How My Dog Bailey Survived Distemper and How Yours Could TOO!
Bailey with owner Joyce Burton Titular right before Bailey was diagnosed with Distemper.
NOTE: Many readers have asked how Bailey is doing now so I’m going to link a short FB video here showing how frisky she is two years after the Spinal Tap. Click here to get to the video!
I am writing down the story of my dog Bailey and her battle against Distemper in the hope that if your dog has Distemper, you won’t give up and just let your dog die. Distemper may not have a cure (it’s a virus) but there are ways to help give your dog better chances of surviving.
First of all, you have to understand that Distemper is VERY hard to diagnose. At least that’s what I’ve read on almost all the Distemper websites I’ve visited. It took my vets more than a week to figure out that Bailey had Distemper. Most of time this is the case; pet owners like me discover that its Distemper a little bit late in the game.
DAY ONE – Tuesday, March 8, 2011
The first sign that Bailey was ill was her lack of energy, reddish eyes and a runny nose.
It was very odd because Bailey is like a jumping jelly bean and can jump higher than my head – I’m pretty tall at 5’9″. She also can’t contain herself when I’m around, so to see her listless and just sitting there was incredibly disturbing.
So I figured maybe she had a cold. Since animals are less hardy than people when it comes to colds, we took her at once to our Vet in Tiendesitas on C5. It’s a clinic run by Vets In Practice but has a different name in Tiendesitas, I forgot the name, but it’s the only Vet Clinic in Tiende and you can’t miss it.
I remember the name now – it’s Animal Care Specialists Vet Clinic.
They did a few tests:
Temperature – she was running a medium fever.
A test for worms – she was positive for hookworms.
A blood test to check if it was Heartworm, Parvo or something affecting her internal organs – she was negative for these, a big relief for me.
First diagnosis – could be worms causing her lethargy. So they gave Bailey a pill to de-worm her and we took her home.
DAY 5 – Saturday, March 12, 2011
I was expecting Bailey to improve quickly because worms aren’t such a big problem. But she was still lethargic and that is never a good sign with a dog known to be frisky. So we brought her back to the vet but this time, I insisted that we check her in overnight even if the Vet said she had no fever.
During this visit, they did a test to check her sugar levels but there was no problem with that. At this time, the Vet admitted he was baffled over what could be affecting my darling Bailey Girl but he was suspicious it could be blood parasites.
Second diagnosis – it might be blood parasites. So the vet prescribed a pill for 14 days. As I said, we checked her in anyway and the next day we took her home. The Vets informed me that she was quite ferocious, barking at them all time and growling when they would feed her. I took this as a positive sign thinking that she was okay now.
But Bailey continued to be listless and I started noticing that her nose was getting dry, and the ridge above it was thickening (a Distemper sign that I didn’t know about) and she also seemed to be breathing abnormally because the pit of her belly kept pumping really fast. But I continued to give her the pill for blood parasites reminding myself to be patient because just like vampires, blood parasites ares hard to kill.
DAY 11 – Friday, March 18, 2011
No improvement with Bailey. Although she had no fever, she looked as limp as a plate of stale lettuce. Furthermore, she started to walk with a slight wobble in her back legs. Again, we took her to Tiendesitas. Since the first Vet that checked Bailey was not in, a different Vet checked her out. He listened to her heart and he heard an odd beat.
Third Diagnosis – Arrhythmia. Instead of the regular pitak-pitak, Bailey’s heart was off-beat. The Vet said that this, combined with blood parasites could be causing her to be weak and wobbly. He said that we should just continue giving Bailey the meds for blood parasites and then afterwards, we will deal with the Arrhythmia.
Fine. We took her home, still hopeful that she’d be okay.
DAY 12 – Saturday, March 19
The first thing I did when I woke up was check Bailey girl. She was the same boring dish of lettuce except I thought I noticed a nervous twitching. It was very mild though – you’d only notice it if you were looking really closely – her jaw was twitching every second or two and so was her forearm. Little did I know that this twitching was a Distemper hallmark.
The wobble in her back legs also seemed more pronounced today so I told Ron (my hubby) that we had better take her to the main animal hospital of Vets in Practice in Mandaluyong and not to Tiendesitas anymore.
At Vets in Practice they did several tests:
A stool test – negative for worms (of course.)
A blood test – white blood cells were very low.
It was the blood test that made the Vet suspicious that it could be Distemper. So he did one more test – something that looked exactly like a pregnancy test (you know, the white, rectangular plastic stick?) except you drop blood instead of urine into it. After a short wait if you get one line it’s negative. But if you get two lines, it’s positive for Distemper.
And poor Bailey girl got two lines confirming that she did indeed have the Distemper virus.
I asked the Vet what was going to happen next. Was there any hope? I had read up a little on Distemper and knew that the survivor rate was low – only 20% make it. But I could not ask the question in my heart – should I put Bailey to sleep?
To my shock, he said that there was one thing we could do – inject Bailey girl with a blood serum that was accidentally discovered and then developed by an American vet named Dr. Sears. But there was a catch – we needed a dog blood-donor who would pass stringent testing. I stood in the check-up room for 20 minutes and I could not think of one dog that would sacrifice his time and blood for Bailey. Besides, my Chihuahua Ramses was too small.
Fortunately, Vets in Practice had some left-over serum from a previous dog; it would be a bit more expensive, but it would give Bailey a chance of surviving. There were no guarantees but I went for it anyway. Bailey is one of the best guard dogs in my home and never fails to bark at any stranger that passes my gate. I knew that if she were human, she would do the same for me. Bailey deserved a chance and while it was costly, I do have a great Father in heaven who has no problem when it comes to money issues. So we went for the serum shots – three of them to be given every twelve hours on the dot.
The first Serum Shot was given at 1:50pm, March 19, 2011.
The Vet prescribed Baytril, an anti-biotic to protect her against secondary illnesses and Vitamin B complex to help promote the repair of brain and spinal material.
At this point I started giving her Colloidal Silver daily, a powerful remedy against viruses, bacteria and fungi. Three times a day, about a teaspoon each time. I am a strong believer in Colloidal Silver but there are side-effects that you need to know about so please do research first.
DAY 13, March 20, 2011
The second Serum Shot was given at 1:50 am today. Yep, we left the house a little past midnight to make the appointment.
The third and last shot was given at 1:50 pm. The Vet said that we had to wait for two days to let the Serum do it’s work. Well, it was a difficult two days for me because by this time, Bailey’s symptoms had gotten worse:
Twitches – the hallmark of Distemper. Her jaw twitched and so did her front legs. They would twitch all day and all night.
Head Bob – another hallmark of Distemper. Her head would bob up and down like as if she were a disoriented 80-year old on drugs.
Weak appetite – thankfully, Bailey would still eat one or two bites of her food. It was so hard though to figure out what she wanted because she is a picky eater. But we gave her everything from beef bones to rice and even catfood. At this point, we HAD to get nourishment into her thin body, even just a little. We would feed her three times a day and if she refused to eat, we would force-feed her with canned dog-food smashed and watered down so we could inject it into her mouth using a syringe. I would also force-feed water but did it VERY CAREFULLY – if water ever entered her lungs, she could develop pneumonia.
By this time, I had done so much research and found out that there was one last thing we could do – an NDV Spinal Tap. (Thanks to Lestre of Petiks for encouraging me to do the Spinal Tap asap!) But the Vets at VIP told me that we had to wait the full two days to let the serum work. If it didn’t work then we could do the Tap.
Fine. We waited.
DAY 16 – Tuesday, March 22, 2001
Today was my birthday and all I could think of was Bailey. Because it was costing me so much, I had canceled all my bday plans and diverted my bday money to my current priority – giving Bailey a fighting chance against Distemper.The only thing I asked God for today was my bouncy Bailey, back to normal…
At noon, we drove Bailey (in a borrowed vehicle, thank you Raymond for lending me your car on my coding day!) to VIP Animal Hospital in Mandaluyong to get the Spinal Tap done. There were ZERO improvements in Bailey but neither was she getting worse. It was like she was stuck in some sort of Distemper purgatory.
It was a LOOOOONG wait at VIP. They must of had fifty patients ahead of Bailey, including one duck and a marmoset. But finally, Doc Allison came over to us and I gave her the run-down on our case. VIP has many excellent Vets and is kind of like the Makati Med or St. Luke’s for animals because they have lots of Vets with different specialties and accept all creatures great and small – horses, turtles, hamster, you name it.
So today we had Doc Allison – a very pretty and soft spoken Vet and one of the few at VIP who could do Spinal Taps. I liked her at once. She came out to the side of their building to check on Bailey and begin the NDV Spinal Tap procedure. Yeah, that’s right, we had to do the Tap outside because Distemper is incredibly contagious and we didn’t want other doggies to catch it from her.
Right before Tap, there was one thing we needed – a vial of the Newcastle Disease Vaccine. Allison asked us if we had brought a vial of the stuff and I was like – um… okay, we don’t have that.
I had heard of that Newcastle thingy in my online research on Distemper but I had no idea that I had to supply the Vet with it. So Doc Allison checked their refrigerator if they had some on hand (I was praying like a maniac at this point) and she came back to say that they had a vial for Bailey but we had to replace it that same day. She gave me the address of the Poultry Supplier that supplied it.
Yes, apparently, Newcastle is a bird thing and since I’m not a Vet I can’t tell you why using a bird thing on a dog thing would work. But I had faith and I trusted the Vets at VIP and so I said, go-go-go!
Read the comments section for an explanation on the bird thing on a dog thing…
THE SPINAL TAP –
The area where the NDV Spinal Tap was performed on my dog Bailey
They could not do the procedure inside the Animal Hospital because, as I mentioned, dogs with Distemper are so contagious and will surely pass on the virus to any other dog they breathe on. Instead, we had to do it outside in a shaded area of VIP’s parking lot with Bailey on a towel-covered plastic bench.
So we were all huddled there – Chin, the girl who gave Bailey to me; Joy my helper; Ron my hubby; Darius who drove the car and me. It felt so GOOD to have so many of us there fussing over her.
First thing was to put her under with an anesthetic. Doc Allison said the procedure was very delicate and we couldn’t have Bailey twitching and jerking around. After the anesthetic, she had to look for the correct place to withdraw spinal fluid and inject the New Castle Vaccine. It’s somewhere on the batok (nape) of the dog – we had to bring Bailey’s chin close to her chest to stretch out the bones in the top of her spine.
After three pokes, Doc Allison found the right place and did her stuff so fast that it was a dramatic as a mosquito bite. Although I was let down because I was expecting something more action-packed like blood flying everywhere, I was just grateful that it was done and that I had done my best to make sure Bailey would have a better chance at surviving Distemper.
After the Spinal Tap, Bailey woke up, we gave her subcutaneous fluids (Doc Allison taught me how to stick the needle in!!!) and we drove to pick up the New Castle Vaccine at the Poultry Supply on Quezon Avenue, dropped off Baily at home and brought the Vaccine back to VIP to replace what we took.
My research told me that seizures were to be expected after a Spinal Tap, something Doc Allison confirmed. So I prepared my helpers by telling them that Bailey might just have a seizure or two, don’t panic, just calm her down with gentle patting. Of course her first seizure had to happen when I was not around and naturally my helpers panicked like I told them NOT to and jumped up on the ledge at our patio (Bailey’s sick bay) in fear. But thankfully the seizure was a fast one and the only one we saw her have. I hear that other dogs have it worse.
To make sure that the dog doesn’t hurt himself/herself during a seizure, it’s important to have soft bedding. Even more important is the anti-seizure medication – in our case, VIP prescribed Gabantin (generic name Neurontin) which is, according to the Vet, supposed to control seizures and lessen twitching and pain.
The days after the Spinal Tap were roller-coaster days for Bailey. One day she would look good (still limp but walking and even trotting around and barking at strangers) then the next day she would look like death itself. But I continued with her medications: Gabantin, Vitamin C (prescribed after the Tap), Vitamin B, Baytril, Colloidal Silver and Subcutaneous Fluids.
Her appetite was also roller-coaster. And unpredictable. She would want catfood for one meal then would refuse it the next. She would lap up lactose-free milk and eat bread dipped in it for one day then refuse to touch the stuff the next day. Right now, she will only eat people food brought in by Manang Vilma, my cleaning lady. And for some strange reason, Bailey prefers rice over meat. Bizarre. But the Vets told me to just figure out what she wants and give it.
Meal schedule – She was on three meals a day from the first time I took her to the Vet. And when she would refuse to eat a meal, I would force-feed her dogfood mashed with water to make it soft enough for a syringe. I would feed her at least five syringes of soft dogfood for each meal she refused to eat.
TLC – This is SO important. Dogs with Distemper (or any illness for that matter) need a lot of attention. A lot of tender, loving care. I set up a small sick-bay area for her in the patio and had my helpers put a TV there during the day so they could keep Bailey company and not get too bored.
When I had no work, I would be by her side, talking to her, praying for her healing and massaging her body gently. I would sit next to her and read a book or answer my email.
At night I would put some OFF Lotion on her head, back and tail and on her beddings to keep the mosquitoes away. I surrounded her with soft rags, old clothes and an equally old but soft pillow. We tried to keep her as warm as possible – many dogs who seem to be recovering from Distemper suddenly take ill with pneumonia or some other secondary illness so it’s important to keep your dog warm enough and pumped up with anti-biotics.
DAY 23 (SEVEN DAYS AFTER THE SPINAL TAP) – Tuesday, March 29, 2011
According to Dr. Sears, the man who first discovered the Serum (which stops the Distemper Virus in it’s tracks) if a dog survives 6 days after the NDV Spinal Tap, it is out of the woods. (Actually, I read this somewhere online; I’m trying to look for it again to link it here.)
Well, its Day 7 today and Bailey is alive and twitching. I believe she will indeed make it through the rain just like Dr. Sears and Barry Manilow said.
Note – I have read that the Serum of Dr. Sears is only effective BEFORE the twitching sets in. In the case of Bailey, she already had mild twitches so it was a bit too late. Once the dog starts twitching, it means that the Virus has reached the nervous system – a bad thing – so in that case it is recommended to go ahead with the NDV Spinal Tap. But since I am not a Vet, it would be best if you consult your animal’s doctor first when making a decision.
Conjuntivites or Sore Eyes – a Canine Distemper manifestation
The only negative development today is Conjunctivitis or Sore Eyes which is, apparently, a Distemper manifestation.
Today is Day 2 for Bailey’s Sore Eyes so I’ve been dropping Colloidal Silver into her eyes. I use warm water to loosen the eye gunk (muta) which is so thick that it prevents Bailey from opening her eyes. BUT I DO THIS WITH NO RUBBING. Just gentle patting and wiping with warm water on a cotton ball did the trick for Bailey. If the gunk won’t go away from your dog’s eyes, just try again a few hours later. Remember that rubbing can scratch and seriously damage your dog’s eyes.
Twitching and Head Bob – she is still twitching and when she walks she still has that irritating head bob and disoriented gait but Doc Allison says it’s to be expected. In fact, Bailey will most likely have twitches and a head bob for the rest of her life. They won’t be as pronounced as they are now, but most Distemper survivors carry these signs all their lives.
CONCLUSIONS:
1) Not getting Bailey her complete shots was a big mistake on my part. I kept delaying and delaying. And I kept thinking that since Bailey was an askal (mutt) and hardier than pure-bred dogs she would be fine. But that wrong thinking resulted in the story you just read. Please get complete shots for your dog.
2) DON’T GIVE UP once your dog is diagnosed with Distemper. THERE IS HOPE! I have heard that many Vets here in the Philippines will just tell you to put the dog to sleep or take it home to die. DON’T GIVE UP! Look for a Vet in your area and ask for an NDV Spinal Tap (much much cheaper than the Serum by Dr. Sears). I also hear that if you email Dr. Sears, who is now retired, he will respond to your questions.
If you are in Metro Manila or nearby it then go to Vets In Practice (Dr. Neilsen Donato is the head vet – an amazing guy if you ask me!) at #63 Maysilo Circle corner Boni Avenue, Mandaluyong City (this is the circle where the Municipal Hall is) or call them at 531.1581.
They are a 24-hour Animal Hospital but be careful about going there between 10pm to 8am – they charge EXORBITANT emergency fees at those hours – something I am against. If it’s a true emergency then they SHOULDN’T charge such huge fees or they should charge something minimal.
Anyway, while Vets In Practice is not perfect, they definitely are one of the best in Metro Manila, if not THE best. They were the only guys who accepted my Hamster Mariel when she got ill. (Thanks Dr Raymond for fixing Mariel!)
Just remember to be patient with the Vets – animals can’t speak and it makes their job harder. Give them room to treat your pet; don’t act like they are stupid for not knowing your pet’s problem because they are not God. Sometimes it takes time for them to figure out these things. So be patient; if you work with them instead of against them, the process is less stressful for everyone including your pet.
But if you really are bothered by the inability of your vet to figure out what’s wrong, trust your instincts and look for another vet.
I wish you the best with your pests… ooops, I mean, PETS!
Thank you to the ff for helping Bailey Girl thru her Distemper adventure – Joy (for being Bailey’s yaya), Paning (for being assistant yaya) Doc Allison (great Spinal Tap!), Ron T (for paying all the bills, hehehe), Manang Vilma (for bringing extra people food for Bailey), Chin (for visiting Bailey and being there during the Tap), Raymond G (for lending your car so Bailey could see the Vet on my car’s coding day), Darius (for patiently driving Bailey around that day).
Thanks too to all the Vets at Vets in Practice for taking care of my DOG; you’re all cool CATS in my book!
Thanks to Dr. Al Sears and to Kind Hearts in Action for all the Distemper Information available for free online!
This video below will show you how Distemper twitching looks like. If you’re dog is exhibiting these signs, go get an NDV Spinal Tap ASAP! In this youtube vid, Bailey has breakfast in bed seven days after he spinal tap.
This next video will show you how Bailey is like on four legs with her twitching and head bob. Again this was taken seven days after her NDV Spinal Tap.
Thank you for sharing your story. Actually, i haven’t slept for 2 days now because my dog was diagnosed with Canine Distemper. he’s 3 years old. We got him 7 sets of meds that we mix onto his food. He eats and drinks water naman. Happy looking but i dont really know kung ano ba talaga nararamdaman nya inside. I am just wondering because the vet said that he should complete the meds for 2 weeks and then they’ll get another blood sample. Should i wait for 2 weeks or have him get NDV or tap na? My mom wasnt able to ask what happens after 2 weeks. What if he doesnt respond from the meds or Pano kung magrespond sya? I’ll get hold of the doctor pa tom. I went upstairs to check up on him and from afar, i can see mild shaking. Nakalabas yung tongue nya and the next thing, he just lied down lang, resting. Super active ng dog ko, and i hate seeing him this way. He doesnt go out too like Bailey. House dog sya. He’s a mixed. Mongrel/Golden Retiever. I rescued him back in 2014. He was bitten by a large dog and owners was just waiting for him to sleep for good. But i decided to take him with me.
Clear ko lang,
Should i wait for 2 weeks pa ba talaga?
Or Il have him get NDV/tap right away?
What I would do is get a 2nd opinion ASAP from VIP or Pendragon Vet. I’d go with Pendragon. They’re a little stricter. Both offer the NDV treatment as well as the Serum Shots. Search them online and call them up. Please email me at jaedeelight@yahoo.com if you have more questions.
I recommend going for Canglob D injection. My corgi had about 12-13 shots in a span of 2 weeks. He is completely healthy now! He contracted distemper on April 2, 2017. He officially recovered completely by April 22, 2017.
