In contemporary society, you shouldn’t be too surprised to see what someone keeps as a pet. Ordinary cats and dogs can no longer meet the needs of some people, so they choose more niche animals to keep as pets, and foxes are one of them. Foxes are also canines, so they are also at risk of developing canine distemper.
Fox canine distemper is an acute, febrile, and highly contagious septicemic disease caused by canine distemper virus. The disease is an infectious disease characterized by high fever invading the central nervous system, eyes, nose, digestive tract and skin inflammatory lesions.
The source of disease
Canine distemper virus, which exists in the mouth, nose, and eye secretions of animals, can be stored for many years under freezing conditions. On the contrary, they are more sensitive to heat. Under natural conditions, foxes are easily infected with the disease, and foxes of all ages can develop the disease, but the incidence of young foxes is higher than that of adult foxes, and male foxes are more susceptible than female foxes, and secondary bacterial infection aggravates the disease. Sick foxes and poisonous foxes are the source of infection of this disease. The virus can be excreted through the mouth, nose, eyes, secretions, feces and urine of sick foxes, pollute feed, drinking water, utensils, etc., and then pass through the digestive tract and respiratory tract. It can be transmitted to healthy foxes by direct or indirect contact, such as mating. The disease has no obvious seasonal characteristics and can occur throughout the year.
- Symptoms
In the early stage of the disease, sick foxes will have poor spirits, unwillingness to eat, and even loss of appetite. Their coat will also become rough, because they have no energy to take care of their own coat, their eyes are dull and dull, and then the body temperature rises above 41 degrees for 2-3 days, the nose is dry, the conjunctiva is flushed, and the eyes Eye mucus, adhesions between the upper and lower eyelids, sticky or purulent yellow nasal discharge, diarrhea, and possibly blood in the stool. Later neurological symptoms, convulsions, vomiting, screaming, foaming at the mouth, etc. appear. Chronic disease fox feet are inflammatory and swollen, hard and dry, and ulcers and crusts develop around the nose. The fur around the mouth has secretions and feed, and the sick fox scratches with its front paws from time to time. Systemic dermatitis, there are shedding skin in the fur, the anus is swollen and everted, and there is a foul odor.
- Processing
There is currently no specific drug to deal with, and antiserum can be applied in the early stage of the disease. Symptomatic therapy, rehydration, sedation, anti-bacterial secondary infection.
- Prevention
Vaccination is an effective way to prevent canine distemper. Young foxes are vaccinated for the first time after weaning, and twice after 6 months. Adult foxes are immunized once a year. Try not to contact other dogs, and owners should also be careful not to easily contact unfamiliar dogs. If you have, it is best to wash your hands before touching your fox.
