Distemper of Dogs

CANINE DISTEMPER is an acute, highly contagioui?, febrile disease caused by a filtrable virus and affecting principally young dogs. The disease is characterized by a catarrhal inflammation of all the mucous membranes of the body, which is frequently accompanied by nervous symptoms and pustular eruptions of the skin. It has its human counterpart in the form of influenza, which, though not identical with distemper, is very similar in many respects. This insidious disease, which has been referred to by some writers as the "scourge of dogdom," is one of the most common and fatal diseases affecting dogs and has probably been the subject of more discussion and investigation than any other canine malady. It will be readily appreciated from the foregoing that distemper is a very serious and complicated disease, requiring expert attention ; hence, when a dog is suspected of having it, a veterinarian should be consulted immediately. However, persons who have some knowledge of the general characteristics and methods of prevention and control of the disease are in a position to reduce to a minimum the danger that their dogs will acquire it and to safeguard affected dogs, at least to soine extent, from its ravages and after effects. The purpose of this discussion is to furnisli such information rather than to outline a thorough course of treatment for distemper. Distemper is known in all countries where there are dogs and occurs in all parts of the United States at all seasons of the year, but it appears to be more prevalent during the winter and the cold damp weather of early spring and late autumn. While young dogs of all breeds are susceptible, it appears to be more common in highly bred animals than in mongrels. Puppies with weak constitutions, and pampered, overfed, underexercised pet dogs kept in overheated