Did the twitching and head bob disappear after the Canglob D shot?
gud morning po ask ko lang po paano po kung ung aso eh ng twitching lang po pero umiiyak sya sa sakit wala po sya lagnat ung nasal and eye discharge wala po gaano magana naman sya kumain ..4 kc ung dog ko ung adult namatay last feb with distemper ung dalawa nahawa pero nakarecover sila pareho pero di ng twitch ung mga legs nya at wala pain nasal and eye discharge fever and no appetite un po ang nangyari sa kanila kabaligtaran ng isa ko pang puppy bale twitching lang at masakit kailangan pa kya nya ng ndv spinal tap or gamot n lang to lessen her pain and twitching…salamat
Hello sorry I’m not a vet so I cannot diagnose your dogs. I think the best thing you can do, Kung may twitching, is to rush the twitching dogs to VIP and inquire about the NDV spinal tap. VIP will test your dogs first for Distemper. Another vet that can help you is Pendragon. The NDV spinal tap is not to lessen pain but to help your dog outlive the virus. Please move fast. Every hour matters when you are fighting Distemper. …
Hello po. May alam po ba kayo na nag-ooffer ng financial support para sa mga pets/vet bills ?
Kasi po may distemper po yung dalawa po naming Aso (1 years old and 10 mons old) di po kasi sapat yung money namin… Gusto ko pa pong mabuhay na matagal babies namin TT-TT iyak na lang kami ng iyak dahil wala kaming magawa… di na po namin alam ang gagawin…
Hi Ko, sorry I do not know of any group here na ganyan. But since God blessed us all with the ability to make wealth, you must believe that you can find a way to raise funds.
Here are some ideas:
– open a go-fund-me page.
– sell your pre-loved things on Facebook and tell friends that it’s to raise funds for your dog.
– or just post photos and vet diagnosis and ask friends for help.
– go to close relatives and Ninangs and Ninongs and ask for help.
– bake cookies and sell them to raise funds.
– borrow the money first then raise funds to pay back the utang.
And make sure that once your dogs are healthy pabakunahan more na sila. That’s the best way to show that you love them. Preventive measures palagi.
God bless you…
HI JOyce.I read ur inspiring story about bailey.i would like to ask if how much did you pay for the vaccine? My bf and i got a dog just last week.she is a 3mos old poodle and her name is velvet..initially she was very playful and active until 2days ago she then presented with cough so i decided to bring him for consult.however since she was breathing more heavier today i decided to have another consult and she was diagnosed with distemper..it sadenned me and my bf and i feel like crying now just the thought of losing her…i am giving her a lot of meds now she still has good appetite and i am hoping she will get better..but i think the vaccine will be of good help..thank u for ur help..
Email me at jaedeelight@yahoo.com
Distemper is deadly. You need to move fast. Contact VIP or Pendragon as soon as you can and tell then your pup may have distemper.
Hi Joyce, Bailey’s story is giving me and my family so much hope. Thank you for this. Logan, our 2 year old husky has just been diagnosed with distemper. It was only last night when we noticed that he wasn’t as magulo. He also had a fever last night. We brought him to a nearby vet, his CBC was normal naman daw, so he was just given paracetamol. We noticed he was sneezing a lot, sabi nung vet it was an allergy lang daw. We monitored him the whole night, he couldn’t walk properly and was sleeping lang even the day after so we brought him to vets in practice in katipunan. We just found out today that he has distemper. He was given the NDV shot, antibiotics and some vitamins. Praying that it will work. You seem to know a lot about distemper. Is that enough kaya? Thank you.
Hello Kat, sorry I’ve been in Thailand teaching workshops and just checked my blog now. How is your dog?
Hi, its week 2 and Logan is still really sick. Turns out, he also has blood parasites. Last thursday, we had him admitted at Pendragon so he can get the Sears serum. The vet wasn’t sure if it was going to work, Dra Thea said the effect of the serum might be compromised, because Logan was given the NDV shot already. We tried it anyway. We discharged him last Saturday, because he had only minor twitching, just the left eye actually. Last Monday, the vet discontinued the phenobarbital, and by Monday night, his twitching got worse. Yesterday he had the chewing gum seizures I’ve been reading about. And this morning, his seizures got worse so we brought him again to Pendragon. He’s currently on high dose anti seizure medication, so he’s just sleeping all the time. Still not eating. And he can barely walk. We were offered the last option, the spinal tap, but the vet isn’t sure if its going to work because Logan was given the NDV shot 2 weeks ago. 😦 I don’t know what to do.
Hi Kat, Musta na si Logan? Na diagnose din sa Pendragon si Twinkle (shih tzu) ng distemper at blood parasite. Mas maaga na diagnose kaya ang binibigay sa kanya ay Canglob-D for 7 days. Pang 5th day nya ngayon.Hindi naman nag progress ang mga symptoms nya at mas okay na sya (malakas na kumain, gusto na lumabas at maglakad, at mas alert). Sana maging okay na si Logan. Bukod sa Canglob D ay binigyan ko din sya ng herbal.
Hi! Thanks for sharing your experience with Bailey. It gave me a little hope for my dog Charlie. He is a mixed breed (Maltese and Shih Tzu). He was just diagnosed with Distemper last Tuesday (9/6/16). From how I understood it from my vet, its kind of an early stage. Pero I’m still scared because along with Distemper he was also diagnosed with Ehlrichia. Our vet is in Pendragon Vet Clinic here in QC. They gave me 3 options for the Distemper, the Conglob, Sears Serum and Spinal tap. But the vet said for my dog, she is not recommending spinal tap. I then opted for the Conglob injections, started his 1st injection last Tuesday din. and we have to go to the vet for straight 7 days to complete the shot, thats 850 a shot. The Sears Serum, i didnt opt for that because it was too expensive because I will have to leave my dog there for 3 days to confine him and I think it will cost up to 10K.
I hope the Conglob works. But I got worried today because I noticed my dogs poop was black, and the vet said thats something to watch out for and I will need to see the vet again for re-assessment. My dogs eats people food and dog food, pero since he got sick he’s more on eating people food. I noticed he was sick with fever over the weekend, I hope naagapan ko sha. I’m not sure if he drinks water on his own so I let him drink water using a syringe. But he lost some weight na din, but the good thing is he eats naman once a day and nauubos nman nya yung food.
I’m really praying he will survive. He is only 3 years old and he is the love of my life. For his treatment for the Ehlrcihia, i give him doxycycline every 12 hours. For the Distemper, I give him Menadione every 12 hours din, and Appebon food supplement.
Today was our 2nd day for the conglob shot and that when I noticed his arms and legs were slightly twitching, not at the same time but on a few occasions lang. Now naman he’s not twitching. I really really hope its an early stage pa. He is the smartest, sweetest dog ever.
I hope you will find the time to entertain this comment. I cant help but cry whenever he looks at me with sad eyes, like he’s tired. His moods are up and down, there are days when he’s makulet and would run around the house but there are times when he just laying down. My dog still walks around, sometimes runs around the house pa din. He’s a jumper, there are days when he would jump non stop when he sees me coming home from work. He still follows me around, so is that still a good sign? I dont think his head is twitching only his legs, but occasionally lang or maybe I just dont notice it too often?? I think somehow I need assurance that he will survive this, but I know its a disease that is very hard to fight. Sorry for this long comment, I’ve been having sleepless nights and stressed out because of his condition. I really hope and pray my CHarlie survives this…
Pendragon is really good so your dog is in good hands but don’t be campante. Distemper is traidor. As you observed yourself there are good days and bad days. The good days fool you into thinking your dog is getting better but he is not. So be vigilant.
As for Canglob vs Serum, I cannot find detailed any statistics on Canglob on the Internet so I can’t say how well it works. But the Serum is well documented with the information available online at Kind Hearts in Action.
Now here is the thing – if you’re dog is twitching then you MUST inform Pendragon so that you can do the Spinal Tap. The tap is for final stage Distemper when it’s neurological and dog is twitching na.
Listen I’m taking care of another dog right now and need to finish this comment. Can we continue this conversation via email? I can be reached at jaedeelight@yahoo.com
I hope to hear from you.
Hello. I’ve read a lot of articles about distemper since my pup was diagnosed with it. I google distemper and almost all topics are in violet meaning read and this is only one of the few that weren’t read yet only to find out that this is the most relatable article since it is here in the Philippines! I can’t believe that it’s just today that I came across with yours. I’ve only begun reading this and I’m in tears already. We too are going through this similar experience.
We got two 1 month old vaccinated terriers from Tiendesitas. One of them, Jackie, had cough. Her brother caught it too after a few days. The coughings never went away. On the their 3rd month Jackie wasn’t eating and didn’t seem to be herself so we brought her to her vet (Tiendesitas also). We are there almost every week since we got them because of the cough and for vaccines. On Oct 4, she was tested positive for CDV. At that time, I had no idea what that is. Doctor explained how serious CDV is. We were given options: Canglob, Spinal Tap or Euthenasia. She said that there are many cases when dogs didn’t go back from sleep after spinal tap and there’s no guarantee that she’d recover. It is too risky for a 3 month old puppy. At that point, me and my daughter were in tears already. They didnt say it straight but it seems they don’t have a case of surviving puppy yet. I got it that they suggest she is put down because it is hard to treat, little recovery rate, recovered patients suffer from damages and the desease is contagious. Her brother is tested negative and will be in high risk. We understand the rationals but then your heart just melts so we took a chance on her. I haven’t read your article that time, or any other distemper articles yet, and thought that canglob was the best option. We brought her home. She had an area away from her brother. Other family members can’t get near her to quarantine the virus. She didn’t like that. We had really dark days, sleepless nights. I work full time at day and she wails at night when I don’t stay beside her. She wouldn’t eat. She kept on removing her catheter. It is heartwrenching to see her with cone. She was crying most the times and seemed depressed. She doesn’t like her medications. After gruelling hours spent to make her eat and take her meds (expensive, i don’t make much), she too was taking great effort to eat and take her meds, I think just to please me. Only to vomit after😢. She vomits a lot. Had diahrrea, kennel cough, runny nose, watery eyes, heavy breathing, severe weigh loss, chills, involuntary leg muscles movements, pimple like rashes and was very irritable. Poor little puppy. To make matters worse, I accidently prick myself with a needle used to inject her. Iam getting my series of anti rabies and in debt already😓.
Canglob was only for 7 days and if she doesn’t respond to to it, that’s it, doctors can’t give her more than that. She was still sick after Canglob and antibiotics. I asked the doctors if I can give her propolis (proven to cure humans with compromised immune system. This is the only vit I take and never got sick, no cough, colds etc in 6 yrs since I am taking this, only once, simple colds for only two days lately since I haven’t gotten a decent rest taking care of a sick pup and I run out propolis). They say they don’t give stuff other than what they prescribe, I understand that. She is dying anyway so I took it upon myself to give Jackie whatever dose of propolis. It is natural and there was never a case of propolis overdose. I notice that she becomes active whenever I give her this and when we run out of propolis, she is lethargic again. Out of sheer luck, the company I work for and supplies MdxCare Propoelix200 (US made, available in Singapore and Indonesia) makes it also available to HDI Philippines employees, with price cut out of our regular employees discount, get now pay later 😆. It is bee propolis that is 5 times more potent than what me and my pup are taking. Clinically tested and proven to help HIV and Dengue patients with their greatly compromised immune system. I give them to my puppies. Jackie has started to get hyper active again, eats a lot, do more tricks, takes her vits without any fuss. She loves the taste of raw honey( HDI pure, unprocessed and natural New Zealand Clover Honey) mixed with MdxCare Propoelix200 and HDI Fresh Royal Jelly. Yesterday we went back to the vet . People at the clinic were surprised to see her still alive! Nobody expected to see a fat and lively puppy after a month of distemper diagnosis. Her fur & skin looks healthy, her nose and paws look and feel normal, no more cough and colds, no twitches, her teeth without damage. This is rare to distemper victims specially to a young puppy. She took the cdv blood test strip again and tested negative. She was treated as a well puppy and was given 5in1 vaccine. I only wanted for her short life to be better. And here she is 😂 I’m such a cry baby. Doctor said she is well now but I still don’t want to get my hopes high. She was given her 5in one vaccine that is due yesterday, treated like a normal well dog. Like with any other mother to a sick pet, it’s been a rolller coaster ride. Happy with a negative test result but I’ve read that distemper comes back. I do not know what to expect next.
Thank you Ms Joyce Burton for sharing details on how to go abt caring for pet w distemper through experience.
HI Miss joyce,
Just want to ask.. if my dog was injected for NDV serum how will i know if the serum works or not? im afraid so that maybe she will get better then after a week she will develop neuro phase. what are the signs that the NDV serum works? My dog was finish on her shots of serum and after a day according to vet her blood test seems normal. but ive read that some dogs may feel better but later be disappointed because the neurological phase has enter.
thank you very much for this inspiring story. My Pom was diagnosed late March this year. We do not have the NDV tap available that time, we had to stick with the antibiotic treatment and Immunol. I always talk to him, telling him not to go, that I love him very very much and I may not make it if he leaves me. As of now, he is doing better. A little muta and sipon, head bob and body twitching but he can run, walk, jump (not as high as before but he can go up to knee-high stools) and eat by himself (only the soft food because he can’t open his mouth as wide as before). We are continuously force-feeding him just to be sure he will not get weak. We also give him Polynerve about 2ml daily, vitamin C 2.5ml daily, Nutripet 1-2ml daily (he weighs 4 kilos – 4kilos before diagnosed, dropped steeply to 3.6 in a matter of days, and now back to 4 kilos. isang guhit kada lingo ginagapang namin para pataasin timbang nya). Our vet said he is a survivor, all of our Vet’s patients with distemper died, but Pom survived. I guess he really loves me so much he can hear the whispers of my heart. But I will not give up. I will not let him go. Thank you for your story, I will take the chance and get the NDV or at least take Pom to VIP so the vets can better get the situation clearer. I am praying hard that Pom will also get rid of the twitching. I miss his voice so much. I have very high hopes. It is true that our fur babies are stronger than we think they are. They also love us more than we know.
You said that your dog had distemper in March. It’s already June/July which means that okay na your dog, he beat Distemper! So there is no need for the NDV treatment. Of course the way to be 100% sure is to have a Distemper test. But if your dog is alive and eating well, i think you don’t have anything to worry about. Your Pom belongs to the 1 to 2% of dogs who survive Distemper even without the NDV treatment. I’m really really happy for you and your dog! Your focus now should be on giving the right vitamins (you already are with Polynerve) and to just keep loving your little fighter with all of your heart.
You will also need to start getting Pom vvaccinated every year – the 5-in-one which protects vs distemper and 4 other illnesses and of course the annual anti-rabies shots. Even if your dog has had Distemper, pwede pa rin siyang magka-Distemper uli…
Yes, your dog loves you so much and God helped him outlast the virus. Im so happy for you!
Hi.. gud pm..
May dlawa po aq aso.. june 26 2016 ng hapon prng mtamlay un isa ko aso 7 months old sia then umaga dinala ko na po sia sa vet kala ko wla lng check up lng sna pro nkita ng vet n mpula na un mata nya so sbi nya itest n dw bka dstemper . Hoping ako n negatve pro ng positve sia.. tpos un isa q aso na /rott dinala ko ng hapon sb ng doc. Hnd pa dw pro mlpit na. Bngyn nya ko ng reseta ngyn po pinapainom q cla ng gamot n doxycyline. B1 b6 b12 at ascorbic . Sana preho po ng aso nyo n nka recover.. aalagaan ko po cla sa abot ng aking makakaya. Pgdasal nyo po ang knlang pag galing slmat po..
Jane, I encourage you to get the NDV treatment for both your dogs. Pero dapat ASAP kasi the longer you wait, the deeper the virus will get. Ang ultimate goal ng Distemper is to reach your dog’s brain. After going through the body it will the spinal column and then when it reaches the brain, your dog is gone.
Read more about the NDV treatments sa website ni Mr. Ed Bond. also, you should email him asking for the names of Filipino vets who can do the NDV treatmeents. Si Ed napakabait, magrerespond yan sa yo kaagad. Nung si Bailey ang may sakit, si Mr. Ed Bond ang naging encourager ko. He helped me make the right decisions for Bailey.
Also, if you get the NDV treatment now, mas sure ang chance na makasurvive ang dog mo. If you wait, then the chances of survival go down.
Yung vets na alam ko na marunong sa NDV is Vets in Practice (they have clinics in Mandaluuyong, Katipunanan, Alabang and Pampanga) and also Pendragon Vet Clinic sa QC. Pero meron na daw sa Laguna, hindi ko lang alam ang name but alam ni Mr Ed Bond so please email him kaagad. You can find his email sa kanyang website Kind Heart in Action so may contact tab nya.
WIshing you the best. Please keep me posted!
Ooops thats KIND HEARTS IN ACTION. Search mo sa google. Ang daming testimonies dun of Distemper survivors dahil sa NDV
Slmat po s pg reply.. ng email n po ako sa knya.. sa laguna po ay c mr. Edison cepeda. Actually dun ko po pnagamot un /rott ko noon .. klngan ko po cguru sia pntahan ng personal pra mgtnung .
Kgabi po ay kmain ang mga aso ko konti lng .. ngyn wla po cla gana kmain pro force feed ko cla. Nun june 23 nga po pla pnabakunahan ko sila. Un 7 mon ko po aso ay 6 in 1 and un 2 yrs and 4 mon /rott. Ay 8 in 1. Tpos june 27 ng postve cla s dstemper. Mkatulong po kya un vaccine n un ng kahit papano. And tanung ko po kng magkano po lht lht ng nagastos nyo at kng ndv at spinal tap prho po ba un gagawen. ? Slmt po
Hi po ulit.. nkausp ko na po c mr edison cepeda through text. And sb nya initial 7500 pg my neuro na, sb ko nmn po sa knya ay wla p nmn po neuro un s dlwang dog ko po hnd p po cla ng twitchng or seizure sb mura lng dw po pg initial is 3000 dw. I have 3000 already pro hnd ko po alm kng isang treatmnt lng po ba un o my susunod pa. Sa totoo lng po wala po aq pera pero dhl sa mhal na mhal ko po mga aso ko nghhnap po aq ng chance pra mksama cla ng mtgal 😥 . Nkain po cla kht papano pro mnsan po wla cla gana. Nainom dn po cla ng tubg .
Im not sure what the protocols of Dr. Cepeda are. But I think it’s cheaper at Vets in Practice. They have a clinic in Alabang which is close to Laguna. You should try to call them and ask.
So here is the clear explanation:
1. Early Stage Distemper – choices of attack are a. NDV Body Shot (which i think is 3 shots, costs 800 pesos each but not sure so please double check) or b. Serum (which needs a donor dog na super big to donate blood. This is three injections at 4k per injection. This was the price i remember sa VIP 5 years ago). From my understanding, the Serum is more successful but there are many dogs who respond to the body shot and recover fast.
Since you are on a tight budget and your dogs are still early stage your current option is the body shot but YOU HAVE TO GO DO IT NOW. If Dr. Cepeda does not offer it, ask VIP about the NDV Body Shot.
2. Late Stage Distemper – If the body shot or serum does not work then you have one last option: The NDV Spinal Tap. Late stage distemper is when the dog is twitching na. 5 years ago, the Spinal Tap cost me 4.5K. Then there was the cost of medicines afterwards. Call VIP to find out how much it costs today.
There is another clinic called Pendragon in Quezon City. You can search them online and call them to see kung magkano doon.
