Has anyone had/known of an adult dog survive distemper?

Question

I need a little hope/encouragement!! I have a 1-2 year old german shepherd mix i rescued that was diagnosed with distemper. i have choosen to treat him holistically using vitamin c, colostrum, plenty of liquids and a good diet. he is in the respiratory stage (runny nose and eyes) and i am hoping it wont progress any further (neurological). any advice from someone who has had experience with distemper? (please don't reply with : "put him to sleep"... seriously!)

*he has been treated with an antibiotic shot already by my vet, the reason i turned to holistic medicine was because my vet straight out told me there was nothing else we could do as far as contemporary medicine.. he is eating and drinking well..

Answer 1

I have a Great Dane puppy that I rescued when he was 7 weeks old. At nine weeks, he came down sick overnight, that by the time I took him to the vet, first thing that morning, he was just about lifeless. He was diagnosed with distemper, test took ten days to come back with the diagnose, meantime I kept him alive with a medication that was a combination of an antibiotic, and steroids. He was on for a month, he's alive and well now at five months of age.
Everybody told me that he was not going to make it, and that I should have him euthanized, instead of suffering from the disease. Well, I guess I proved them wrong.
I'm not sure about any holistic treatment, and because of it, I would rather go with the meds I used.
Good luck, hope all works out for you and your dog.

Answer 2

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RE:
Has anyone had/known of an adult dog survive distemper?
I need a little hope/encouragement!! I have a 1-2 year old german shepherd mix i rescued that was diagnosed with distemper. i have choosen to treat him holistically using vitamin c, colostrum, plenty of liquids and a good diet. he is in the respiratory stage (runny nose and eyes) and i am hoping...

Answer 3

I'm afraid that I don't have any real advice for you, as I know very little about the disease (others here seem to know *much* more than I do). If it gives you any hope, however, many years ago I had a neighbor whose adult dog had distemper (their dog had also been a stray). It was a rough bout getting through the illness, but the dog eventually recovered and lived to a ripe old age. I remember, though, that the dog needed a good deal of care (I seem to recall that my neighbor changed the dog's bedding quite often to minimize the possibility of reinfection?). Do lots of research, and don't listen to the naysayers.

I do wish you and your beautiful dog well... You are doing the work of angels. Whatever happens in the end (whether he recovers or not), you can feel good knowing that this poor lost dog now knows what it's like to be loved and cared for.

Answer 4

yes holistic meds have their place. but you need more intervention here. your dog needs iv fluids and iv antibiotics to help keep the dog from getting a secondary infection, which is very likely in this case. i have never seen a dog come fully back once it hits the neurological part of the disease, but i have seen dogs live in the stage your dog seems to be in. if treated non holistically. i do speak only from a non holistic experience, but iv fluids are desperatly needed. you can only do so much orally at this point. dog who do survive distemper tend to have trouble with tooth enamel and require regular dental cleanings, as well as a close eye for years to come. holistic medicine does have it's part in treatment, but i just don't believe right now, with what you dog has this is the best course of treatment. please go get an opinion from a non holistic vet at least. good luck to you and your dog.

Answer 5

I had a puppy who got sick shortly after she arrived. We followed the vet rec on treating her, but he never mentioned distemper. Later in her life (she lived to 15) another vet declared that she had had distemper. He said he could tell by the condition of her tooth enamal. I don't know what the recommended treatment is now. But, if antibiotics are recommended, I'd certainly use them rather than just going holistic. You don't want him to have to live with permanent damage. My dog had horrible teeth as a result, that were sometimes very painful. They eventually all had to be pulled.

Answer 6

This thread is so old but the question still confronts a lot of dog owners. My friend's dog was diagnosed with distemper when she was 3 years old. She got it one week before her due date of vaccination; one week before the expiration of the previous vaccine (5 in 1). She was weak, would not eat nor drink and her stomach makes so many gurgling sound. The vet put her on I.V., b vitamins and antibiotics. The vet said that she is only doing that to lessen the pain of the dog and was frank to say that the survival rate is so low. My friend does not believe in using in unprescribed supplements but I do. So since there is nothing to loose I told her to try Cordyceps on the dog. The dog was given 6,000 mg in divided dosage on the first day. second day 4,000 mg third day 2,000. On th second day on cordyceps she started to have appetite and continued to get better. one capsule a day was continuously given for a month. IV was removed on the 3rd day on cordyceps. The dog is 6 years old now. Cordyceps is her on and off supplement now. Her tummy has gotten sensitive to some food specially raw hide, jerky and jerky treats since being diagnosed with distemper. She gets sick right after vaccinations and when taking heart worm medications. But she survives. She is a happy, energetic dog. Probiotic in capsule form is now incorporated in her supplements. Sometimes a little water kefir and milk kefir but we don't know how she will react in case she get a healing reaction so her "mom" just got her the probiotics in capsules.

The lesson learned here is that boosting the immune system will help the dog recover. Immediate medical attention is also needed. Not all vets will allow the owner to give the dog under their care unprescribed supplements so get find a well read vet.

There are a lot of immune building supplements available that can help your dog. To us its cordyceps maybe to you it's another medicinal mushroom. Continue to check the net for other success stories. God bless.

Answer 7

So he is in the first stage of distemper. This is good. And he is at a good strong age for fighting this virus.

PLEASE GET HIM ON SOME ANTIBIOTICS. It will not attack the virus but will stop any secondary bacterial invasions. Think about intravenous fluids to correct the dehydration, medications to prevent diarrhea and vomiting if he is having those symptoms...
Ultimately the outcome depends on the virulence of the strain, the age of the dog (you're fine), whether he has been vaccinated, and his ability to mount a rapid and effective immune response to the virus.
If he is otherwise a healthy dog he can fight this and beat it.

Answer 8

I have never seen a dog live from Distemper, but they have all been puppies. I would think that it would help that your doggie is an adult. I also have never heard of distemper being treated holistically, but I really hope that it works. Good Luck and I hope that your doggie gets better!

Answer 9

Hang in there. You can rinse his eyes out with pure steeped camille tea that is no longer warm. Make sure it is filtered good and has no other additives, then put it on a soft cloth and rinse.

I had a neighbor when I was a child and their dog DID survive Distemper. So it is possible and especially if you are there to care for him like you are doing. Wishing you the BEST. Please update and let us know how he is doing.

Also, you could put a humidifier in the room with something in it which is good for dogs to breath. I know Vicks is good for humans. Ask your Vet what he or she recommends for dogs.

Answer 10

www.2ndchance.info/dog%20distemper.htm

Yes my grandmother had an adult dog survive with a severe case. It had a constant head twitch afterwards but other than that he was normal. He needed i.v.s though b/c he had massive diarrhea and was so dehydrated. He was also put on antibiotics as a precaution. The website I sent you is the step by step guide of what to expect each week (good and bad). I wish you and your dog the best.