Petco Text Logo
Petco Pet Logo

  • Two Easy Ways to Start Earning Rewards!

How do dogs get distemper and rabies? How are these diseases spread?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Large (61lb +) | Male | neutered | 3 years and 2 months old | 105 lbs

How do dogs get distemper and rabies?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Image profile

Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on March 25th, 2018

Distemper is a highly contagious disease, and it's passed through the air when an infected dog coughs or sneezes, through sharing of contaminated objects such as food and water bowls as well as toys and blankets, direct contact with an infected animal, and mother to offspring via the placenta. Rabies is transmitted primarily through a bite from a carrier of the disease. It can also be transmitted through a scratch or when infected saliva makes contact with mucous membranes or an open, fresh wound.

Vote icon

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Questions

Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My mom dog may have distemper and we were there can we transport it to our dogs
I'm sorry your mother's dog may have distemper! If your dogs are fully vaccinated against distemper, then there is no worries that they will get it. Distemper is most commonly spread through airborne exposure (coughing and sneezing), as well as direct contact with the infected dog. It can also be transmitted by shared food and water bowls and equipment. As long as your dogs have no contact with your mother's dog, you do not share bowels, blankets, and toys, and you practice good hygiene after seeing your mother's dog, your dogs should be fine. I hope this helps!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
How does a puppy contract distemper? Does it have to be near a dog with it?
Your puppy can contract distemper by coming in contact with other dogs that are infected, objects that have been contaminated by infected dogs, or it can be transmitted by wildlife such as raccoons.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
Can a vaccinated dog whom came into close contact with a puppy with distemper can he carry the distemper virus and pass it to unvaccinated dogs?
Vaccinated animals are at a very low risk of acquiring distemper virus and passing it on to other dogs. This is because the virus cannot live without fresh secretions; it is inactivated in minutes outside the dog's body. The infected dog typically infects other dogs via coughing infected respiratory secretions though the virus is shed in most other body secretions, including urine. A dog with distemper, even if recovered from the virus can shed the infection for up to 2-3 months so I would restrict any future contact and monitor for any abnormal clinical signs, including coughing or nasal discharge.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
This 4 month Stray puppy of our street suddenly started Salivating a lot(like foam too),didn't allowed me to touch n rejected all food n was acting very strangely.As it was a Sunday I didn't get any doctors support .and all of a sudden in the eve it
If you were in a country that was known to have rabies in the dog population, then I would be concerned, but the UK is considered rabies-free. Canine Distemper Virus is more likely to be the cause of this and is more common with stray puppies.. However, distemper can be spread to other dogs through contact, so it's important to ensure your dogs are up-to-date on their vaccines. While adult dogs are usually not as seriously affected by this disease, it is possible that they could get similar signs as the puppy. One way you can test the puppy for contagious disease is to have the body tested by a veterinary pathologist. Your vet will be able to help with that. I hope that helps and all is well with the other dogs.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
I don't know if this is a stupid question, but still I'll ask. Is rabies a triggered disease? Like when my dog bit me, will their rabies virus be triggered and spread throughout their body and eventually die? Because I'm really confused. I don't
Hi there. No, the rabies virus is not "triggered" in the biting animal because it bit someone. The rabies virus is transmitted through the bite of an infected animal, so this is the only way to become infected. Once an animal is infected, they may not show any symptoms for weeks or months (or even longer, in some cases), but they will also not be contagious during this time. The rabies virus cannot be transmitted through biting until it reaches the host's salivary glands, in the very last stages of the disease. Once this happens, the host is generally already showing symptoms, or they will be within the next few days. This is the reason for the customary 10 day quarantine period after a bite - if the biting animal is still alive and acting normal after 10 days, then they were not contagious at the time of the bite.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
If a dog has rabies so can we human get that rabies virus through air into our system or that virus spread only if dog bites ? Is rabies a communicable aur communicable disease? What are the signs that dog is having rabies virus
Rabies can only be transmitted by dog bite, your dog must be in quarantine or euthanized if there is a a serious suspicion that he has rabies. signs of rabies: Pica. Fever. Seizures. Paralysis. Hydrophobia. Jaw is dropped. Inability to swallow. Change in tone of bark.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
How can we make sure that the pet dog was not infected from rabies before vaccination so that it s risk less for the owner? Can their licking on mouth, and any other disease of dog be transmitted to owner?
The only way to know if a dog was infected with rabies is to monitor for signs of rabies. The test for rabies uses brain tissue so it can't be done on an alive animal. There is a 15 day window of time from when an animal can transmit rabies until the animal would be showing clinical signs of rabies and then death. If there is no history of a bite wound on the pet dog than the likelihood of rabies is very low. If you ever see any signs of rabies than have him/her examined by a veterinarian. There are other diseases that can be transmitted to humans, like Ringworm, Salmonellosis, Leptospirosis, Campylobacter infection, Giardia infection, Cryptosporidium infection, Roundworms, Hookworms, etc. If your dog was examined by a vet and appears healthy, vaccinated, as well as treated for common intestinal parasites than it is not likely you will get an infection from him/her, especially if you have a normal immune system. Use a monthly heartworm pill that also contains a dewormer, like Heartga
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
Can my dog get rabies from eating after a rabid animal? He at out of the same bowl directly afterward.
While rabies can be transmitted through saliva I don't believe there has ever been a report of rabies being transmitted through sharing a water bowl. I would definitely recommend making sure Toby's rabies vaccine is up to date if there are potentially rabid animals around, but there is minimal potential for transmission.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My dog was given a 6mo combo vaccine on 6/12 and bit a dog on 12/31. Is the other dog at risk for bord, parain flu, or adeno virus?
That is a good question. So, the vaccine does not suddenly stop working after 6 months, but will provide Bobbie Jo the best protection from those viruses for the first 6 months after vaccination. In order for Bobbie Jo to infect another dog, she would need to be infected with one of those viruses, then spread them to another dog. Those are respiratory viruses, so the most common way they are spread is through secretions from the nose and mouth, but a bite is not needed for transmission. Most commonly a dog will cough or sneeze in an area and infect the area and other dogs. So, the concern for Bobbie Jo would be if she were exposed to a dog that was infected with one of those viruses that she would be more susceptible to them if her vaccination was overdue. The chance of the other dog contracting those viruses would depend on when/if it had been vaccinated. I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using Boop by Petco.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
Brunonis fully vaccinated with distemper,corona and anti rabies injection so yesterday I took him to vet as he was having stomach upset and vomiting so there at vet clinic there was a dog puppy who has distemper and he was shivering drooling not movi
As long as Bruno is fully vaccinated, he should not be in any danger of getting distemper - even if he may have had some brief contact with an infected puppy. The vaccine for this disease is extremely effective, so I wouldn't worry :)
Updated on September 24th, 2025

Related Searches

Dog Food Dog Toys Dog Supplies Dog Health & Wellness Dog Clothes & Accessories Wet Dog Food At-Home Dog Vaccines Dog Medicine and Prescriptions Flea & Tick Solutions for Dogs Premium Dog Food DOG by Dr Lisa DNA PET Cold & Kennel Cough Treatments PetAlive Dog Health & Wellness DoggyRade Dog Health & Wellness DOG by Dr Lisa Dog Health & Wellness Temaril-P Dog Health & Wellness PetAlive Cold & Kennel Cough Treatments DOG by Dr Lisa Dog First Aid & Recovery RelaxoPet Calming Sprays & Diffusers for Dogs Rimadyl Dog Pain Relief & Arthritis Meds
image
Have A Vet Question?

Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.

Book Now

Sponsored