I hope your dog survives. And I hope you move on this ASAP. Every second you wait the virus digs deeper and deeper into your dog. Wishing you the best!
HI Jane – Bailey’s NDV spinal tap was done 5 years ago. It cost me about 4K then. THen afterwards, meron pa ring gastos dun sa medicines. May antibiotics and neuromeds and also subcutaneous fluids, vitamins.
Siguro they already had the Distemper virus when you had the vaccine done. You should inform your vet that you had the vaccine on the 23rd then one week later positive sila for Distemper.
Since it is early pa, the choice of treatment should be the Serum or the NDV body shot. That if kung wala pang twitching.
Hi .. ok na po .nkausp ko n c dr. Cepeda alm ko na po kng mgknu lht . Klngan ko lng po kumpletuhin un pera.
Un 7 mon ko po aso mcgla n po sia tulad dti nkain n po 3 beses s isang arw. Mcgla n po sia n prng wlng sakit hnd n po namumula ang mata nya. Un /rott ko nlng po ang matamlay.. pro gnun p man po papagamot ko p dn cla . At hgit s lhat png dadasal ko po cla. Slmat po s pg reply
Galing n po un isa ko aso n 7 mon old.. june 27 ng positve sia s distemper, july 1 unti unti n po sia sumigla gang ngyn po mcglang mcgla n sia n prng hnd ngkasakit.hnd n po mpula mata nya. Ok n din po ang poop nya. 😃 thnx lord . Pero un isa po hnd pa po galing pero pna body shot ba un nklmutan q n twag.. ☺
Okay keep observing the dog that is not well yet. If twitching happens then you might want to consider the NDV spinal tap.
Yes and from now on make sure your dogs have complete shots… that’s if they did not have shots before… Im glad one dog is better.. praying for your other one!
Hi.. gnun po b tlga pgktpos ng spinal tap. Prng hirap huminga o mblis ang pghinga ng dog? Gnun po kc un dog ko.. ano po un nireseta s dog nyo na iinmin pgktpos ng spnal tap , s dog ko po kc antibiotic lng po . Pwede ko po kya sia painumin ng b1 b6 b12? Slmt
Yes you can give polynerve which is a Vit B complex liquid vitamin. Also I think you need to ask your vet to prescribe Neurontin. And maybe if your dog is not drinking ask your vet to teach you how to do subcutaneous fluids on your own at home. Who is your vet again?
C dr. Cepeda po kc cavite lng po kmi mlpit lng po un clnic nya cguru 15 min to 20 min lng po.
Bgay po s knya n antibiotic CHLORAMPHENICOL typheclor 2 capsule 2x a day. Png 1 wik n nya po bukas. Worried lng po aq kc prng ang bilis ng hinga nya. At my prang plema sia n hnd nya mailbas..
Well I’m not a vet so I can’t really say what is wrong. But if you are really worried, call Dr Cepeda and ask ba’t ganun.
How many weeks on antibiotics and sabi ni Doc?
2 wiks po un antibiotic .
Ok nmn po sia nitong nkraan. Nkklkad nmn po pro inaalalayan q hnd lng po sia mktayo mg isa.
Pano po c bailey after ng tap nya . Mnsan kla nyo b ok sia tpos knbuksan prng hnd o ano po obserba nyo s knya nun?
Yes, if you read my blog and the comments, I tell readers that Distemper is a traitor. Super super traidor. One day the dog is ill then next day they are better. Up and down like a roller coaster. When you get a good day, feeling mo no need to go to vet anymore. Kaya the distemper gets worse. Because of the good days. It makes you delay going to the vet.
Even after the NDV treatment, many Distemper Dogs still experience the roller coaster. Kaya ang advice ko is to be very very vigilant and not to trust the good days. Listen to the bad days. And listen to your instinct as a dog parent. You know your dog better than others. If you feel that your dog is not okay, then don’t hesitate to bring him to the vet again or to call your vet and ask. Keep asking questions. If your vet doesn’t like that then change vets. They don’t deserve to be your vet if they can’t be patient with all your questions.
After her tap, Bailey was up and down for two weeks. THen she started having more good days. One month after the tap, we had her tested for distemper and she was clear.
I hope this helps.
Ok po… buti po may nkakausp ako ’bout dto nkakatulong po skn . Ngyn po un dog q ay ngpapahinga . Hnd po sia mkbngon kya pinapainom q nlng sia gmit ang syringe. Actually ng poop po sia ngyn hbng kahiga . Sorry po kng kadiri.. Bantay q po sia 24/7 ms bnbntyan q po sia pg gabi .
Tungkol po s gmot nya pnthan ko n lng po un vet mya o bukas.
Slmt po s blog nyo my nbabasa aq , hbng katabi ko po sia ngbbasa lng aq ng mga comments dto.
.
Lalaban po kmi ng dog q 🙂
Thnx
okay Jane… I”ll be praying for you…and your dog. Keep me posted. And be very careful with force feeding ha. Kasi if the food or water goes into the lungs, pwede magka pneumonia. So ingat lang. You can look online for how to forcefeed a dog properly. best position is sitting up and pa konti konti lang.
Nkakalungkot man po sbhn .pro wla n po ang bunso q ( my dog) .
Umalis po aq knna 3:30 pra po bmili ng antibiotc s vet nya . Ok po sia nun umalis aq nkhiga sia. Ngpaalam pko s knya sb q alis muna aq bli aq gmot nya tpos kiss. 1 hr lng aq nwla pg uwe ko kinarga ko po sia at un unti unti ko nfeel n nwwla n heartbeat nya. Hnnty lng nya q mkauwe at myakap sia… ang skit mhal n mhal ko po sia.. pro cguru icpin ko n lng n hnd n sia mssktn at mhhrpn pa. Tpos n un misyon nya n pasayahin aq …
Slmt po
Jane thank you for sharing this, even if it is very sad and terrible news. Life can be so tough sometimes but we are strong women. We can cry cry cry but still care care care and work work work. Bless your heart for being such a good dog mommy. Sana lahat ng tao katulad mo.
Naiyak nmn aq.. nmmiss ko n po sia hnhnp dn po sia ng isa q aso.. mhal n mhal ko po sia .pro klngan q tanggapin at icpin nlng n hnd n sia nhhirapan..nmatay sia n karga at akap q hinnty nya tlga aq mkauwe.npka sweet nya mbait .sobrng spoiled po sia skn, mgkatbi po kmi s hgaan kht n sakop nya lht ng space aus lng skin . Ms priority ko un food nya kesa s food q. kya lht po gnwa ko kaso cguru tlgang pgod n sia..
Dmi nya pic skn pti po un laban nmin s skit nya un nlng po tntgnan q at iniicp n mgnhawa n sia.
Slmt po
Pareho tayo. My Broyles and my Troi sleep on the bed with us. Kahit may folding sila with mattress sa may paanan ng bed, sige siksik sila sa amin. Hirap tuloy makatulog nang deretcho. Im happy that you have a lot of photos and memories with your baby. It is strange that looking at the photos of our lost ones can be painful and yet comforting at the same time. My condoloences again…
Wla n po mgglit skn pg umalis aq ng bhy at ang tgal q mka uwe . Naiyak po sia pg d aq ngpapaalm s knya kya po kada alis ko paalam aq kht s tndhn lng aq ppnta n tapat lng ng bhy nmin. Pcnsya n po .nmmiss ko lng po bunso ko (dog) .. ang cute nya kc mgalit . Mggng matatag po aq kc alm ko katabi ko sia lg
When my Fox Terrier died, I could not sleep. So that night around 1 am, my husband and daughter took me out bar-hopping. Hindi naman ako mahilig sa bar at sa inuman. But I just could not sleep. Tapos iyak ako nang iyak. But somehow, going out bar-hopping with the people I love really helped me. We drank a little bit but we talked a lot about our dog and many other things. Naging bonding siya ng family ko. My son, sayang, was not with us then because he was already living in the US na. That time I spent with my family, mourning together over the loss of our dog, is also very precious to me. God is good because even in the middle of a terrible event, he can show us love. We are truly blessed.
Gnun dn po aq hnd mktulog ng dretcho hehe.. kc dlwa cla ktabi ko tpos un bunso ko (dog) patihaya po mtulog.. tanggap ko nmn po n wala n sia kaso ang skit wla dn kc po aq mkausp kc un iba hnd aq maintndhn arte q dw (aso lng dw) kya s mga dog lover dn po aq nkkpg usp alm q n maiiintndhn nla aq ,tulad nyo.. mlungkot po un isa q aso kc wla na kuya nya . Alm nya po kc kuya name . Wla n kc sia klaro. Hnd dn po aq nktulog kgb kht pgod at puyat aq. Ngyn po nlibang q n srli q gmwa ng mga gwain bhy pro pra prn knukurot ang puso q s pg iicp n hnd ko n sia mkkta at myayakap. Pro alm ko msya n sia kng san mn sia .
Pnfollow po kta s fb .
Mrming slmt po
Makakaabot pa kaya kami bukas? Actually kahpon pa kasinung twitching nya pero ung twitching is di tuloy tuloy at di ganun katagal. Today lang nagtuloy-tuloy simula 10 am pa. Hindi pa po kaya nareach ng virus ang brain ng doggy namin? :(( Bukas po dadalhin namin sya sa VIP alabang. Dapat kaninang hapon pa pero ang sbi ksi di kami makakaabot. Taga cavite pa kasi kami. Bukas kami pinapapunta.
ano po ibig sabihin ng twitching
That’s a video of a dog twitching because of Distemper. Parang kibit naNg kibit
Hi good morning, can I ask po a question? Yung baby fretzie po namin ay nag-iv na ng Vitamin B12. After spinal tap un ang nireseta ng doctor and also antibiotic pero through dextrose. Kapag nag-iinject kami ng B12 parang nanghihina po aso namin, nahihilo, di makatayo ng maayos, naghihingalo. Is it normal po ba? Effect po ba yun ng B12?
Hi there, sorry I’m not a vet and I never experienced that. THe Vitamins that my vet told me to give to my dog was liquid. Polynerv. I think you should ask your vet about it and then get a second opinion. Feeling ko that’s not good. Vitamins should not make you feel bad diba? Never heard of that. But then again, I am not a vet or a doctor so my knowledge is limited.
When Bailey was fighting Distemper, FYI, even if VIP was (and is) a really good vet clinic I STILL did not completely rely on the vets. I kept asking questions and if BAiley looked like she wasn’t doing well with one medicine I would ask if it was normal and if ther are alternatives. I kept asking questions and researching like you. So tama yan, keep asking questions. Be vigilant. Trust your vet but also trust YOUR INSTINCT as a dog parent.
Hi po, our dog Fretzie has a distemper case din po. Wala po bang itatake na gamot para ma-lessen ung twitching nya? Mukhang pagod na pagod aso namin kasi tuloy tuloy twitching nya for 6 hours. Kapag nainject po ba ang spinal tap, nakakatulong po ba ito? We really need your reply. Thank you
No there is no medicine to lessen the twitching. None that I know of. Bailey twitched for four or five years, nonstop, even during her sleep. This was after the NDV Tap, which helpled her survive. They say that the twitching is for life dapat but somehow Bailey stopped twitching non-stop. Now she only jerks around in her sleep every few hours. Dont worry about the twitching, dogs learn how to cope with that. What should concern you more is fighting that virus.
The spinal tap is not an injection BTW. It is a very delicate procedure performed under anaesthesia. The take a needle and remove some fluid from the spine and replace that fluid with the NDV. The area where they do it is in the batok of the dog. The one concern with the spinal tap is that some dogs do not wake up anymore after the aneasthetic. Unfortunately, dog owners get scared of this and then decided not to have the tap done. But for me, since the chance of BAiley’s survival was almost zero i took my chances. I told myself that if she didn’t wake up then at least she went to heaven in peace. No more pain. But if she woke up then we continue the fight. Thankfully, she woke up less than five minutes after the tap. The tap btw is super fast. Can be done in a minute or two.
If you are asking about the spinal tap, well, you can read more about dogs who survived with the spinal tap at the Kind Hearts In Action website. Search it on google. Ako, I’m thankful I chose to do the spinal tap. And even if Bailey did not survive, I would still be thankful for all the other dogs who have survived thanks to the spinal tap.
Tnx po sa reply nyo..makaya pa kaya ni fretzie ang spinal tap? Nag start cya ng twitching kahapon po then kagabi mahimbing nman tulog nya. Pero kaning umaga 10am hanggang ngayon hindi na nawala tapos ang pag hinga nya mabilis po…natatakot na po kami sa hininga nya sobrang bilis tlaga. Tnx po tlga sa blog nyo ang dami kong nababsa na comment about distemper
I don’t know kung kakayanin nya ang anesthesia. But the sooner you decide, the better the chance that your dog can handle it. THe longer you wait, the weaker kasi she will get. Yes, nakakatakot talaga. Basically here are your options:
1) Do nothing and her chance of survival is 1 to 2% (search Distemper sa Wikipedia for the statistics on survival)
2) Do the tap and her chance of survival is 40 to 70% (search Kind Heart in Action for statistics on survival
Feeling ko, mas maganda ang 40 to 70% kaysa sa 1 to 2%.
If she just started twitching then it is still the early part of the neurological stage. Pwede pang lumaban.
Of course this is your decision. Kasi there are no promises talaga when you do the tap. BAsicall what the tap does is it
reboots your dog’s immune system to give the virus one last fight. Once neurological ang Distemper (twitching na ang dog)
then it means the virus is in the spine. It is trying to reach the brain. The spinal tap will hopefully prevent that
from happening and give your dog a new lease on life.
As I said, please visit the Kind Heart in Action website. Ang daming stories of dogs and NDV treatments and the tap there.
I mean Kind Hearts in Action
Hi po gudevening. Galing na kami kanina sa VIP alabang nagpa spinal tap napo c fretzie..nkaywi kami 3pm na…ganun po ba after spinal tap ang bili po ng hininga nya ngayon. Then may twitching pa din..takot langbako sa bilis ng paghinga nya.
Yes same thing as BAiley. All you can do now is make your dog comfortable, make sure you give all the medications, esp the antibiotics and force feed but do it carefully so that food and water doesn’t enter the lungs. Twitching is really the hallmark of advanced Distemper.
Prayers for you and your dog!
I have a question, my pup, not exactly sure of his age but over 6mo. Has distemper. I’m not looking for anyone’s advice to see if he will survive, I’m gunna stay positive because he’s a stubborn bully. I’m gunna ask though what are if any the signs of recovery. I’ve heard paw thickening is a sign?
Yes paw thickening is a sign of Distemper.
Signs of recovery – well, after getting really really sick your dog will slowly recover if he or she is lucky. Only 1 to 2 % of dogs survive Distemper without the NDV treatment.
REcovery is up and down with good days alternating with bad. Because of that roller-coaster nature of Distemper its hard to tell if your dog is on the way to recovery or not. Wishing you the best!
This post was very inspiring. may aso din kami, nagkadistemper. Una, hirap huminga, tapos nagkasipon. nagstart siya magkasakit last April pa, and every week, palala siya ng palala. I reached out with the municipal vets, kasi wala malapit na vet dun sa lugar namin, so ayun, pinuntahan nila. Nung una, nakakabangon pa aso namin na si Bogard, pero after weeks, di na siya makabangon. Dumating pa yung point na nangingisay siya. I was talking already to my partner, baka patulugin na lang namin, pero sabi niya, ako lang daw ang nagiisip na mamatay na aso namin. I was telling dun sa mga bata, na laging bigyan ng tubig at lagi pakainin. Hindi na makabangon si Bogard, but whenever I approached him, he is wagging his tail, and looks at me happily. Sabi ko sakanya, pagaling ka.. palakas ka. One day, after a treatment from the vet, bigla bumangon si Bogard at nagtatakbo. Like with any other distemper symptom, he is shaking, wobbly and tried his very best to stand up and play. I was so happy, sabi ko.. gagaling pa si Bogard kasi there is a chance that dogs can survive distemper. Then sinabihan ako na patagilid ang ulo ni Bogard, parang naistroke daw. Then, he started to lie down again in his confinement. Pinatawag ulit namin ang vet, and put some injections again (vitamins daw) and told us to treat him with amoxicilin. Hindi ako nakabili ng amoxicilin, but I told myself, baka nga mawawala na yung aso namin. The kids did not lose hope, they gave Bogard TLC. I even gave Bogard some vitamins (orally). Pag may distemper kasi, kailangan lumakas ang kanyang immune system, and dapat di madehydrate. So, after several readings na ang distemper ay nandyan na sa aso, I told myself, to be prepared kung iwan na kami ng aso namin. To my surprise, when I went home, sinalubong ako ng aso namin at tuwang tuwa pa. He was standing, much better when I left him. The last treatment the vet gave was effective. Lumakas ulit si Bogard, and started to eat much again. Napakalakas na niya kumain at bumabalik na yung katawan niya. Yes, ang conclusion ko din dito, wag mawalan ng pagasa. Natutuwa lang ako kasi magaling yung vet na tumingin sakanya, and he never gave us false hope na wala nang pagasa aso namin, kung hindi ang sabi lang niya, wag pabayaan at dalawin. Dogs with distemper needs love so much, para lumakas ang loob nila. Now, our dog is getting better and better, and I hope magtuloy tuloy na. By the way, our dog is aspin. We treat him as family and we love him so much. just sharing na wag kayo mawalan ng pagasa pag nagkadistemper ang pet dog niyo. There is always hope. Tiyaga lang.
Hi, stories here are very helpful ang inspiring. I was reading all the comments while crying so hard because I’m looking for options and choices to make habang may distemper ang aking Bunsoy. So glad na maishare ko po ang story ko. Mixed breed po si Bunsoy, hindi rin po namin sya napavaccine. 4 months po sya nagkadistemper. Alam ko po routine nya every morning, mas maaga pa sya nagigising sa akin but one time matamlay po sya at walang gana magbreakfast. Kinabahan na po ako at nung lunchtime dinala na po namin sa vet. Sipon daw po kaya cefalexin at vitamin po ang nireseta. Nung 2nd week distemper na daw po. Cefalexin, pulmoquin, sorvit at polynerv ang meds nya. Lalong lumala po yung sipon hanggang sa puyat po talaga ako kakabantay sa kanya kasi yung sipon nya tumitigas at bumabara na sa nose. 3rd week mas nakakapagod po kasi naipon na ang puyat ko at kailangan po sya tutukan. Sa mata, ilong at tenga na po lumalabas yung sipon. May time pa po na hindi na nya mabuksan eyes nya kase tumigas na po yung sipon. Yun na po yung time na suko na po ako. Ang naisip ko po ay tanungin ang vet kung may chance pa talaga na gumaling sya or kung wala eh patulugin nalang po. Pero nung una palang po naitanong ko na yun, as long as pataas daw po ang timbang malaki daw po ang chance na makasurvive. In her case malakas po sya kumain pag chicken lang kaya kahit po hirap na kami sa budget yung gusto nyang food po ang binibigay. 6th day ng 3rd week sobrang laki na po ng improvement nya clear na po nose nya though may konting muta pero di tulad dati. And two weeks ago napavaccine na po sya ng first shot para sa distemper. Ngayon po sobrang kulit at matakaw po sya at may konting kilos na hindi nmn nya ginagawa dati like parang laging nagbbow ng head at pumipintig ang tyan. Itatanong ko po sa vet kung yun ba yung effect ng distemper sa kanya. Totoo po yung advice nyo na wag sukuan at tutukan ang pag inom ng meds para gumaling po from distemper. At syempre kasama po ang pagtitipid. Abot po ng 5k ang nagastos sa meds at check up po ni Bunsoy. Hindi po kami yamanin. Mas ok po talaga kung sa umpisa palang napavaccine na po ang pets kaysa doble po ang gastos pag nagkasakit.
