Tag Archives: distemper

Do Dogs Catch Colds?

Up until the last week or so, I could say that I’ve never really heard a dog cough before. But in the last few days, Lally’s been making a weird noise that is somewhere between a human cough and the sound she makes before she barfs. Aside from the cough, she seems fine… so it got me wondering: do dogs catch colds? Colds — like humans have — aren’t transmittable from humans to pets. So what could be causing Lally’s cough? Kennel cough comes with a high, dry cough — the dog seems to feel fine otherwise. In most adult … Continue reading →

Vaccinations For Dogs

Vaccinations protect your pets against diseases that we were once helpless against. Diseases like rabies and distemper are easily prevented, helping ensure your pet has a long and healthy life. Vaccinating your pets also helps protect you and your family — some diseases can be passed from animal to human. The American Animal Hospital Association released canine vaccine guidelines in 2003 and updated them in 2006 to help veterinarians administer appropriate vaccines to dogs. The guidelines were developed by veterinarians, researchers, immunologists, and infectious disease experts. There are two different kinds of vaccine: core vaccines and noncore vaccines. Core vaccines … Continue reading →

What Is Feline Distemper?

Feline distemper — also know as panleukopenia — is a severe and highly contagious disease that affects felines, raccoons, and mink. The virus that causes feline distemper is similar to the parvovirus in dogs. Panleukopenia is very widespread and common in nature; a cat can easily be exposed to it within the first year of life. The virus is very stable, and can survive for years at room temperature. Many common disinfectants do not kill the feline distemper virus. Contact with 1:32 bleach solution for ten minutes will deactivate the virus. Feline distemper is most commonly transmitted when a cat … Continue reading →

Ferret Care: Vaccines and Vets

If you are thinking about adding a ferret to the family, it is important to know that ferrets are susceptible to both the rabies virus and the canine distemper virus! These two viruses often are fatal within a month of infection, but can be prevented with vaccinations. Rabies in ferrets is often contracted through contact with an infected animal. A ferret who spends any time outdoors may come into contact with a rabid raccoon, bat, fox, or stray cat or dog. There is only one approved rabies vaccine for ferrets: Imrab 3 (from Merial). This is a yearly vaccination that … Continue reading →