The distemper complex

Extract

During the past few years the problem of canine disease has been a very real one in New Zealand as “distemper syndromes” have been encountered in many districts in epidemic proportions, and the mortality rate has sometimes been high. Not only have unvaccinated dogs been affected, but a small percentage of those previously inoculated by the simultaneous serum-virus method or the egg-adapted virus vaccine has contracted disease. I have been asked repeatedly whether, in view of the factsthat some vaccinated dogs develop symptoms suggestive of distemper, and that the syndromes vary from district to district and from one year to the next, hard pad and distemper, should be regarded as separate disease entities. Also, I am asked whether the Laidlaw-Dunkin virus causes encephalitis in dogs, and, if so, if it is the only virus other than rabies which does so.