Your dog is blessed because only 1 to 2 % survive distemper with traditional medication. but with the spinal tap and other nDv treatments, that number jumps to as high as 70%. You can see the stats on the Kind Heart in Action WEbsite which is maintained by Ed Bond. Im very happy for you and thanks so much for sharing your story!
Kumusta na po ang dog ninyo ngayon? Pwede po malaman kung magkano ang spinal tap? My dog had distemper around March this year. Ngayon po sabi ng vet namin survivor sya pero nagwworry lang ako kasi nagttwitch na ang katawan nya. I just wanted to confirm lang po sana sa experience ninyo kung gaano katagal bago fully nakarecover si Bailey? Salamat po.
Hello Vel, sorry for my late answers to all your queries. I don’t blog much anymore so I don’t get to visit the comment box. ANyway, your vet is right, your dog is already a survivor. No need for the NDV treatments! I responded to your question in another thread. I’m just really glad that your dog is a SURVIVOR! Congrats!!!
I wanted to ask po, how long po until Bailey’s full recovery? My Pom is a survivor as his vet said, when he was diagnosed with distemper two and a half months ago. Too late nung nadiscover yung virus sa kanya dahil nagttwitch na sya at chewing gum fits. Thank you for sharing your story, I am praying always for his full recovery.. Payat pa rin ang Pom ko sa ngayon.
Yes. That skinny-ness also was Bailey’s problem for like maybe two or three years. You could see her hip bones and ribs. No matter what I fed her, payat na payat siya. But after two or three years, she finally fattened up a little and now she is sleek. No more bones showing! Don’t worry about the skinny-ness of your dog just make sure he eats 3x a day (yes, i feed bailey that often) and has vitamins like Polynerve which is a B complex. Keep that up and your dog should be fine…
Hi po. I read about your blog and I wanted to ask po how long before Bailey fully recovered? ano po yung initial response ng katawan ni Bailey sa spinal tap? Thanks so much po sa information.
Hi Vel…
Bailey woke up about 5 to 10 minutes after the spinal tap procedure and was quite groggy. She had one seizure at night after the tap. Then recovery was very very slow. For two weeks she was up and down. Hallmark talaga ng Distemper is a good day followed by a bad days. Up and down. I wasn’t sure she would survive until after 2 weeks pa. But by the third weeek it was very clear she was having more good days than bad. After week 4, we had her tested for Distemper and she was clear.
But she never fully recovered in the sense that she doesn’t jump as high and her bark is higher pitched. She also twitched non-stop for 4 years, even in her sleep. But about a year ago she stopped twitching na. But at night she does jerk around in her sleep violently like every few hours or so.
I hope that helps you!
My Belgian Malinois Zyzz tested positive for distemper Friday May 27, 2016. Thanks to this blog, I consulted to VIP Alabang and he was given the NDV IV shot since there are no neurologic symptoms yet. I was also advised to continue the regimen which I had, for a few days from then, put my dog on which is composed of saline dropped into the nostrils to dissolve hardened mucous, nebulization of albuterol twice a day, an antitussive three times a day, acetylcysteine twice a day, a mucolytic twice a day, dextrose powder dissolved in water several times a day, and an antibiotic for secondary respiratory infection. Tobramycin drops was prescribed for the eyes.
I also have to patiently force feed Zyzz as he would not eat. Vitamin C and B-complex, I added to the regimen Monday May 30, 2016 in large doses. He has since been better looking since the symptoms caught my attention last week with his body seeming less emaciated and less dehydrated.
Hopefully, Zyzz makes through this ordeal.
P.S.
Where do you guys purchase colloidal silver, preferably in the south area? Thanks.
Hi Zyzz! I am so glad that it looks like your dog was saved before it could get worse! Did you go to the Alabang clinic of Vets in Practice?
I get my Colloidal Silver at the Sunday Organic Market in Makati. If you know of any organic markets in Alabang adn surrounding areas, you might want to try looking there. Its the organic folks that like to use C Silver…
Thanks for sharing your story, I’m believing that Zyzz will have a full recovery!
Yeah we have been consulting with Vets in Practice Alabang. He has been showing steady progress in terms of the respiratory stage of distemper, gaining weight and had been increasing activity. Also began eating and drinking on his own this last weekend.
Unfortunately, we also noticed tremors in his lower jaw. Thinking that is was him being cold, Dr. Jess said we should observe further when we brought Zyzz for his check-up on Saturday 6/4/2016 as we would only notice it happen whenever he would get wet from drinking. Its frequency increased though and on Monday 6/6/2016 we decided to have the spinal tap. Dr. Mariel did the procedure as she was the only vet on duty that day that could do it. Also took three attempts before the correct spot was hit.
Zyzz needed to be sedated for the procedure and we were told that an ill dog takes longer to wake up through it. Almost three hours we waited in the parking lot inside our car for Zyzz to regain full consciousness and function. He would be assessed regularly but after the long wait we were told he is headed towards recovery from the sedation so we headed home.
It is now the morning of Tuesday 6/7/2016 and he has not stood up since the procedure and I am awaiting for Vets in Practice Alabang to open up and I’ll call to ask for advice.
Hi Theo, is Zyzz able to eat or swallow? Are you able to give him the meds prescribed for post-tap recovery? I emailed you, you can respond there or here.
Sorry to interupt your conversation but I would like to ask for some advise. My dog was diagnosed with Distemper this morning, but I’ve been noticing the symptoms for weeks. He’s eating normally, yet he prefers people food than his own DF. He drinks on his own, he can stand and walk. In your opinion, do you think that he has a great chance of survival if he really has been fighting this disease for a month now without any lethargy? Also, how mich is the consultation in VIP? How much did you spend for the Tap and Serum? Thank youm
Hi Raiza, you are not interrupting, you are joining the conversation… Just want to remind you that I am not a vet. And even if I were, I wouldn’t give any opinion without seeing the dog for myself first.
Distemper is a slow disease. It takes a month or so for the virus to reach the brain. Its faster in some dogs and slower in others. With traditional intervention about 1 to 2 percent survive. With the NDV treatments that percentage jumps up to 40 to 70 % of dogs surviving. You can check the statistics for yourself on the Kind Hearts in Action website.
THe Serum is only for early stage Distemper. I think your dog is beyond that but the only to know is to go to VIP and have the Distemper test done again. Their policy is to take the test themselves even if you’ve already had a test taken at a diff vet.
There is the Body Shot which is a cheaper version of the Serum but as i mentioned, that’s for early stage.
The NDV Tap, which is for late stage Distemper would be (most likely) the way to go. Thankfully it is cheaper than the Serum. Have 5 k ready. Best to call VIP and ask them straight because Bailey’s Tap was done some 5 years ago and I believe VIP increased the jprice of certain services. Their number is easily available online.
The one thing I can say is that it is amazing that your dog has no lethargy.
Baka naman your dog does not have Distemper? Baka he got a false positive on the test? I think the best way to find out is to just bring hi to VIP and him tested again. And let the vets there see him. VIP has a lot of experience with Distemper cases given that they are one of the very very few vets that do the NDV treatments. Make sure to ask for a senior doctor who has handled many distemper cases to look at your dog.
I really do hope that what your dog has is just something minor and not distemper. Keep us posted!
Hi,
This blog is very helpful. My dog is suffering from distemper and last wednesday got spinal tap at VIP alabang. Sana malagpasan ng dog ko ang sakit nya. Almost a month na rin akong puyat for taking care of him. Ang mali ko lang hindi ko inagapan ung sakit nya kaya umabot pa tuloy sa spinal tap. tsk!
Yes pareho tayo. In my case, Distemper was not suspected because she was already 4 years old at the time and an inside dog. My mistake was not getting her any shots because I assumed, since I dont take her out (the house is big enough with a garden for her to explore) she won’t catch any illnesses. So how did she pick up Distemper, an illness that dogs only get from other dogs who are infected? My guess is that she sniffed noses with a stray dog who was infected through our grilled gate. Or, when I took her to the vet for a check up, she got it there from another dog.
I hope your dog makes it. Make sure to give all the antibiotics and the neuro meds. But the neuro meds will make your dog groggy. I stopped giving bailey neuro meds after two or three days (post-tap) because she was just too lethargic na. But i asked the vet first if I could take her off those meds. Make sure to ask first before changing anything sa meds ng dog mo.
Wishing you the best, please keep us posted!
Hi,
Luckily my dog is still alive but he still can’t stand or walk normally. By the way your blog help me to decide to take the last resort to spinal tap my dog. I miss him a lot yung pagiging energetic nya but atleast he is now safe I think. And yung appetite nya for food is getting well. Hayy miss ko na talaga yung pagiging makulit nya yung patakbo-takbo na parang hindi mapakali. Hoping na sana makalakad ulit sya ng normal. May question nga pala ako, yung polynerve ba na ginamit mo for your dog is for human yung para sa twitching?, and the dosage? Thanks!
Dont you worry, most Distemper survivors return to their frisky-ness! Bailey is like a normal dog now. The only difference is that she cannot jump as high as before but she can jump. For about 4 to 5 years she had a non-stop twitch but it has disappeared and now only twitches occassionally in her sleep. Sometimes she jerks around violently but only for a few seconds. Wait patiently. It might take a few weeks but your dog will be back to himself!
Polynerv is for kids nga. THe dosage depends on the weight of your dog. I’m not a vet so I don’t know the dosage but we give bailey one teaspoon. She is around 24 lbs. Polynerv is actually a B complex vitamin which is believed to be good for neural connections and nerve health. Bailey takes it everyday.
May aso akong ngkasakit ng distemper at gusro ko sana itong mapagaling,saan dapat namin ito ipagamot sa cebu,please…najajaawa na ang aso ko kapag inaatake
hi there not sure if there is a vet in Cebu who can do the NDV procedures. You can always email Ed Bond of the Kind Heart in Action website and ask him. Ed has a worldwide directory of vets who know how to do the NDV procedures. I wish you and your dog the best!
Good evening. My dog was also suffering from distemper. Gusto ko din sya ipagamot sa vip hospital in Mandaluyong even if it will cost me allot. Magkano po kaya aabutin so that i can prepare myself at makapagproduce as soon as possible. Thanks po.
For the spinal tap be ready with 5 to 6 k. Best to call VIP and ask them how much. They will require testing so that will have cost.. Hope your dog makes it!!
I’d prepare around 5K. But the best thing to do is to call VIP so that you can get an exact figure. Also ask how much the meds will cost because after the spinal tap is done, you will need to keep your dog on certain meds and vitamins…
Hi my dog was diagnosed with distemper yesterday. The only signs we observed was lack of appetite, he’s always sleeping, dry nose, and sometime he’ll have “muta” which was very unusual of him. Just after he had the distemper test his jaw started twitcing and that scared the hell out of me because i was hoping that he was just in the early stage, he doesnt have problems walking or standing up. I live in the province so i’m not sure if they do spinal tap here, but the here asked me if i wanted to give her canglob d shots (the immunoglobulin serum). I agreed but he is a large dog, he weighed 26 kilos so they quoted me 5k per shot. Hoping that it will help him fight the virus. I want to give him colloidal silver, where do you but it? how does it exactly help your dog?
TAsh, if your dog is twitching, please have the spinal tap done. Colloidal silver and Canglob are only supportive treatments. The spinal Tap will jumpstart your dog’s immune system and give the virus one last major fight. It’s a 50-50 chance of survival with the tap. Which is a whole lot better than a 99-1 chance of dying. only 1-2 % of dogs survive distemper. But with the tap, that figure increase to about 50% of dogs surviving.
If you are in Pamapanga, VIP has a clinic there. If you are in the south, VIP has a clinic in alabang. If you can drive your dog there today, please do it. But call VIP first and tell them that you want the spinal tap for your dog. They will tell you how much it will cost and what to do.
Hoping your dog makes it!
My Pato died exactly a year ago because of distemper. It was so tragic that even until now, we cry whenever we see his pictures. He’s the sweetest. He loved to cuddle and be kissed. On the other hand, we’re so fortunate that Patchie, who ate all his unfinished food that time, miraculously didn’t get infected. She’s perfectly okay now and likes to swim very much. To all the furparents, your babies will always remember how you treat them. Love them always. 🙂
Thank you for sharing. And yes I agree that our kids should always be cherished even when they have crossed the rainbow bridge, lets keep their pawprints in our hearts… my beautiful dogs fill my life with so much joy! In fact ALL DOGS MAKE ME HAPPY!
Hello po my Dambo a 2month old beagle is diagnosed po with distemper 😥 its been 3 days narin po since nadiagnosed sya. Nakakaawa po sobra. Pumayat sya pero matakaw parin po kumain. Yung prinescribe po na gamot ng vet sa kanya amoxicillin trihydrate tsaka po tiki-tiki which he takes twice a day. Naka isolate po sya kase we have a,pomeranian and a mommy beagle his mommy. Sana po makasurvive sya. Sabi din po ng vet every morning kailangan sya paarawan kahit 15mins po. Nagresearch po kase ako na puppies or dogs with distemper will experience hypothermia which is a decrease in body temp so he needs to be warm always. Nagttwitch din po sya tapos yung biglang parang mangingisay sa ulo na part tapos puro laway then after that babagsak na parang lantang gulay tapos tatayo sya tpos pupunta sakin magpapabuhat. Any suggestions po? Na pwede ipainom na gamot sa kanya? Mas better po ba na mag lagay ng iv fluids for his dehydration? Kase sabi ng vet po wag masyado sa water baka daw po magsuka? Thank you po sa answers sorry po nakisingit sa conversation nyo po.
The NDV Spinal Tap is something you might want to explore. It is what saved Bailey’s life and the lives of numerous dogs all over the world. You can get the stories and testimonies and videos of dogs who have survivied with the help of the NDV treatment. It is not 100% sure but it gives your dog a fighting chance. Visit the website Kind Hearts in Action.
And please do not wait any longer. The virus is digging deeper into your dog and making its way into the brain. Every day, every hour, every second you wait is a nail in the coffin. Move fast before this disease eats up your dog’s life.
The clinics that do the NDV treatments are Vets In Practice and Pendragon. you can easily find their contacts and numbers online. Please call them asap. I will be busy in the next couple of days and wont be able to entertain your questions so please do the research on your own and contact the vets yourself. Don’t wait for me.
Wishing you the best!
Most vets here don’t know about the NDV Spinal Tap. Its an experimental treatment but proven to be quite effectivee. For the stats on survival, go to the Kind Hearts in Action website. For me, the important thing is the stats. How many dogs survive when they go through antibiotics (the traditional way to treat distemper) vs how many dogs survive the NDV treatment. No vet has been able to give me stats on how many dogs survive when they go throught the traditional way of treatment with antibiotics and canglob. But stats on the NDV treatment are on the website I told you about. Its 40-70% survival. With no intervention the survival rate is 1 to 2%. Think carefully and then move fast.
Hello po. I have a furbaby named cheska. Negative po siya sa distemper pero she’s having all those twitching. I was hoping to know how much yung neurotin at colloidal silver? She was prescribe to drink albatin
Sometimes you get a false negative with Distemper. It might be worth it to get Cheska retested. Cant remember how much neurontin costs but it’s expensive. Colloidal silver is like 400 pesos for a small bottle, double that for a big one. Hope your dog gets better!
Our dog Labrador is also a distemper survivor. Julius is 4months old. It left him with muscle twitching. How was Bailey now? Are you giving any supplements to help with the twitching?
Tks…..
Yes the twitching is supposed to stay for life. But Bailey’s twitching is gone except for sudden jerks in the middle of her sleep. Polynerv is the vitamin I give her. And she is now completely an indoor dog, not allowed to sleep outside, only allowed to go out to play. She has the run of the house and playmates to keep her busy. I give her raw bones often. And I am updated with all her shots. All my dogs have shots because I never want to see any of my dogs suffer like Bailey did….
My 20mos old dog died yesterday due to distemper. My other dog kiko is now infected, he has 40C fever so we took him to our local vet last night and he gave us the same medicines nabinigay nya din sa aso ko namatay. Now i’m planning to take kiko to vip but i heard their rates is so expensive so maybe ill take him to pendragon na lang. ok ba dun sa pendragon? We can’t bear to lose another dog.
I’m not sure what the rates are at Pendragon but please look them up online and call them up. VIP is not as expensive as you think. The body shot is 800 pesos per shot (not sure if price increased) and you will 3 of those. That’s if early stage pa your dog.
Hoping and praying that you do not lose another faithful friend!
Hi Ma’am
I have been doing my reseearch po kasi and I can’t seem to find anything that says okay ang NDV for a month old Shih Tzu. My Arki was diagnosed to have “Low Positive Distemper” results says S1 but I still want to make sure it does not progress. Ma’am is the NDV treatment good for any age? and how many shots did Bailey get po?
You really won’t see a huge cache of info about the NDV treatments because, if you read my post carefully, it is an experimental treatment.
But for statistics on survival and testimonies of survivors you can find all that on the website Kind Hearts in Action.
For early stage Distemper NDV is not recommended. Instead it should be the Sears Serum or the Body Shot.
NDV is for late stage Distemper.
Btw,you can also contact Ed Bond who runs Kind Hearts. He can give you the information you need. His contact is on the website and he is also on FB.
Please move fast because in puppies, Distemper is highly fatal. VIP will rarely do an NDV spinal tap on such a young dog because they have a harder time waking up from anesthetic. You NEED to move now. I would recommend getting the body shot first.
You can also call VIP for questions.
With Bailey we did the Serum (requires a big dog to donate blood) but I felt that we did that too late dahil she was twitching na which means late stage na. So two days after the last Serum shot (she was given 3 shots, 12 hours apart) I returned to VIP and asked them to do the Tap na. It took her two weeks before we saw improvement because she was so close to death.
Please email me if you have more questions jaedeelight@yahoo.com
Hi. We went last Saturday to V.I.P. together with my 3 dogs. 1 is positive of distemper which is really obvious. The one is positive as well, though on the test kit that we had, the second line was really faint that even the vet thought that she’s negative and my other dog (thank God) she’s healthy and not infected. Pero lahat po silang tatlo is binigyan ng NDV, vitamins, and antibiotic (baytril).
Pinapabalik po kami ng after 2 weeks for another injection. Pero po yung dog ko na very obvious na po talaga yung symptoms is tinaningan na ng doctor. Days na lang daw ang itatagal niya. But I’m still praying na sana gumaling siya. I can see naman po na nag improve yung appetite niya. Though yung pinapakain ko pa lang po sa kanya is dinurog na boiled chicken liver and potato. Pero naparalyze na po siya. Hind na siya makatayo at kagabi iyak siya ng iyak. Kanina nung umalis ako, natutulog siya at lalong bumibilis yung pagtwitch ng legs niya.
Question – what NDV treatment did you three dogs get? Was it the NDV body shot? Or the Sears Serum? Or was it the Spinal Tap? Please describe, ty
Hello. Nadiagnose kasi yung 11 months kong dog ng Distemper and I’m planning to bring him to V.I.P. pero hindi pa po talaga ganoon kalaki budget ko. Any estimated cost po kaya para dito. Thanks.
