The virus may also cause the footpads to thicken and harden, leading to its nickname “hard pad disease.” In wildlife, infection with canine distemper closely resembles rabies. Distemper is often fatal, and dogs that survive usually have permanent, irreparable nervous system damage.
What is the survival rate for distemper?
The disease is often fatal with a mortality rate of 50% in adult dogs and 80% in puppies. Increased susceptibility to distemper in juveniles results in more wildlife cases in the spring and summer when babies are being born. However, there are cases year round. The mortality rate is close to 100% in mustelids.
Can a dog recover from distemper?
It is entirely possible to recover from Canine Distemper Disease. Recovery is usually dependent upon the strength of the dog's immune system and the strain of distemper they have contracted. It can take up to 2 months to fully recover.
How long until distemper is fatal?
Severe and often fatal neurologic signs, including seizures can develop around one month after the respiratory infection; this can also occur between one and three months after infection in those that did not show clinical signs.
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