Canine distemper virus is a devastating, often fatal multi-system disease that is entirely preventable through vaccination but remains a serious threat to unvaccinated dogs and wildlife.
Distemper causes prolonged, severe multi-system suffering in affected dogs - respiratory distress, gastrointestinal hemorrhage, and neurological signs including seizures, muscle twitching, and behavioral changes. Dogs that survive acute disease may be left with chronic neurological deficits including seizure disorders, blindness, or behavioral changes that permanently affect quality of life. The suffering associated with distemper is prolonged, with affected dogs experiencing weeks of progressive deterioration before death or recovery. The preventability of distemper through vaccination makes shelter outbreaks a welfare failure. Community vaccination programs that ensure high vaccination coverage prevent shelter introduction of the virus and protect wildlife populations that are vulnerable to spillover from unvaccinated domestic dogs.