Prepare at least 5k for the procedure. You can also call up VIP for a more exact costing. I know that a few ppl who saw this blog raised finds through gofundme or by asking friends to make small donations. I hope it works out for you and your dog…
Thank you po. How about po dun sa gofundme, paano po iyon magwork?
Hi there, im not quite sure how it works but basically you open a site and you put photos of your dog there and I think videos din. then you ask people to send you money for the NDV procedure. Not sure how you can get the money. Baka through PayPal. Best thing is to search GoFundMe on google and do some research… You can also just go on your FB and post photos and make an appeal. I know someone who’s cat got beaten by an evil neighbor, she posted photos of the kitty and got enough donations for the vet costs.
My dog suffered from canine distemper too. We believe he has survived from it now..the problem is, his back legs has no strength to stand on his own. It’s not stiff and has feelings. He always fall down when he is standing. He’s quite choosy with the food we feed him. He barely drink water which is a dextrose powder unless the weather is very hot and humid. He actually gain a little weight now but the problem with him is he always stumble and fall down. He still have eye goop until now but not as bad as before. His vet gave him medication eye goop for 3 days but it didnt work. He was on injectable antibiotic for 5 days and the vet change it to oral antibiotic for 6 days. Today, we will go back to his vet coz his vet said she’ll replace it with a cheaper oral antibiotics which he’s going to take for 1 month.
Yes, nerve problems must be causing his back legs to be weak. But in time, it should improve. There is actually physical therapy for dogs who have nerve damage. You can ask VIP about it. Or you can search online and see what PT exercises and massage would be good for your dog…
To be super sure that your dog has survived Distemper, please have your dog undergo a distemper test…
Wishing you the best!
Hi my dog is infected with distemper and has refused to take food you said that you fed bailey with a syringe I tried that but he is short tempered so when I try to open his mouth he tends to bite me what should I do
Hi Ansh, you know your dog better than anyone else. But I can’t think of a better way than using a syringe (with the needle removed of course) What if you protect your hands with really thick gloves? Or maybe two of you can do it. One person holds the mouth open while the other force feeds. Be very careful though when forcefeeding because food and liquid can accidentally enter the lungs which would be bad for your dog and cause other problems. one way to avoid it is to always forcefeed when the dog is in an upright, sitting position. or if he or she is lying, make sure the upper part of the body is still up, like the way the sphinx looks like. Wishing you the best….
this article is really helpful, thank you for posting this. i just want to know how much is the overall cost for the NDV spinal tap. my dog is a 5 y/o (almost 6) mini pin which is a gift to my daughter and unfortunately, our household income is just enough for the family’s basic needs. I really would like to give our dog a chance to live that is why Im still trying to bring her to the vet and get some antibiotics and vitamins but I dont know if I can afford the NDV spinal tap, which makes me feel more sad now.
You can raise funds or borrow money. I used my credit card and my birthday money for Bailey. Get around 4-5k ready and then also ask for a discount from the vet. I believe that mothers are tough and have the ability to make extra money when needed. I’ll be praying for you and your dog…
I am Cherry and have seven (7) local or Philippine-breed dogs which is commonly known as AsPin. Four (4) of them are already on the critical state while the other three (3) are starting to show symptoms.
I will raise funds for my dogs that are all infected and diagnosed with distemper. It will solely be used for medicines or any medication-related procedure to cure their disease.
Your help will be very much appreciated as time is of the essence and distemper is really something that needs to be treated asap.
I will be very much thankful for any help that anyone can extend to me as saving my dogs means a lot to me and to my family.
My 7 lovely dogs:
Hachi – Died last Saturday, February 20, 2016.
Sansa – a 4-year-old dog, was diagnosed with distemper and now the vet said she has glaucoma and her vision is not normal. She tends to jolt when touched and look around as if she doesn’t see her surrounding.
Bailey – She is a 9-month old dog and now experiencing tilting of the head in an upward direction or is somewhat similar to star gazing syndrome. She cannot lie down or get up on her own and needs assistance when doing so, as well as she finds it hard to sleep because when sleeps, her whole body is shaking as she’s having seizures. It also seems like she has complications in the bone marrow because she reacts wildly when touched unintentionally and especially when there’s force applied. She has been diagnosed with Distemper for 2 weeks.
Snowy- with the same age with Bailey, He has diarrhea, low apetite, sneezes, and his eyes are reddish.
Cersei – as same age with Bailey and Snowy. She seems depressed and unhappy, sneezes, and has reddish eyes. Her energy and excitement seem to be lesser nowadays.
Jessie- Still a puppy. She coughs and sneezes. She has colds now and it seems like her eyes are becoming reddish.
Chimmy- She doesn’t show any symptoms yet. She is the oldest dog among the group and her age is older than 5 years. She was with Mumble that died a year ago (April 2015) because of distemper. It’s a miracle that she is not yet contaminated with the virus after all.
Hi Cherry how can people contact you? I normally don’t allow people to post their contact details but in this case I think it’s ok.
Hi Ms. Joyce. I can be reached thru my email account, koudelcka@gmail.com. My 2 dogs already passed away (1week ago and 2 hrs ago). By the way, we named one of our dogs after your dog, Bailey, and she’s now battling Distemper. She’s paralyzed and body twitching. We just placed her on a mat and surrounded her with pillows just to keep her comfortable.
Distemper Attacked My 7 Dogs
I am Cherry and have seven (7) local or Philippine-breed dogs which is commonly known as AsPin. Four (4) of them are already on the critical state while the other three (3) are starting to show symptoms.
I will raise funds for my dogs that are all infected and diagnosed with distemper. It will solely be used for medicines or any medication-related procedure to cure their disease.
Your help will be very much appreciated as time is of the essence and distemper is really something that needs to be treated asap.
I will be very much thankful for any help that anyone can extend to me as saving my dogs means a lot to me and to my family.
My 7 lovely dogs:
Hachi – Died last Saturday, February 20, 2016.
Sansa – a 4-year-old dog, was diagnosed with distemper and now the vet said she has glaucoma and her vision is not normal. She tends to jolt when touched and look around as if she doesn’t see her surrounding.
Bailey – She is a 9-month old dog and now experiencing tilting of the head in an upward direction or is somewhat similar to star gazing syndrome. She cannot lie down or get up on her own and needs assistance when doing so, as well as she finds it hard to sleep because when sleeps, her whole body is shaking as she’s having seizures. It also seems like she has complications in the bone marrow because she reacts wildly when touched unintentionally and especially when there’s force applied. She has been diagnosed with Distemper for 2 weeks.
Snowy- with the same age with Bailey, He has diarrhea, low apetite, sneezes, and his eyes are reddish.
Cersei – as same age with Bailey and Snowy. She seems depressed and unhappy, sneezes, and has reddish eyes. Her energy and excitement seem to be lesser nowadays.
Jessie- Still a puppy. She coughs and sneezes. She has colds now and it seems like her eyes are becoming reddish.
Chimmy- She doesn’t show any symptoms yet. She is the oldest dog among the group and her age is older than 5 years. She was with Mumble that died a year ago (April 2015) because of distemper. It’s a miracle that she is not yet contaminated with the virus after all.
Hi! My baby, Trixie is positive for distemper. We gave her antibiotics and meds for immune system and medyo nabawasan pag collapse and pag ngisay nya. But I’m still worried kasi I know walang cure for distemper. I’m afraid na baka bigla nalang sya mamatay. Mag 1 month na syang may distemper. Super kulit amd hyper nya! Minsan kami na ang sumusuko sa pagka hyper nya. I dont know what to do. Binasa ko ibang comment mo here and I saw na around 5k yung spinal tap. Is it effective? Gaano ba katagal ang distemper sa dogs? Nanghihina po ba ang mga dogs with distemper? I blame myself kaya nagka sakit sya. Lagi ko kasi dinedelay ang sched ng injection nya with vet. Kasi sa loob lang naman sya ng bahay 😦 please help me po. Kakayanin pa ba ng dog if next month or by april pa mapa spinal tap? Need to save money pa. Kasi i live alone and i need to pay for my rent and electricity water bills pa. Its hard. Halos di na ako kumain sa officr makatipid lang for her meds. Halos araw araw nako umiyak noon nung nangingisay sya. Buti nalang nawala dahil sa meds nya. Ang mga may distemper ba, nanghihina? Huhuhu. Nababaliw nako. Baka kasi di na makahintay ng march or april dog ko for the spinal tap. 😦 she’s 1 year 4 months xbreed of maltese and shih tzu
Age I’m lowbat. But search Kind Hearts in Action to learn more about spinal tap etc. I’ll message you again when I charge up
Please help po my 2 months and two weeks puppie bigla nlng po sya tumamlay nilagnat po sya kahapon and ayw nya kumain so finorce feed k po sya ng malasadong itlog iyon po kinain nya at nilagyan ko po ng dextros powder ung tubig nya mdyo prang my sipon po sya ng konti buong arw k sya binabantyan hanggang ngyon wla pdn p aq tulog kc nttkot aq n bka distemper ung dumapo sknya d nmn po nmumula ung mata.nya.at medyo bumaba ung lagnat nya nung unang shot po nya ng 5 in 1 is nung january 16 d p po nsundan ulit kc wala p po aq budget anu p kya pwede ko ipainom n gmot sknya pra po maagapan sya sa distemper kung sakali pls help po
Hello Joyce bring your puppy to the vet to test for Distemper. That’s the only way to know for sure if your dog has it.
How is appetite? Being super hyper and makulit is not a Distemper symptom. Dapat getting weaker and weaker. And its been a month. Your dog might be in the1 to 2 percent of dogs who can survive Distemper with antibiotic support. If appetite is good and drinks well, that’s even better news
SObramg maarte po sya sa food kaya ang hirap macheck ng appetite. Pero she looks patay gutom all the time. Lalo na pag meat ang food ko. Chicken or baboy. Pag naamoy na nya nagwawala na sya at sunod ng sunod na parang baliw. She is very hyper. Kahit walang kalaro, laro sya ng laro. Laging gigil sa mga toys. I was thinking na baka side effects na to ng distemper and kaya hyper ay dahil sa neurological effects of it. She loves walking outside too. Halos hingalin na ako kakatakbo nya. Sana nga po okay na sya at nagamot sa antibiotics. Para di nako mag worry and mag maintain nalang ng meds nya to prevent her from crying pag inatake. Minsan po kasi may pasulpot sulpot na pag atake eh. Mga once a week or twice a week. Or pag naeexcite ng sobra.
Are you sure it’s Distemper? How is the weight? Pumayat ba or good weight? I don’t really think your dog is exhibiting signs of Distemper but of course only a vet and a Distemper test can tell you for sure. Maybe you can take a video and upload it so we can see. You can email it to me jaedeelight@yahoo.com and then I can try to show it to the vets at VIP. I’m going there tomorrow morning so email me the video tonight
Hi, how much po ang budget na kakailanganin para sa distemper? Lahat lahat na po pati meds.
Hi, my daughters dog Chulit is a mixed breed Maltese – poodle. She is is 8 months.
She was diagnosed with parvo last January 10 and confined for 2 days and 2 nights. After the confinement shes back in shape. playful and makulit na ulit, lumakas ulit kumain and continuous ang antibiotics and vitamins nya. And she was given also 5 shots of canglob for 5 days. She need to take the antibiotics for 2 weeks, pero bago pa matapos yung antibiotics nya I noticed na nawalan sya ng ganang kumain but drinks a lot of water and medyo pahirapan na rin sa paginom ng meds nya. She doesn’t want the antibiotics kaya hinahalo ko sya sa liverolin and nauubos nya meds but the last few days ayaw na rin nya even yung liverolin lang.
I bring her back sa vet nung Feb 6. and the vet told me na yung mga symptoms is a sign of distemper.
I keep on browsing about distemper and it leads me to your blog.
I called VIP but they told me that they don’t confine distemper patients. Its good to know that Pendragon confines distemper patients.(Kasi yung kasambahay lang ang naiiwan sa bahay the whole day and I’m worried na hindi sya maalagaan mabuti at mapainom ng meds kaya I want her na matutukan ng nurses and vets).
Chulit was admitted in Pendragon last Tuesday.
Its expensive. Actually, I don’t know where to get money to pay for my credit card. If I will include my expenses sa medications nya sa parvo and sa running bill nya, my 1 month salary wont be enough to cover the bills. But I don’t want to stress myself yet for the expenses.. God will provide.
Right now I just received an update that her vitals are not stable and they need to put her on oxygen therapy. I don’t want to see her na nahihirapan its breaking my heart and makes me cry I know there’s only a small chance of survival having a parvo and distemper but I still believe in miracle… God is good, please pray for Chulit.
Thanks for all your stories, I’m reading it word by word actually di pa ako tapos sa pagbabasa. Thank you Ms. Joyce your blog helps a lot…
Okay you have to be brave and strong for your dog. It is a risk of you talk about finances and when I was faced with the same costs kay Bailey, my husband told me one this – fight for what you believe in. That means win or lose, panindigan mo ang decision mo. If you win, celebrate. If you lose, then mourn. But never regret or blame yourself for trying your best to fight…
I’ll be praying for your sweet baby. It is true that fighting Distemper and another illness is super tough. But as long as there is life, there hope. As long as you trust God, He will supply your needs.
Wishing you the best…
I agree. This is the time that your pet needs you the most. Give her lots of TLC. And of course, just continue to pray… Anyway, I just wanna share Lucky’s story.
Our dog, Lucky, started to have symptoms of distemper about two months ago. It progressed quickly. We didn’t know that it was distemper then. During the respiratory stage, we gave him antibiotics and lots of vit c. and we had to help him eat because he had lost his appetite. It was really stressful. We only found out that it was distemper when he showed a sign of neuro infection, which is the twitching of his right leg. We gave him NDV shot twice. We didn’t expect him to survive until one day, he just got up and barked at my mom while she was eating. He used to do that when he’s asking for food so we gave him food and he started to eat by himself. Just last week, he started to follow us around the house again although he is still having a hard time walking. He doesn’t move around as much as he did before but he is much better now. I just noticed that it takes about 2 to 3 seconds for him to respond when you call him. I don’t know if he’d survived distemper but I still pray everyday for his recovery.
Is Bailey still twitching? Does it go away after some time? Thanks!
Bailey had muscular twitching 24/7 for about four years then it began to fade. No twitching anymore however at night she will still have huge spasms where her whole body jerks around, scaring the living daylights out of us. But no more twitching which is really remarkable because from my research I found out that the twitching is supposed to be for life na.
As for your dog, I feel like on the way to recovery na just make sure Lucky doesn’t pick up any other illness because fighting Distemper plus another illness will be too much for any dog. If you want to make sure that your dog is Distemper free have a Distemper test taken a month after the second NDV shot was given…
And keep us updated! Success stories always give us hope that Distemper can be fought off!
Thanks! He’s getting better and better everyday! His appetite is back and he’s now trying to do the things that he used to do although he still doesn’t bark as much as before. We’ll keep on monitoring him.
One more thing, we haven’t given him a bath since then and he’s getting a bit stinky. Do you think it’s okay to give him a bath now?
I would wait until he is truly Distemper-free. Just to be super sure. But if you can’t take it anymore then maybe you can bathe him but use warm water on a sunny day and dry him really well after.
I agree. This is the time when your pet needs you the most. Give her lots of TLC. And of course, just continue to pray… Anyway, I just wanna share Lucky’s story.
Our dog, Lucky, started to have symptoms of distemper about two months ago. It progressed quickly. We didn’t know that it was distemper then. During the respiratory stage, we gave him antibiotics and lots of vit c. and we had to help him eat because he had lost his appetite. It was really stressful. We only found out that it was distemper when he showed a sign of neuro infection, which is the twitching of his right leg. We gave him NDV shot twice. We didn’t expect him to survive until one day, he just got up and barked at my mom while she was eating. He used to do that when he’s asking for food so we gave him food and he started to eat by himself. Just last week, he started to follow us around the house again although he is still having a hard time walking. He doesn’t move around as much as he did before but he is much better now. I just noticed that it takes about 2 to 3 seconds for him to respond when you call him. I don’t know if he’d survived distemper but I still pray everyday for his recovery.
Is Bailey still twitching? Does it go away after some time? Thanks!
Charlene? You said you gave your dog NDV shots twice? Spinal tap ba? San mo tinurok?. Thanks
http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/1_7/features/5309-1.html
http://www.thepowerhour.com/news2/vitaminc_pets.htm
Hi,has anybody ever read about this. I think if there’s a big chance of your dog dying than living I think taking risk will be the only option.my dog has distemper too..I just started giving her vit.c orally since im not a vet,and vets here are kinda close minded with all that ”distemper has no cure” thing..and since Im in the province NCD serum is impossible,even getting a CDV test kit is so hard,need to go for 6 hours drive just to get one. I think this megadose of vit.c is easier than NDV since sodium ascorbate amps/meds are easy to get.
Hi
Hi, just want to share my story. I am Ms. Elay hir at Bulacan. My dog Biboy [shihtzu] 1year old last Jan30 had acquired distemper plus the fact that he was vaccinated 5in1, 8in1 and anti rabbies. It was January 3, when Biboy got his haircut, after a week naging matamlay sleep all day and namimili ng food, his body was very hot. Since we have a friend who was a vet but never practice his profession, nagask kami what to give ti Biboy, so sabi nya antibiotic and biogesic syrup, so buy kami and give dog the medicine, it was on the 8th day when we decided to bring him to a vet clinic here in Bulacan. When he was checked without any laboratory just examining Biboy, the vet diagnosis DISTEMPER, pwede daw nakuha sa pinagpa grooman namen, no medicine to treat the deadly virus I was told, niyakap ko si Biboy, almost cried, walang certain na gamot para sa virus…sabi ng vet meron shot [conglob] para lumakas daw nag immune system ng dog but it will depend on Biboy’s response to the medicine, thankful din kasi never sya umabot sa nag seizure na mejo worst na situation, pag nagreponse magiging okay pag hindi expect na daw ang worst…I dont even have enough money to supply Biboy’s medications I only got 1,400 that night, and the shot will cost 950/shot for 3days. Need din buy ng ibang oral medicine like immuzol, lc dox and neurovet to consume for 2weeks, pero bait ni Lord, everyday meron dumadating na pera coming from my sister and beyanan sobrang blessing sila sa amin. After ng first shot Day 1: Pag sakay namin sa kotse, mejo hiningal si Biboy worried pa rin ako kasi sabi ng vet pwedeng nagsisimula na ang sacondary infection nya sa lungs, hay sobrang stressful talaga, so when we got home, uminom sya ng maraming water with dextrose powder [thanks sa neighbor kong dog lover for giving me 1bottle of dextrose powder] grabe sobrang uhaw si biboy, gutom kumain pero konti lang. Then natulog na. The next day pinainom ng gamot 3kinds twice a day. so pumasok na ko sa work, luckily since ung workplace ko malapit sa house meron akong 1 1/2 hour na lunch break, so time ko para ma check and mapakain si Biboy. after kumain konti lang ulet natulog na sya…hindi ung usual na playtime namen ung lunch break ko…naiyak ako, inisip ko na parang di sya magrespond sa gamot…I even offered him to God, asking him to help Biboy survive disease…so helpless ang feeling ko nun, so back to work iniwan ko syang tulog na tulog. When I got home, Biboy is with my eldest daughter, pinapalitan ung shirt ni Biboy, nang biglang inagaw ni Biboy ung damit it means playtime, kahit ang advice ng vet bawal maglaro, nakipaglaro kami, sobrang namiss namen ang playtime for 2weeks. Right now tapus na ang 3shots nya ng conglob, it was his 9th day ng treatment sa distemper. FOR THOSE DOG LOVER NA AFFECTED ANG DOG NILA SA DISTEMPER, NEVER LOOSE HOPE, BRING THEM TO A VET, FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS AND PRAY A LOT ALWAYS. As of now, ang laki na ng improvement ni Biboy, eats a lot, drinks a lot and plays a lot, I’m also giving him water with CMD [conbcentrated mineral drops] 1 drop sa 300ml na water nya…Still hoping for a full recovery. Sayang di q naupload pics nya fromday 1 to recent pics. Good luck to every one, God is Good and will never neglect us…have a good day.
