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My dog has distemper. What should I do immediately for treatment?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | American Pit Bull Terrier | Male | neutered | 1 year old | 180 lbs

My 1 year old pit bull mix is suffering from distemper and I don’t know which kind of antibiotics I should give him?

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Sara Farmer, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on February 5th, 2020

If your dog has been diagnosed with distemper virus you definitely need to seek veterinary care immediately - this is not something that can be treated at home. Distemper has a high mortality rate and is highly contagious. I would not recommend starting antibiotics without the direct supervision of a veterinarian who has performed a physical exam.

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    Answered By Dr. Massimo Orioles, DVM, Cert AVP, MRCVS

    Veterinarian

    Published on January 28th, 2017

    Unfortunately distemper is a very severe infection which is often fatal in dogs. Treatment is only supportive and the main goal is prevent and treat secondary infections. I would say that vaccination is the best treatment.

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    Answered By David Elbeze, DVM, MRCVS

    Veterinarian

    Published on April 9th, 2018

    I recommend that you read the following article regarding Distemper and it's treatment, basically the treatment is mainly symptomatic as it is a virus that cannot be eradicated directly, some dogs will recover eventually but many others will succumb to the disease. if she has been diagnosed with Distemper i recommend that you continue the treatment with the vet that did the diagnosis: http://dogtime.com/puppies/785-distemper-in-dogs-vin

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Related Questions

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My dog was diagnosed with distemper.i don't have any idea about this disease.can please tell what I am supposed to do and where should I go for treatment
I recommend that you read the following article regarding Distemper and it's treatment, basically the treatment is mainly symptomatic as it is a virus that cannot be eradicated directly, some dogs will recover eventually but many others will succumb to the disease. if she has been diagnosed with Distemper i recommend that you continue the treatment with the vet that did the diagnosis: http://dogtime.com/puppies/785-distemper-in-dogs-vin
Updated on September 24th, 2025
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My pet has distemper, what can i do? :(
If your pet was diagnosed by a vet with Distemper then your vet should treat Sky according to the symptoms, Distemper is a viral disease and there is no treatment for it but medications can be given to help deal with the disease such as antibiotics for example.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
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this is not a question about my animals exactly but i am doing a research paper on distemper in animals and i was wondering about what would you think the percentage of animals that live from it would be and what are some of the treatments you guys u
I will try to help you as best as I can! The mortality rate is about 50% in dogs who develop the disease, and those who do survive typically have lasting neurological effects. There is no cure for distemper, only supportive treatment for the symptoms shown. These include broad spectrum antibiotics and expectorants for the respiratory symptoms as well as the secondary bacterial pneumonia that can frequently accompany this illness. Fluid therapy is very important because of the dehydration that occurs from the vomiting and diarrhea, so IV fluids are an integral aspect of managing this disease. There are a number of medications to help the nausea and and to reduce diarrhea such as cerenia or metoclopramide. If seizures are occurring, anti-seizures medications will be given as well. I hope this helps!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
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My 9 months old labrador has been diagnosed canine distemper . What shall i do ? Vet had given her Iv fluids ..is their any home remedies ? What shall I feed her ?
Unfortunately there is no specific treatment for it and I would recommend to have added some antibiotics prescribed to fight against possible secondary infections. In terms of food, Canine recovery diet or Canine a/d are very energetic type of diets (usually very palatable as well) which are recommended in these situations. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
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What's the Best treatment option for distemper in dogs?
Unfortunately distemper is a very severe infection which is often fatal in dogs. Treatment is only supportive and the main goal is prevent and treat secondary infections. I would say that vaccination is the best treatment.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
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my little 2 yr old dog is showing signs of distemper .i am not emploted and can not afforsd vet care,.is there anything i can do to treat him at home?liuke home remedie for distemper..or what should i do?please help me asap i dont waNT TO LOOSE MY DO
I am sorry to hear about red. It is possible that red could have distemper but it is really rare in the United States. If he has ever been vaccinated before distemper is not as likely. Unfortunately distemper is very fatal. Most dogs start to have seizures that cannot be controlled. I would be concerned about possible infection, parasites or neurological disease. I would recommend a pet coach consult to discuss more information in detail but red should really see a veterinarian. Hope he feels better
Updated on September 24th, 2025
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hi my dog is sufffering from canine distemper is neurovet and antbiotic can be halpful for her condition?
Hi there and thank you for using Boop by Petco to address your concern. Neurovet is a product which I have not ever seen used before and is a supplement. An antibiotic will only help with secondary bacterial infections as Distemper is a virus. The best thing you can do for Olive is supportive care in a veterinary hospital and provide adequate hydration, pain medication, anti-seizure therapy (if having seizures), etc. Distemper can be fatal and the best change Olive has is in a hospital receiving the most appropriate care. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further. Please take the time to mark this question as helpful or not as it helps us to improve on the quality of our answers to other pet owners. Thank you kindly!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
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If my dog is having canine distemper then can we save his life by treatment? Are there any chances to live for my dog?
I'm sorry Kiku has distemper. Supportive care is the only treatment available for this disease, which can include IV fluids, anti-seizure medications, and medications to help control vomiting and diarrhea. Unfortunately about 80% of puppies who get distemper will die from the disease. His best chance for survival is hospitalization with a vet, so I would take him into one immediately.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
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Hello, A neighbor have a problem since two weeks now with their dog. The local veterinary doctor says the desease is called Canine distemper ( in latin Febris catarrhalis infectiosa canum ). He made him 10 days injections with antiboitic, and pills w
Unfortunately, with distemper there is not much you can do for them. There is no treatment, only supportive care which is already being done. If it progresses to the neurological form, the chance of recovery is minimal. They are doing all the treatment they can based on your description. Nothing else can really be done other than trying to force feed him, which many animals do not take to having done. If they want to try something, I would recommend force feeding either canned dog food or human meat flavored baby foods (in a jar). I am really sorry that his has happened to Rex. Distemper can be easily prevented with vaccination. So, let your friends know that in future all their dogs need to be vaccinated. As puppies they get a series of 3 vaccinations and then as an adult it should be boostered every year. Below is a link to an excellent article about canine distemper. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/distemper-in-dogs
Updated on September 24th, 2025
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My dog has a distemper and is now taking 9 medicines. His name is Eurie, a 3 months old golden retriever. The vet gave him an IV drip at home and also the powder one to mix with his water. Is it possible to just choose than powder rather than having
Hello, & thank you for using Boop by Petco. You do not say what the medications are, but it is almost impossible to treat a distemper puppy at home. Medications, including those to control seizures, must be used very carefully, something that just can not be done in the home environment. I hope you can have Eurie admitted to the hospital for proper treatment. Take care.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
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