Do you know of any diseases/illnesses in Border Collies that may mock distemper?

Question

My puppy has a 105-degree fever and the vet thinks she has either pneumonia or distemper. I just don't want to put her down unless it's absolutely necessary and she has no chance of survival.

and she's not respnding to the antibiotics and she isn't eating or drinking at all.

my dog is at the vet's office. she has been there for two days. she is currently under observation.

we had to put my puppy down this morning, not even 24 hours of me asking this question, and yes, she did have distemper.

Answer 1

There is a number of diseases like that - Coccidiosis, Parvovirus.... Just make sure that you get dogs- especially puppies- thier shots. Sometimes antibiotics help. What acctually kills the dog is dehydration. Force fluids -milk with a little sugar- down her. I used to have a border collie but I've found that I like Shetland Sheepdogs better.

Answer 2

There are no genetic diseases that mimic a virus. If she wasn't vaccinated for distemper (or you got her from a pet store or off the internet) she might very well have that. Pneumonia is usually secondary to another illness. Dog's temperatures normally run higher than humans - 105 is really serious, but not as bad as in a person.

If you can afford the treatment, I'd give the pup every chance you can to come out of it before you put her down. Sorry about your poor little pal.

If you have to get another pup, make sure you buy from a private breeder who vaccinates the parents and the pups. The pups first anti-bodies come from the mother.

This is my standard rant for people about to buy pups: Whatever breed of puppy you decide on DON'T go to a pet shop or buy one off the internet!!!! You'll pay top dollar for what is usually a poor quality puppy mill dog. And you'll be supporting one of the cruelest industries in the country. The breeding animals are often kept in deplorable conditions. They probably haven't been vaccinated against contagious diseases or tested for any health or temperament problems or genetic diseases - that costs money and cuts into their profits. A female is often bred every time she comes into heat. When her poor little body can't take it any more, she is often clubbed in the head and tossed into a dumpster or an open ditch. Most puppy mills ship their pups to pet stores at wholesale prices and many pups die before they even get there. These "breeders" have figured out that they can use the internet to ship a dog directly to the customer and thus make more money by cutting out the middleman. If you buy a dog from out of state, good luck getting your money back if there's something wrong with the pup. These people count on you becoming instantly attached to the poor little guy and being willing to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars at the vet to treat whatever is wrong with him.

Answer 3

Well, how quickly do you think she should be responding. Your vet should know damn well which it is, as pneumonia she would have fluid in her lungs, with distemper she wouldn't. Distemper has neurological side effects that the vet should be able to discern. She needs to be at the vets, on an IV probably for 48 hrs, with strong doses of antibiotics. A puppy can survive if given quick treatment, but it is spendy. I foster for an animal rescue group, and sometimes we get some pretty sick pups, and with proper vet care, 95% of them pull through just fine. If your vet doesn't want to keep her at the clinic and treat her, I'd find another vet that will, and find them quickly.

Answer 4

The Vet should know, I not understand. BUT, you may try something simple if the Dog at home and will eat. Give her a Caramel Candy! You may need to break it into pieces she can eat easily. This the Candy Cube we use to make Carmel Apples.
IF, this works, let me Know and I will explain what it did. IF, it not work, well....... we tried.
From your added Details, I feel this is Distemper. Not many pull through this. IF, it is, remember the Disease can linger where she been for years, so, if, you bring a new puppy home that not Vaccinated for this, the same thing can happen again.

Answer 5

If vet says it is either pneumonia or distemper, then it is pprobably one of those. Has he begun treatment of the dog? Surely he does not want to put it down without doing anything to save it.