Thank you for your story!!! Praying na tuloytuloy na talaga ang complete recovery!!!
Thank you for giving your ample time reading my story, Gob bless
Hello, ask ko lng po if san pwede mgpashot ng medicine para sa distemper.sobrang worried nako sa dog ko everyday lalo syang nanghihina naka dextrose sya today.pls reply asap para madala namin sya ngayon. Wala kasi dun sa vet. Na dinadalhan namin hahahanapan pa daw.thank you.
1 month old na yung dog ko and he has distemper. may i ask if kung makarecover yung dog from distemper still magiging carrier ba siya ng distemper virus? ganun kasi yung sabi sa akin nung vet na nangcheck sa kanya and they advise to put him in sleep. thank you your answer can really help my dog
1) 1 month is very young. The safest treatment would be the body shot or the Serum. For more info on those treatments please search Kind Hearts in Action sa Google.
2) What does your Vet mean by carrier? Ibig ba niyang Sabihin na nakakahawa pa rin ang isang Distemper survivor? Well, all the dogs that I know of who survived Distemper are not contagious. Once a dog survives it, wait for a few weeks then have the dog tested. If negative then Hindi nakakahawa.
Whether carrier siya or not, it doesn’t matter as long as the dog is not contagious.
My Bailey, after she recovered, pina-test namin she was declared distemper-free by the vet. So after that, we exposed her na to my other dogs. I have 6 dogs. It’s been around 5 years already and none of them ever got Distemper.
But many who recover have muscular twitching or pag-pintig-pintig sa mga muscle sa legs, sa face etc. they cannot control it. Pero apart from that they are normal and can play, eat and have fun.
3) Do not give up on your puppy. The Serum and NDV treatments are experimental but effective in many dogs. Only two vets in Manila do it. VIP and Pendragon. If you want to fight for your puppy call them up right now and find out Kung pwede bigyan ng Serum or body shot ang puppy mo.
I wish you the best…
Hi, can anybody suggest po where I could buy a canine distemper test kit online, my dog experienced coughing and had eye discharges that started maybe 3 weeks ago already,but is almost gone now..pero her foot pads are hardening.she just delivered pups. She is not vaccinated for viruses, and I had 2 dogs that died already from distemper. I want to make sure if shes positive or not with CD so I could either have her vaccinated with 5 n1 or hope for the best that i could import NDV here in our province. I love my dog very much,shes like my baby and the vets here doesnt really care..I think they dont even know about dr.sears works..:(..they’re not even willing to help me import the test kit..even if I pay all the expenses including shipping fees..,they just tell me even if I get one theres no guaranty my dog would survive because CD has no cure..hayyss..so please..anybody..help me..im desperate..:(
I heard that a lady from Malaysia called VIP for her dog and one of the vet’s flew out to treat her dog. VIP has a clinic in Pampanga too in case you are near there.
As for Distemper kits being mailed, why don’t you ask VIP or Pendragon?
What you can also do is convince your vet to try the NDV treatment. Ed Bond of Kind Hearts in Action can email your vet the protocols. The NDV itself you can buy from any poultry store.
You need an open-minded vet who will look at the proof that the NDV treatments work on about 50% of dogs. All the proof is on Ed Bond’s Kind Hearts in Action website. I know Ed is sincere because he never tried to charge me for the information or sell me anything. He gave the information for free. He has helped so many dogs in the US and all over the world. Please try to convince your vet to at least try.
Wishing you the best…
Remember Ernst the NDV treatments are experimental and not approved by any international veterinary body.
Also try Googling where to buy Distemper kits
Hi pwedi po magtanong kng saan yong VIP??ksi parang mababaliw na po aq sakakaiyak sa puppy q na c taka…his only 6month,hndi pa po kmi nkapainject ng 5in1 ksi at the time nilagnat xa…plz help me po…hndi q na talaga alam kng anung gagawin q…3 days narin aq wlang 2log kakabantay ky taka..ksi sabi ng vet namin na wla na dw pag’asa lovely boy q,.kasi wla dw gamot para dito..hndi q na po matigil iyak q sa sinabi nya na wla na dw pag asa kya nag research aq at nkita q experience mo about bailey..thanks po sa info mo..plz help me po
Hello SHanine, remember, you have the internet at your fingertips. If you have any question you should ask Google. ANyway, VIP is Vets in Practice and its at the Mandaluyong Circle. You can google the phone number.
Don’t panic. And please sleep. You cannot help your dog if you do not rest and if you do not ask friends to hellp you watch your dog. Dahil sa kulang ng tulog, panic ang aabutin mo. Now, calm down and contact VIP. Ask them about the NDV treatment. There is still hope for your dog so do not despair. But also be prepared because even with the NDV treatment not all dogs survive. Please call them up and don’t freak out. Freaking out will just do more harm to your dog. Cool ka lang. Kung love mo ang dog mo you will do your best to be level-headed.
Now is not the time to cry. So call VIP and bring your dog there ASAP.
Hi SHanine, sorry I just saw your comment now. VIP has clinics in Alabang, Mandaluyong,, Tiendesitas and Pampanga. You can search the addresses on google. Yes, your vet is right there is no cure. However there is a treatment that can help increase the chances of your dog’s survival. Bailey had two treatments done to her – Al SEar’s Serum and the NDV spinal Tap. THe best people who can help you are the vets at VIP. SEarch for their contact online and call them up asap. If you have more questions, I will try to answer them but bring your dog asap to VIP.
Hi! thank you so much, nagtry ako mag call sa number na nilagay mo at bukas,I mean today morning dadalhin ko c Gallon my baby 2months old Gallon sa vet na pinuntahan nyo. I’m praying ang hoping na sana gumaling sya katulad ng alaga mong c Bailey.
ask ko lang po hindi na po ba sya nahirapang huminga after ng NDV nya?
serum po magkano kaya? again Thank you!🙏
First VIP will test your dog for Distemper. That is their policy to always test first. Then Kung positive na meron they will determine Kung early or late stage.
Early stage treatments – Serum shot or Body Shot
Late stage treatment – NDV spinal tap
The Serum shots used to be like 4k each. You will need 3.
The body shots are much cheaper. Something like 800 each. I think you will need 3 also.
The spinal tap is around 4k.
The best thing to do is go to VIP, get tested and then get your dog treated.
I wish you and your dog the best… Please keep me updated!
Distemper caused difficulty of breathing in the later stage kay Bailey. After NDV it took two week for her to recover. She had difficulty breathing pa rin after the NDV. Some dogs respond faster to the NDV tap but some dogs like Bailey recovery is slow. It depends on how grabe the Distemper is…
Hello, ask ko lng if san pwede mgpashot ng medicine pars sa distemper.sobrang worried nako sa dog ko everyday lalo syang nanghihina naka dextrose sya today.pls reply asap para madala namin sya ngayon. Wala kasi dun sa vet. Na dinadalhan namin hahahanapan pa daw.thank you.
Go to Vets in Practice or to Pendragon Clinic. You can search them online. They offer both the NDV treatments, the serum and the Canglob shot that Elay’s dog got.
Hi, just want to ask what can I do or give to my dog after his 2weeks treatment from distemper? Is it advisable to give vaccine 5in1 after treatment?
Well si Bailey, after two weeks showed improvement. When she finished all her medicines I just continued the colloidal silver. And then gave her all the food and water she wanted.
My advice – if your dog has improved greatly 2 weeks after NDV treatment then continue whatever the vet ordered. Plus continue C Silver and prescribed vitamins.
If your dog has little or no improvement after two weeks you must bring him or her back to the vet to ask if you need stronger antibiotics etc.
One month after the treatment, your dog should be looking fine and acting normal but take the Distemper test again just to make sure the virus has been completely shed.
As for the 5-in-one, Bailey gets it annually but I asked the vet first when she should be given the shot because it is not wise to give vaccinations to a dog who is ill or recovering from illness…
Hi Miss Joyce, thanks for your reply. God Bless yo
hi .. please help naman po .. yung aso po kc namin pina mercy kill last tuesday kasi confirmed po sa distemper, nag seizure na kc sya every 30 minutes.. tapos ngayon po yung isa namin na aso nagka pnuemonia 1week after.. binigyan lang po ng ambroxol and neurovet .. suspect ko po na nainfect dn siya ng distemper
Bring your dog asap to VIP or Pendragon and ask for the NDV treatment or Serum. You can find the address and phone number sa Google. Distemper is super super contagious. It’s airborne.
Hello
This is a very helpful blog. Thank you for sharing Bailey’s story!
My puppy (Phoebe) was diagnosed with distemper 1 week after she was positive for Ehrlichia. 😦 Her meds are: doxyvet, liv52 tablets, fermolin, immunol and vitamin b complex. Phoebe is a very happy pup. Her next check up is on Jan 18th. She eats a lot, very playful and is happy little girl. She has seizures for less than 10 seconds, has a runny nose and her left eye always has gunk. When she has seizures, we will comfort her and then she will act like nothing happened and always wants to play.
Right now, I just sent an email to ed bond about my baby’s condition. After reading so many articles about distemper, I am saddened that its mortality rate is high. I do ot know if I should ask my vet about NDV 😦
How was your dog diagnosed? What was the test used? If your dog indeed has Distemper, every second you wait means the virus is getting closer to her spine and brain. You must move now. The only two vets that I know of that do the Serum and the tap are VIP and Pendragon. The serum and tap are experimental treatments and most vets will not know about it. However, my testimony, as well as the testimonies of commenter here and on the Kind Hearts in Action will show that the Serum and tap have helped many dogs survive the virus. Not all survive but many do. For statistics on survival after treatment check out Kind Hearts in Action. I wish you the best..
Hi!
Phoebe is looking well and good! We had her follow check up and prognosis looks good. Vet did not confirm if she still has distemper (it was my mom who took her instead of me bec I have work at that time) but confirmed that her infection from Ehrlichia went down. She still remains to be a happy pup and always very playful. She no longer has seizures but has a runny nose. Her eyes are all clear. We will go back after 20 days for another check up. I have not yet asked about NDV but I will ask the vet next time if she is cleared with distemper.
1) 1 to 2 percent of dogs survive Distemper. Your dog could very well be in that 1%
2) Get a distemper text in 20 days to really see if your dog has shed the virus
3) If your dog has shed the virus and no longer has Distemper then there is no need to ask about the NDV anymore. Most likely your vet will not know about it anyway since it is an experimental treatment…
I am very glad that things are looking up for your dog! I pray that Phoebe’s recovery will continue and that complete healing is just around the corner!!!
Hi po my distemper din po beagle namin sabi ng vet, kasi nagmumuta sya at walang ganang kumain, di nman po sya nagdiarhea and bihira lanf po magvomit, nangagalay din po ang left leg nya sa back , bingyan lang po sya ng antibiotic and vitamin b complex for 8 days po ganon pa rin po sya walang ganang kumain, balak po nmin bumili ng isang puppy, me tendecy po ba na mahawaan ung bagong puppy na bibilin namin? Thanks po
Hello Jowell,
Did your vet do a Distemper test on your dog? If yes then I strongly suggest that you bring your dog to Vets in practice or Pendragon Clinic because Distemper is fatal. I your vet did not do a test and just made a diagnosis by looking at your dog then I strongly suggest you change your vet and have your dog tested for Distemper.
Yes Distemper is HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS. Do not expose your Beagle to any other dog.
And please read my story and comments from other people. There is good information there that can help your dog if he or she indeed has Distemper.
Thanks for the advice
Hi
Oh, BTW, blood test was used for her Ehrlichia and with distemper, they used like a pregnancy stick.
Hi I have a question for you. My kids brought home a blue healer puppy last week. Her eyes were gunky. She has dry cracked nose. I brought her to our local vet whom never tested her for distemper just diagnosed her and gave her antibiotics and pain meds to go home on. He said we just have to let it run its course. Does that sound right to you
Well, I think you should get a second opinion. Preferably from a vet who will administer a Distemper test before making a diagnosis. If you let Distemper run its course, it is 99% fatal. With intervention, that can be cut down to 50%. Where are you based?
Hi tomorrow is my dog’s 6th day battle against distemper…it’s his birthday tomorrow turning 1yr. old. Please help me pray for his full recovery. Thank you
Praying for your dog and wishing him a happy birthday… may the Lord’s gift to him be a full recovery from Distemper… Bless you both!
Hi Ms. Joyce, its me again, just want to thank you for opening this page for all of us dog lovers…just want to tell you that biboy had already gain his weight pero meron pa rin sipon, malakas na siya kumain pero mejo picky pa rin sa food, sobrang playful and hyper di po ako sure if effect ng distemper, maraming cases ng distmeper here in Bulacan, my dad’s aspin just died, still have 2 adult dogs and 2 puppies with the disease, i do give them vitamins c and b complex para makalaban, and meron naman progress everyday, everytime naman i visit the vet, i dont bring biboy inside kasi ang dami din cases ng distemper sa clinic nya some naka confine pa. Thank you Ms. Joyce for helping out. God bless you always. keep safe always
by the way po yung 2adult dog and 2 puppies lahat po sila aspin, so i think po medyo malaki ang chance of survival po according sa vet
Hi .. my dog Coco have distemper 😦 how much did it cost you for the Spinal tap?? because I think I was too late to diagnose it and it’s all my fault for not completing the vaccine due to the seller in Tiendesitas directions (Wrong directions lead to grave diseases). Please Pray for my dog I want him to live T.T. He’s like our son.
Hi Niccolo, please don’t blame yourself, that will not help your baby. What will help is for you to bring your dog asap to Pendragon or to VIP for treatment. You can find both on the internet. Bring around 5k with you. And then you will need a little more the medications. Once your dog survives, then you can make it your policy to always get shots for your dogs. I was like that too, my dogs never had shots before. THey were inside dogs, allowed to run in the garden and garage but never taken out so I thought they didn’t need shots. I was wrong. So after Bailey’s ordeal, we are now always updated with shots for all my dogs. I learned my lesson and so will you. That is a good thing!
Thanks. After reading all your stories and note we immediately went to VIP even though it’s far away from home. We don’t have a choice we need it to be done right? The doctor (Doc. Gina) told us all the risk like he (Coco) might not wake up after the sedation and so on, and we’re like frozen and had our tears nearly coming out then we are persistent so we give the go signal. As the good doctor went to get the shot for our dog who is fighting the virus our tears burst out and told him that he should wake up after the procedure and we also apologize for not paying attention to his needs. Then the doctor gave our Little Coco the procedure and I can’t stand the pain in my heart so I went outside before it starts and left my wife with the dog (who has more courage than me when it comes to this kind of problems). After like 5 minutes passed the doctor went to the lobby looking for me and told me that its already done so I went back in the back of the hospital (because distemper is contagious they treat them not in the regular treatment room but in the back room we’re they place table and other equipment unlike Bailey’s time were you brought him to the parking lot). We are waiting for Coco to wake up and we pray hard after that the assistant of the doctor said that he is nearly waking up so we tried waking him up but nothing happened. After almost 20 mins the assistant is telling us a story of this incidents and in the middle of his story our Coco suddenly woke up and stand instantly and we are shocked with literally eyes wide open. Then we hugged him and thank God and the Doctor with her assistant. We took the doctors prescription and bought it immediately to start his follow up treatments to boost his immune system again. Coco now is doing fine though his rear legs can’t stand at the moment he is showing good signs like when I’m calling him starts wiggling his tail and starts crawling (cause he can’t stand) and trying hard to come near me. What a sweet dog so I’m not gonna let go unlike what those Vet in Assumpta said. Thank You Mam for sharing your story 🙂 In a way I think we owe you Coco’s recovery 🙂 Godbless You Mam :’)
Niccolo, you are not yet out of the woods. They say if your dog survives for two weeks then you can say he is recovering. Some dogs recover super fast, some take longer. And you will have good days and bad days. The bad days will bring you down but just keep fighting and giving Coco TLC.
The next two weeks will also be crucial because your dog’s immunity is compromised. That means he can pick up illnesses and you don’t want that complication. So: 1) keep other dogs away from his area 2) religiously give the antibiotics which will protect from bacterial infections. 3) if you can give colloidal silver orally, as additional precaution, it would be a good idea.
I am amazed at the story of how Coco suddenly woke up, it must have been so wonderful to see him awake again. Well I pray that you and he will defeat this virus and that he can walk, run, play and be a normal dog again, just like my sweet Bailey.
Bless your heart for fighting for your dog!
Good day guys. It’s been a month now since my puppy Lucas was diagnosed with distemper. I went to Vets in Practice in Mandaluyong for the NDV treatment. Just today, we went again for a follow up check-up if he would be free from distemper. It was the longest 10 minute wait in my entire life. Fortunately, the test kit didn’t manifest the 2nd line indicating “positive” in distemper. In other words he is now distemper free. Although he cannot stand and walk as of the moment, the doctor, Dr. Rachel, told me that we will commence the therapy (by another doctor) after all vaccinations in 2 months. Should you have any questions on the care for my pup, just reply here. Kudos to all the owners who didn’t leave their pets in their times of distress like this.
Hi Louie, I was at VIP too today, we checked out at 11am. My other dog Broyles is epileptic and is going through seizures so we were ther for two days. He is ok now. I’m so happy to hear your puppy made it! But be vigilant because your dog may be Distemper free but with a weakened state he may pick up a different illness. It happens a lot to Distemper survivors. So be careful, and vaccinate when your dog is ready for it! Congrats!!!
hi hows your puppy doing now?
Hello there, I have a 3 month old baby named Lucas who was unfortunately diagnosed with distemper. We really didn’t notice any symptoms whatsoever until I saw a twitching in his left front leg. This only occurred November 26. He was diagnosed a day after. He actually had his second 5 in 1 shot a week before that. I really didn’t know what and how he happened to acquire the said virus. He was prescribed Cefalexin, Broncure, Immunol and LC Vit. Anyway, it’s his day 5 already and we are injecting canglob-D 4 days in a row now. He is still eating his food and even plays with his toys. But his left front leg (the one who had the first twictings) is already paralyzed. The vet said just to continue medication and hope for the best. I am just really worried because, although it seems that his health not deteriorating (not as of the moment), the twitching is getting worse ( now I see minimal mouth twitching). He is I really do not want to take chances. The thing is, I really wanted to have him checked and possibly do the spinal tap, but due to financial difficulties, I really can’t. I would like to ask where can I find vet clinic other than VIP and Pendragon to minimize cost. I am just an ordinary employee and I really do not have enough savings since I am the breadwinner of my family. I really do hope you can help me save my Lucas.
Hi Louie, unfortunately, those are the only two I know of. When Bailey was ill I used my credit card to pay. I was in severe debt then but used my card anyway. I have friends who tried raising funds for their sick pets and they were successful. So you can either borrow money or ask for donations from several friends. If they all give small amounts, it will help!
