiting."

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Member

Posts: 80
From:Vancouver,WA. USA
Registered: Nov 2003

posted 01-15-2004 08:00 AM         

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Hi I have just had an outbreak of distemper in my house from 6 rescue cats that I brought in. Distemper can kill very quickly. the main symptoms we saw were diarrhea (sometimes bloody), depression, and lethargy. Also there 3rd eyelid seemed to be up over their eye all the time.

Treatment for distemper is supportive, in the hope that the cats immune system can fight off the virus. Keeping the cat hydrated by subcutaneous fluids is crucial. syringe feeding water doesn't work as the diarrhea removes it from the GI tract before its absorbed. Also antibiotics so that other infections are killed, as distemper destroys the white blood cells necessary for the immune system. Other than that a lot of tlc, and disinfecting the environmet with 10% bleach. Distemper can live in the environment up to 1 year if not killed with bleach. It resists other cleaners. Out of the 6 cats 2 died and 4 lived. Hope this helps.
Jenny

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