Hi, we went to VIP last monday night as an emergency case. We went to the option of injecting NDV through IV (not the spinal tap). Teusday morning, we noticed that his head is twisted and he couldnt move his front legs already (both of them). The twitching was gone but his front legs are already fixated. He still eats and wants to get out of bed (but he cannot walk already). Yesterday, Dec 6, 2015, we went again for a followup check up. Unfortunately, the doc didn’t gave us high hopes if he can move his legs again. But she gave us an ointment to massage his paralyzed limbs. I will not let go of this little creature of mind. If he is paralyzed for his whole lifetime, I’ll just give him the TLC he really needs.
Hello po,, just want to ask if distemper survivor/s can still tranfer or infect other dogs.. Our 1yr.old Dog is a survivor and we now have a new dog who is 1month old.. Thanks 🙂
We had Bailey tested one month after her spinal tap and she was negative for distemper. SHe survived it. After we got that negative for distemper result, we allowed her back with my other dogs. All of them are fine. From what I have read and researched, once your dog has recovered and is declared distemper free, your dog cannot pass it on to other dogs anymore…
Thanks for your reply 🙂 .. So happy for Bailey and her loving family )
Chriszy (our dog) did not undergo the spinal tap. After her vaccine we just observe if she will still have some attack/seizure. No more attacks after tha vaccine. But what we observed is the muscle movement on his front left leg, which believe is the longterm effect of distemper.. She walks normal and can run too..
We never took the test to check if she is really free from distemper..
Happy that your dog is alright. Once a dog recovers from Distemper, he or she sheds the virus until the virus is gone. Sabi daw nila they cannot get Distemper again pero I have read stories of dogs getting it again kaya very important to get your dog annual vaccination vs Distemper. Thanks for dropping by!
My dog is also an askal and I think my dog is suffering from distemper too. I’ve made a research about what could be the reason why my dog is so weak and found out that his symptoms is exactly the same from distemper. I was so touched from Bailey’s story and was so happy to know that she made it. Your advice was so great. I’ve never thought of giving up however, there’s no near vet in our place. It made me so sad to think about it.. I’m from province and I think there’s no vet in our place. I’d love to do everything for him but my parents won’t allow me to travel with him since I’m just at a minor age. I really hope Takuma, my dog would go back from his old self. He and Bailey are both great dogs and like you, I will do everything I can. Thank you for this very inspirational message
Hi guys! I’d like to share with you a lesser known vet clinic who’s been around since 2004 after VIP in Mandaluyong let me down and didn’t even retest my dog. The clinic’s name is Pendragon Veterinary Clinic which is located along Kalayaan Avenue, Diliman Quezon City.
Pendragon treat and confine dogs with distemper in an isolation ward.
They have readily available serums for distemper.
The previous vets who tested our 10-yr old beagle TomTom was already suggesting euthanasia. We couldn’t bear the thought. Pendragon retested him not the antigen test which looks like a pregnancy test kit. They used their laboratory test which is called ELISA. This analyzes the blood and separates the antibodies to determine which scale of distemper your dog is in. The scale is from 1-6, scale 1 being the very early stage. Our TomTom was only on scale 1 and is treatable.
Here’s Pendragon’s article about distemper: http://pendragonvet.com/PDFS/Distemper.pdf
We have options for our dogs with distemper. Pendragon detailed it in their article. Pendragon is also an anti-euthanasia clinic. They will do their best to save your dog’s life. I couldn’t thank them enough.
The Philippine Animal Lovers Society (PALS) members recommended Pendragon to us based on some members’ personal accounts of their dogs recovering from canine distemper thanks to Pendragon’s team. 🙂 They called our TomTom baby-lolo. They hug him, pet him and talk to him whenever they check up on TomTom. All doctors and nurses of Pendragon are like that to all animals they treat. I love them!
Thank you for sharing! This is VERY helpful!
Hi Meg Adonis, I just wanted to ask how much po ung ELISA test sa Pendragon? And do you have any idea po how much ung spinal tap nila at ung confinement??
Hi there! I am so glad that your dog is all good now. One of my dogs is a distemper survivor too and her story is much similar to yours but we didn’t get the serum because its not available here where we live. She even was paralyzed on her hind legs for a month or so. The first week after the tap there was very minor improvement and after that it skyrocketed and in a month and a half she was back on her legs walking. She has a twitch on her left front leg, the whole leg is twitching from the shoulder to the toes and on the right there is one toe that is twitching but not always. My question is: did Bailey developed some new twitches or twitchy parts, because Rosa(that is her name) a day or two ago started getting twitches on one of the hind legs too its not big its just the foot but it got me worried. Also do you still give her some vitamins like B complex or vit.C. I would be really gratefull if you can answer me. Thnx
Well, Bailey’s twitching was more or less all over. Nothing new developed. But five years after the tap we noticed that the twitching was less. Now, it’s practically gone except when she is sleeping she will have violent twitching for 5 to 10 seconds. SEveral times a night. It almost looks like a seizure but it isn’t. She doesn’t wake up at all and continues her sleep.
Yes she gets her vitamins and because she started having seizures 6 months after the spinal tap, we had to start giving her phenobarbs to control them.
I wouldn’t worry about the extra twitching but I would ask the vet. Its always good to be safe. And keep observing because you know your dog best and trust your instincts. Do your own research and double check everything. And when in doubt, do the safest thing – talk to your vet and even get a second opinion if you have to…
my dog after month eat well but still nasal discharge and eye discharge
Did you have your dog tested for distemper?
hi where can i buy the ndv?pls help me my 6mos old shis tzu also have distemper pls
You can buy NDV at any poultry supply. But call VIP to see Kung meron na silang supply. Vip is vets in practice, the veterinary group that saved Bailey.
How much po ang cost ng ndv?and ung colloidal silver san po nakakabili nun.
NDV is around 4k. But please check with VIP first to see if ther are changes. Sa Pendragon I don’t know how much they charge. C Silver can be purchased at the Sautrday Market in Legaspi Vill and Sunday Market in Salcedo Village both in Makati. Look for the stall that sells Himalayan salt, bamboo towels and kefir.
You can also get at Mara’s Organic Market Cafe sa Creek Side, Amorsolo St., Makati
Let me be more clear with my statement. The NDV spinal tap treatment at the vet cost me around 4k. But the NDV itself (New Castle Disease Virus) can be purchased at a poultry supple for less than 200 pesos a vial. You bring the NDV to the vet and then undergo the NDV spinal tap treatment.
However, I think both VIP and Pendragon are already stocked with the NDV (the virus) and you don’t have to go to a poultry supply anymore. The best way to know for sure is to call the vet clinic first and ask them if they have the virus in stock.
I hope that is more clear…
Thank you for telling the story of Bailey, I loss my pitbull with distemper, it was too late when we brought Milo to the vet.. Sorry for asking this, but how much it cost you for the treatment? Our two chow-sharpeis are showing sign of distemper and i dont want to lose them, my family is currently financially unstable and im just a student i want to know how much so i can find a way to help them.. Your reply is a great help thank you so much.
These costs were compiled by a previous commenter who brought her dog to vets in practice for treatment:
For Early stage Distemper
Option 1: Body Shot of Newcastle’s Disease Virus
Cost: PHP 500
Option 2: Serum Injection
A donor dog will be given the NDV shot and serum will be collected from him/her which will then be given to your dog in 3 doses 12 hours apart. This is following the protocol of Dr. Sears in using NDV for distemper.
(please search Kind Hearts in Action website on Google for more information on Dr Sears and the NDV treatment)
Cost: If with donor dog: PHP 150 per injection, If without donor dog, PHP 1500 per injection
For Late Stage Distemper (neurological)
Option 1: Spinal Tap with Newcastle’s Disease Vaccine
Cost:
PHP 500 for consult
PHP 1500 for sedation
PHP 2000 for the procedure
PHP 850 for the Newcastle’s Disease vaccine
Thank you so much your reply is a great help. I had my dogs tested for distemper but results havent come out. one of them, Teddy, i know sure he has.. Hopefully Carl doesnt have 😦
Thank you for the reply.
Distemper tests take minutes lang. At least the ones they use at my vet’s clinics.
my shih tzu also have this virus iyak nako di ko alam gagawin ko
Bring your dog to VIP and see what can be done. Praying for you and your dog…
hi thank you for your prayers but one of my chow-sharpeis, carl just died yesterday, and my teddy is still struggling, he’s having really bad seizures. the vet said they have ehrlichiosis but im not sure, the vet is quite confusing, we’re looking for other vets in cavite to have him a second check. a friend of mine has the sister of carl and teddy, barbie, she died from distemper a day before carl.
i saw carl how he suffer with seizures, its so painful when he woke up, i tried to touch him to comfort but he tried to bite me and barked at me, i check online about it and said its normal for them to be disoriented and di nakakakilala after seizures, but it was heart breaking 😦 he barked at me repeatedly, i waited for an hour for him to settle down, after that he was weak but sweet and happy to see me, it was very painful 😦 but little did i know thats the time i will see him, i went back to manila because i have classes, and my parents are the ones whose taking care of them.
now im still praying for teddy to be well, im sorry i didnt get to reply immediately i was busy with schoolwork, and sorry about the long story too, just had to let it out 😦
we treat our dogs like family, i just hope no dog should suffer badly from these viruses anymore 😦
i have to say, you are really great person for maintaining your site for people who needs guidance about this virus. thank you so much. God bless you 🙂
Pingback: Our Distemper Journey: From Diagnosis to Procedure | Life on the Flipside
This is a really EXCELLENT diary of a Distemper dog. I read the two parts you wrote and an eagerly awaiting the next installment. How is Kyla now? I’ve been praying for her every afternoon. Hoping that she makes it through…..
Oh. I did not see this reply Ms Joyce. I had replied in one of our conversations below. Thank you for the prayers but my baby, Kyla died last Friday. 😥 We believe she contracted pneumonia and probably, that abscess she developed from a dislodged IV also was a contributing factor. 😦
Yes a secondary infection is not good at all. I am very sorry to hear this. How are you coping?
It’s difficult but I am trying my best to move on. It was a painful and a very costly lesson not to keep my dog’s vaccination status updated. What I did next was to bring all my other dogs to the vet and had every test and vaccination done and given to them. I pray that all other dog owners will learn from our experiences and be more responsible. Your blog really helped me a lot during the stages when I knew zero about her illness. For the meantime, I’d probably won’t adopt or get another dog soon as I’m afraid there’s just too many virus around the house. I’m clearing up her medicines and stash next week and probably give them out to institutions who might need them more. Again, thanks a lot Ms. Joyce. More power. 🙂
Hi, my dog (Chichi) was recently diagnosed with distemper. She was confined in a vet. clinic for two days and they gave her few shots of serum, and a lot of supporting meds which was very costly but I am willing to support her needs that’s why I didn’t stop to do research what are still the possible things to do just to save her life, and I even asked the vet. can we do a spinal tap and try using new castle vaccine but he refused to do it he said that’s a very risky move and we just need to try and hope serum can help her survive. And they even said they have already a survivor dog from distemper which was true I saw the dog. So it was just like they gave me hope to just trust them and the serum was enough to save her though they didn’t want to give an assurance. And to be honest I was really eager to look for another vet. here in our province but I can’t find anyone else. I was also able to contact Mr. Ed Bond and he gave me the contact info of the Vets from Manila and I tried to contact them but only one responded. I am from Isabela which is a miles and miles away from the Metro. Suddenly I received a text message from the vet. and telling me Chichi’s temperature was too low, and I asked the vet to do a spinal tap now but unfortunately few hours after my visit she died. I can’t accept it, she’s been my best friend for almost 9 years and a very very sweet dog, wherever I go she follows, she makes everyone happy, and every time she’s with me I tend to forget my problems easily. with her actions it seems she tries to make me smile and comfort me. I am very very disappointed and somehow I have a feeling did I try really my best to save her(pagsisisi).
Thank you for this post. My dog just had spinal tap today and we’re really praying that it will work well for our 8 year old maltese. He is still having twitching/seizures, but that is expected so I’m so thankful that he drinks his meds even the Baytril tablet! I think that he also wants to get better. Anyway, we were at lost when we where told by AH that our dog only has 2 weeks and he’ll deteroriate. Thankfully, I’ve found this post, found VIP who recommended antibody shots at first, and we were offered the spinal tap yesterday due to worsening seizures. I really hope that he gets better and better and thank you for sharing your story!
Hi Ms. Joyce. Thank you for doing this post. My dog was diagnosed with distemper last Saturday. She did not have the ocular or respiratory symptoms. She just had fever and was even seen by her vet then that night we got back home, she started having the muscle jerks. I had been crying intermittently the past day or so and my mom mentioned about the NDV vaccine. Searching for any possible treatment led me to your blog. Tomorrow, my Aspin dog, Kyla and I will be going to VIP in Mandaluyong. I hope we get to have the spinal tap ASAP. I am so glad to have come across your blog.
Okay, let’s pray that things go smoothly. Be brave for your Aspin. Don’t forget, Aspins are hardier than breeded dogs because they’re blood is mixed.
Expect VIP to do a Distemper test even if you already had one. There is special care after the tap that you have to do so make sure to ask all questions, do not be shy to ask ask ask. Feel free to ask me as well and I’ll do my best to answer and help. God bless you. ..
Hi! We did the tap this morning. I was crying while signing the waiver but all went well. She just was a little lethargic when we got back. I don’t if it was because of the fever. I hope this goes away and everything goes well.
Yes, there is a chance that your dog will not wake up after the spinal tap but I decided to go for it because Bailey was as good as dead at that point.
You’re still not out of the woods so be vigilant with all the medicines and TLC. You must now guard vs secondary illness. After the tap is done, your dog becomes vulnerable so please give the antibiotics religiously. And keep us updated. Your experience can help other people and dogs in their fight vs Distemper.
That was also what I was thinking at that moment. It was very hard. To think I am exposed to dying human patients day in and day out and yet there I was, bawling my eyes out while signing a piece of paper. It felt like I was signing her death certificate. So glad everything went well. Now, all I have to do is wait. I plan to write a series on our experience with distemper in my blog to help others as well. You had yours way back 2011 and yet people still look at your experience as sort of a “guide”. I hope many others will write theirs as well because pieces like this are somewhat encouraging.
Every single experience that is documented and shared will help someone else. And I’m believing good things for your dog. I’ll be praying for your baby, what is her / his name, did you mention it?
Her name’s Kyla. She is an Aspin with some labrador genes in her that she looks like a yellow labrador puppy. 🙂
Kind of Like Bailey. She is my ‘Labrador Daw’
Hi Ms Joyce. My baby, Kyla crossed the rainbow bridge last Friday morning. I didn’t even get to see her. She expired from complications of the distemper which is pneumonia and a new abscess could have played a factor as well. 😦 I already updated her diary.
Hi Mnel. Good Day.
My Baby was also diagnosed with distemper. I just want to know how much did it cost you for the spinal tap and the initial tests? I just want to be financially ready before going there. Planning to go this weekend. Hope you can reply ASAP. I wanna save my baby 😦
http://lifeonreverse.com/2015/08/from-diagnosis-to-procedure/
That link tells you clearly your options and the costs. ASAP is indeed the key word. If you can bring your baby now and not wait for the weekend, it would be much better.
Hi Joyce I need help for my Poypoy…with distemper 😥 I don’t know what to do. He now has seizures like gum chewing na yesterday lang saturday morning.
Hi Clara, bring your dog asap to VIP in Mandaluyong and ask for the spinal tap. By don’t bring your dog into the clinic becauae Distemper is extremely contagious. Do not delay. You can also call them up before going to inform them that you want the tap to be done. If you have questions email me at jaedeelight@yahoo.com
QC pa kame Ms. Joyce, Natatakot po talaga ako.
QC is not so far from vip mandaluyong. Try not to panic because that energy is better spent finding ways to help your dog survive. Be strong and think hard about what resources you have that you can use. I’m praying for you…
Hi Joyce!
I’ve been following this blog since my dog was diagnosed with distemper last November 2014. She was diagnosed early, so she never reached the neuro stage. I brought her to the vet for x-ray due to suspicion of pyometra by another vet since my dog seemed sad and lost her appetite and just had her heat period… but due to history, the vet asked that we also run the Distemper test. She was positive. She had shots of Canglob-D for 7 days. And from then on, all was okay. But the vet said that it might recur depending on her immune system, since the virus is already present in her system. So the worry is still there. I am just confused. I thought she was cured already, but how is it that there is still a premise that distemper can still attack anytime her immune system fails? She even got her vaccination last January 2015… so I do not understand how come she won’t be protected now that she was able to overcome the disease and even got vaccinated? Do you have any idea regarding this? Is Bailey still at risk of recurring distemper? Could my dog’s test be a false positive? She’s 9 years old, a cute mini pin.
Well I have heard of cases of people getting measles again even if they’ve had it. But it’s rare and the second time around its mild. I don’t think you have to worry. Distemper is passed dog to dog so what I do to hopefully prevent it is giving my dogs colloidal silver in their water for a couple days after they are exposed to other dogs or visit the vet.
Just be vigilant but don’t was worry. I think your dog is super low risk and protected by virtue of already having had Distemper
Hi Joyce, thank you for your blog. My dog was diagnosed with distemper yesterday. Danny started sneezing a week ago but the vet near our place said it was just allergies. Last sunday he just laid down the whole day which is odd because Danny is a very active dog. He would stand up and hug me when I get home from work. Last monday he started twitching and my vet told me that it was only an infection so i waited 2 days. Yesterday he was twitching more so i decided to bring him to another vet. They ran a blood test and found out that his wbc and platelets are very low. Then the doctor recommended to ran a distemper test. Unfortunately, he was positive. The doctor lost hope and just prescribed some meds. The vet owner asked if he has distemper and i said yes, he said “kawawa naman” which really pissed me off because they didn’t even try to treat him. Me and my dad went home sad and not talking. I started googling in the car about the sickness and I was very lucky to ran across this article. We immediately went to mandaluyong but the rain was so strong that all the streets are flooded. It took us 2 hours to reach mandaluyong circle just to encounter a flood so deep that it was above the waist high. I was so desperate to bring Danny to VIP that I road a boat made from styro and pushed by the locals. When we reached VIP the doctors immediately brought Danny to the distemper room and made me sign a waiver. I didn’t read it and just signed it because it felt like I was against time. After the spinal tap i just stayed with him until he wakes up. He looks better today than yesterday. I really hope that this will go well. The rate they charged me was 8600 excluding the gabapentin. I have a boston terrier and golden retriever in the house. I brought my boston terrier to the vet a while ago to check if she is also contaminated. Fortunately she was negative. Will bring my golden tomorrow for a test too. Fingers crossed. Danny started drinking gabapentin today. Is it normal that he fells a sleep or exhausted after taking the meds? Btw Danny is a husky. Thank you Joyce!
Wilmer you are fabulous for fighting for your dog! I am amazed and blessed at the same time. Distemper really is bad news and the treatment Bailey and Danny got is experimental. Only two vets know it in Metro Manila. Vip and Pendragon. Gabapentin will make your dog groggy talaga. I asked to take Bailey off it after a Couple days.
How is danny’s appetite?
I’m really worried about your two dogs. Distemper is airborne and gets passed on so quickly. And false negatives sa Distemper tests do happen so please watch your two dogs carefully.
Did your husky have complete shots?
Praying for you all…
It was really hard carrying Danny through the flood because he is a big dog. He would weigh 26 to 28 kilos when he’s healthy. The doctor in VIP also told me that it was experimental, but I did not hesitate because I want him to have a fighting chance to survive. Danny is eating so little so we force feed him with dog food and milk through a syringe. He loves drinking water though. Is a gabapentin bad for his health? I will watch carefully my 2 dogs. I brought them upstairs in my room to be sure. Today Danny started walking around I hope he will be a lot better when i get home tonight. My dad is his personal nurse. How is bailey btw?
Sana po nabasa ko tong blog nyo before ng buhay pa yun dog ko. Napakahelpful po ng blogpost nyo na to.
Hi Gab I’m sorry to hear about your loss. But I’m certain you loved your dog with all of your heart. Remember, what matters is how we spend the time we have with the ones we love. Bless you always…
Thank u. Hope my bravo ll overcome distemper soon. Got appointment today. Fingers crossed. Want him back. Ll never give up. Ll struggle with him to cure this idiotic distemper
Keep us updated… Will include Bravo in my prayers today…
super thank you ms. joyce for posting this, if it wasnt for this post we wouldnt have known what to do to our dog,and where to bring her…we just went there this morning, so glad na meron na silang stocks ng NCD vaccine and hindi na namin kelangan pumunta ng qc unlike po ng sa inyo…ng undergo na din si hera ng spinal tap knina, all in all we stayed there for about 3 hrs…the procedure now cost 4k ksma na dun yung consultation fee and sedation..since we go there po na suspected distemper and wala pa tlgang test…nagpatest muna kmi to be sure and its positive po…850 po yung price nung test for distemper…so after hera undergo na spinal tap…all in all i payed 65++ yung price nung total bill kasama na dun yung meds nya for 1 week pero may 2 medicine pa din kmi na need bilhin kasi wala dun…so now po na ginawa na namin lahat ng kaya naming gawin, its all in God’s hands na po…please pray with us as we fight with our beloved dog this sickness…hoping that she’ll get better soon and will continue to make our family happy…btw our dog is a siberian husky…thank you again ms.joyce…may God continue to bless you and your family including all your pets…thank you
Thank you for the updated pricing, I’m storming the heavens for Hera… Please keep me updated on everything. How naman is the appetite and thirst of your dog before the tap? You can also keep in touch with me via email jaedeelight@yahoo.com
May the Lord help your baby…
hello po, just wanted to know how much the tap costs?
I forgot na the exact amount but it was around 4k. But that was five years ago. Please check with VIP iif that is still the same price…
Hi! As of August 17, 2015, the spinal tap procedure plus sedation costs PHP 3500. The NCD vaccine which will be given directly into the spinal fluid costs PHP 850. The professional fee is PHP 500. So all in all, if you’ll just have the procedure done with no other tests or additional medicines, it costs 4,850.
They did not do additional tests on my dog because I brought all her lab works and even the canine distemper kit that my vet used to screen her for distemper. When the vet saw how bright the lines were in the kit, she said she really is positive for distemper.
BTW, the rates I mentioned above are for Vets in Practice in Mandaluyong.
This is very helpful, thank you!!!
Hello po. My dog, Kuma, has the distemper virus too and it’s killing me everyday to see him suffer 😦 He was diagnosed 2 weeks ago. and now, hindi padin siya nagiimprove, he did the blood transfusion na with a blood donor (NDV shot) 5 days ago but still, parang ganun padin si Kuma. I just want to ask if it’s normal that it’s taking the process this long? Like kelan ko po ba talaga ieexpect na magiimprove siya 😦 And yeah I can relate po sainyo na some days he look alive then some days he look like death itself.
Somehow, I can see improvements like he’s reacting to force feeding na unlike dati, but my main concern right now is, he’s breathing difficulty 😦 Is it normal with distemper? Like did Bailey also encountered this? Kuma is chasing his breath and it’s driving me insane. Kapag naka nabulizer lang siya narerelax. I want to ease hid breathing and honestly kapag nagimprove breathing nya I think he’ll survive. I am really worried for my baby 😦 I don’t know what to with his breathing, and when he will improve.
I don’t want to the Spinal Tap because the vet told me that it’s too risky for a small dog. It’s like he’ll end up with serious coma, or not wake up anymore. 😦 so as much as possible I’m a no to the tap.
the question is, is your dog showing neurological signs like twitching, and or chewing gum motion? If it is neurological then the spinal tap is the last resort. That means the transfusion was given too late.
The logic I used with Bailey is that – she is going to die anyway, so I’ll take the scariest risk. If she does while under anesthesia then she felt no pain. If she woke up, then we continue the battle.
You might want to email Ed Bond of the website Kind Hearts in Action. He has so much experience in NDV treatment and Distemper dogs. Get his thoughts on this.
Regarding difficulty breathing, no, Bailey did not have severe problems with that. No need to nebulize.
Praying for Kuma. Keep.me posted
Yeah he’s twitching po pero ang nagttwitch lang po sakanya is yung jaw po nya (chewing gum fits) and I believe po na kasama po sya sa symtoms ng pneunomia so i think gumagana yung serum kasi di na po dumadagdag yung twitching nya. yung jaw lang po talaga nya.
Did Bailey also encountered na hindi po siya makahinga ng ayos? fast heavy breathing po
Sorry I accidentally published my response before I was finished typing. Anyway, I edited it na.
Okay if there is chewing gum motion then it’s neurological na. The transfusion was either late or didn’t work. But perhaps in tandem with the tap, it might work. That’s what happened with Bailey too. We gave the transfusion too late. So we did the tap. I was on bahala na mode. And knew that she might not survive anyway but I am the type to risk specially if she was sure to die anyway.
But meantime, please get the opinion of Ed Bond. The more advice you get, the better it will be.
I can’t really remember if she had fast heavy breathing but we didn’t have problems with that, na ma-remember ko. Her breathing of course was different but nothing so bad that we were worried about it.
I hope this helps. Email me at jaedeelight@yahoo.com if you want to talk more.
Oh dear pneumonia? Is your dog suffering from pneumonia as well? I don’t know anything about pneumonia in dogs tho. But most likely the labored breathing is due to pneumonia.
Oh okay. I’ll give him a mail right away. ang iniisip ko po kasi now, nagiimprove sya sa distemper kasi kumakain na po sya and umiinom like nagrerespond na po siya sa syringe feed unlike dati. and hindi na po nadadagdagan twitching nya except po sa jaw nya. pero ang feeling ko po may bagong sakit po sya, pneumonia po huhu kasi nahirapan sya huminga all of a sudden 😦 and yung chewing gum fits po e kasama den po sa symtoms po ng pneumonia.
Omg. Is your dog on antibiotics?
Yes he is. 😦 Baytril is the name
Who did the transfusion? Which vet? The antibiotics usually given to Distemper dogs is doxycycline.
But, how do you know that your dog also has pneumonia?
Well, the antibiotic usually given by VIP, to my knowledge, is doxycycline. I’m very worried about the pneumonia. If your dog really has it..
Hello! I read through this thread. I have three puppies who have distemper and 2 of them are already at the neurological state. They are currently 1.5 months old only (they’re turning 2 months on Jan. 19). We were also advised to go for the Sears Serum first since our babies will most likely not be able to handle Spinal Tap. 😦 We are hopeful to get some positive results from them but I also emailed Kind Hearts in Action to get their thoughts on this.
Once in the neuro stage, the Serum might not be effective. The Spinal Tap is the last resort. But your babies are so young and might not wake up from the spinal tap. So you wil have to make that decision if the Serum doesn’t work. Contacting Kind Hearts for their opinion is a good idea. Keep us posted.
Hello again! I got a response from Ed Bond and he admitted that dogs that are less than 12 weeks old have very low chance of surviving distemper especially at neurological phase. He did say that there is hope (though there’s no guarantee) if we do the spinal tap with the serum instead of the vaccine. It makes sense nga since the serum nga gives the dog additional immunity while a vaccine will give the dog weak viruses so not advisable for dogs with low immunity daw. Hope this additional info help and could save other puppies like ours.
Our 3 puppies have completed all 3 shots of the serum last night. So far, one of them has improved a lot from not being able to walk at all and has to be forced fed for almost a week (this is before the treatment) to being able to walk and run and finally feed on her own. Her seizure seems to have even disappeared already.
Another one was having his seizure like every 5 minutes previously with the chewing motion and then he would start running again as, unable to control his muscles. Yesterday morning, he started to look paralyzed and couldn’t stand up or poop and wee if he’s not having seizure. And then last night, he looked his worst. He couldn’t move and it was so difficult to feed him. I thought that was the end of him. It hurts so much to watch him suffer (my husband and I are the owner of this puppy btw). But this morning, he started to get better and I was told that he’s trying to stand up again. His seizure was lessened.
The third one has no neurological symptoms prior the treatment. She was only sneezing frequently but she was still energetic. However, she started having her seizure today. 😦 We were advised to bring her to the vet to be checked.
Honestly, a part of me wants to do the spinal tap already. But I am feeling hopeful with some of their improvements that maybe, the serum injection would suffice. It’s hard to make any decision at the moment. We are not very rich so doing the treatment with 3 puppies is not easy. But we just want them to get well.
Sorry my post got so long but this is just so hard. It makes it harder that I can’t get too depressed since I am 6 months pregnant. One of our puppies is supposed to become my baby’s playmate. I worry that when I give birth in 3 months, we would still have to take care our puppy like this.
We were really excited about it. But one thing we know is we want to fight for our furbabies. My whole family is helping each other take care of them since they are family now. There’s just a lot to learn from this experience.
You story is not too long, I am grateful for every piece of information shared by Distemper warriors like you. So thank you for the update I am praying for all puppies to make it!!
Hello again! We lost 2 of our 3 puppies na and we’re hoping the last one we’ll survive. It’s really sad. They’re my sister’s babies and there had been lots of tears shed the past week. The 2 are resting next to their mama na. I can’t believe we just lost 3 furbabies in 2016 and the first month has not even ended yet. We just have to remind ourselves that everything happens for a reason.
Our Chelsea was also having wheezing 24 hrs after he was diagnosed with distemper. Luckily, we had a nebulizer so we used it and nebulized him with 3cc plain NSS. Also, he was prescribed with Azithromycin in his previous vet. 3 days later, he has less wheezing, and on the 4th day when we did the spinal tap, his breathing is better, our only problem is the seizure. BTW, try cleaning your dogs nostrils as well, you can drop some plain NSS in each nostril and clean it with cotton buds, ours was full of kulangot when we did that.
we are keep praying for your dog… keep us post for the recovery.. 🙂
thank you! It’s already a waiting game for now, he’s been having twitches and seizures since this morning. The only thing he really swallows is the ice that he licks, other than that. =(
our 8-yr old maltese passed-away today, 3 days after he did the spinal tap, and a week after he was diagnosed with distemper. He’s been having nonstop seizures the morning after his spinal tap (even the Gabapentin didn’t work) that even the doctor at VIP told us that its bad prognosis. We chose to wait than opt for euthenesia and did our best to make his passing as comfortable as we can.
Don’t be discouraged with our story, do what you can for your dogs. If vaccinations weren’t done, early diagnosis is the key before they exhibit any neurological symptoms. Don’t be scared of giving them medicines directly than with food, and lastly, shower them with all the love the affection.
I’m truly sorry for your loss but I agree that fighting for your dog was the right thing to do. Thank you for sharing this..
This is a good read and very enlightening. My pup is a shihpoo and she means the world to us. The patience and faith you have shown for the love of Bailey was truly inspiring. Thank you for sharing this.
Thank you for dropping by and leaving a thoughtful note… Yes, my dogs are such a huge part of my world too and I am madly in love with them…
Good day! Positive din sa distemper yung si Isla (dog) halos June 16 nung nagkaganun sya, hanggang ngayon mahina pa din sya pero malakas syang kumain. Hindi na sya nakakalakad, bedridden na sya 😦 kailan syang tulungan kapag kakain dahil hindi nya na din maiangat yung ulo nya. Hindi namin sya sinusukuan kasi mukahang lumalaban din sya. Sabi din ng vet nya may chance pa da si Isla namin.. Ano pa bang pwede namin gawin sa kanya? Nalulungkot kami na nakikita namin syang ganun. Pinipilit nya rin minsan na iaangat yung ulo nya kapag dumadating ako sa bahay. </3 Ano pa po bang pwede naming gawin? Ayaw namin sya i-give up.. Thank you!
Hello April, here is what you can do.
1) call Vets In Practice and tell them about your dog. Ask for instructions on what to do. Your treatment options are:
– Body shot
– serum
– NDV Spinal Tap also called NDC spinal tap.
2) Please research on Dr AL Sear’s Serum and the spinal tap. Read my post here in full as well. You have to understand kasi these procedures. Don’t just take my word for it. You need to know that these are all experimental treatments.
3) visit the website “Kind Hearts In Action” there are statistics there on the survival of dogs who did the NDV treatment.
4) Do NOT delay. Bring your dog ASAP to VIP. Don’t be indecisive. Each day that you do nothing means the virus is digging deeper into your dog’s system.
5) Vaccinate all your dogs from now on. If you dog survives you will have to vaccinate him as well. Not everybody believes in vaccination and for a time I didn’t believe in it but after going through Distemper with Bailey, and seeing her suffer so badly, I have changed my thoughts on this.
I wish you the best.
Try giving him IV fluids and/or high dose of intravenous vitamin C (pure calcium ascorbate). ‘Blenderize’ raw chicken meat (50%) with (25%) organic eggs (with shells) and organs, and (25%) fruits (apple/orange/strawberry) plus vegetables (zucchini/cucumber/celery).
Hi. Halos parehas po tayo ng naging situation. My Dog – Hálo, was diagnosed with distemper din po. We took the serum, and after a week or less, (after matapos ung 1 week serum injection) nag start na ung twitches nya. Hindi ko na alm ung gagawin ko kasi nakakaawa sya. But because of your blog nalaman ko nga yung tungkol sa Tap. We will inquire that to our vet. And hoping he’ll survive since he’s only 3 months old. Any tips on what to expect and not to expect during/after the tap? Thank you so much
Hello Cj… Was the serum made from another dog’s donated blood? The serum is supposed to be given three times, 12 hours or 24 hours apart, I forgot which. Not seven days.
As for the spinal tap, here is what to expect –
1) that your dog will not wake up anymore. This is the biggest fear.
2) it’s a very quick procedure. They will anesthetize your dog, and stick a needle in the nape. It will be over in a few minutes.
3) your dog, if he or she wakes up, will be very groggy. Expect seizures to happen. If they do happen take note of the time, length, what kind of movements were made and other details. Call your vet if the seizures last for more than a minute or if they happen more than four or five times in a day.
4) you will be medicating your dog with neurontin or gabapentin which will keep your dog groggy and hopefully keep seizures away or under control.
Bailey was so groggy that I asked if we could stop the neuromeds and the doc said ok after day three.
5) antibiotics are VERY important. Your dog cant afford to pick up another illNess at this point. Apart from antibiotics, I gave colloidal silver to Bailey.
6) they’ll prescribe vitamins like Polynerv and maybe a vitamin C.
7) subcutaneous fluids will be necessary if the dog is not drinking enough. But you have to ask how to do this. It involves sticking a needle into the loose fold of skin on your dog’s shoulder blades. It’s a ten minute swero to make sure your dog gets enough fluids. I had to do it even if I was afraid. Bailey’s life depended on it so I dropped all my fears and learned how to stick the needle subcutaneous into my dog.
8) they say your dog is out of the woods after two weeks survival but I have heard of one dog, through my blog, who died after surviving two weeks.
9) recovery is not always fast. With Bailey it was so slow that even after a week I was still afraid she wouldn’t make it. But she did.
10) a month after the spinal tap, have a Distemper test just to make sure that the virus has been completely shed.
11) seizures may happen occasionally. If they do, you can ask your vet to prescribe phenobarbs to manage the seizures but make sure to follow instructions because it is a regulated drug and if not used properly, your dog’s siezures can get worse. Bailey had been on phenobarbs for four or five years na.
12) the twitching is said to be permanent. But in Bailey’s case, they are miraculously gone for more than a year na. But she does have occasional violent twitching at night but it only lasts a few seconds.
This is what I can remember for now… Keep us posted on your dog…
God bless!
Hi, Ms. J. Maraming maraming salamat sa post mo na ito. You just do not know how much the case of Bailey with distemper gives me hope. Until now, I am trying to be positive that my big boy can get through this. I do not want to lose hope.
My big dog Chuckie has been diagnosed with Distemper the other day when I brought him to the Vet. Dinala ko siya kasi biglang tamlay niya at minumuta na sya. But the day before I brought him to the Vet, ang gana pa niyang kumain. The next day, ang tamlay na niya at sinuka mga kinain niya the previous day. So on that day na sumuka siya dinala ko na sa vet. Alam mong may nararamdaman siyang hindi tama kasi ayaw tumahol through responsive naman sya pag hinaharot mo. Masungit nga lang.
The Vet ran a distemper test (php750). Positive. She gave prescription of support medicines since there is no cure for this illness. The prescription includes medicines for fever, antibiotic, for nasal discharge, for cough, and Vitamin C. The Mama in me who wants to do the best for my Chuckie bought all these medicines. Another option the Vet said is to put him in IV fluids and shots for the next 7 days. Medyo tasking since walang confinement sa clinic ng distemper. I have to bring her home and go to the vet for the next seven days for his shots.
Since Chuckie has not been cooperative to take the meds. Worse, sinusuka din niya. So the following day, balik kami sa Vet to put him into IV (Php1,100) plus the shots. I took him home. Morning yun… Nakatulong ito kasi nung hapon narinig ko na syang tumahol. So it means naging responsive sya sa medication niya.
Maski hanggang kanina umaga mas maging okay sya. Balik na naman kami sa Vet. Pinalitan yung IV niya kasi paubos na. Bagong IV plus shots ulit ng antibiotic, vitamin, at sa sikmura niya. Buti naka-discount na kami. Instead of Php1100, Php700 na lang binayaran namin. Mabait yung vet pati yung staff, kasi 400 lang dala kong pera kasi akala ko hindi na sya mag-IV ulit. Kaya may utang pa akong 300.
Bukas balik ulit kami. Sana maging okay sya overnight. Para hindi na sya mag-IV pa. Dextrose powder na lang.
Your best bet is NDV treatment. The spinal tap. You spend less. For statistics on survival rate of NDV treatments vs traditional treatments please visit the website “Kind Hearts In Action” just search online. The vet that gave Bailey her NDV treatment was Vets in Practice Manadaluyong. They have branches in Alabang and Katipunan. Praying for you… And your dog…
Thank you, ms. J.
Will contact them today to inquire first since we live in Bulacan.
Hello, Ms. J. Update po sa case ng dog ko.
Naka-contact po ako sa VIP, then are suggesting na NCD muna through IV and antibiotics. I was asking pa kung ano yung NCD. :Waiting for their reply.
Thanks.
NDV and NCD are the same. New Castle Disease Virus…
yes, i realized that last night while reviewing our exchange of SMS. hehehe
It’s alright, nakaka-confuse naman talaga… 😉
Hi Ann! I live in Bulacan too. Any clinic nearby where I can take my dog for NDV injection? Thanks much!
Magkano po ang magagastos sa NDV treatment (Spinal tap)? Thanks po dahil marami po ako nalaman about sa Distemper..
Vip increased their prices, I think for surgery, not sure Kung Kasama ang spinal tap Doon. But I spent about 4k for Bailey five years ago. The best is for you to call them and ask for a current estimate. You can find their contact online…
Hi ask ko lang kung mga how much inabot ang treatment? Yung spinal tap and the entire procedure? Para mapaghandaan ko. We were given until Saturday to decide if ipuput down na namin yung pup namin because of distemper. I just can’t give up that easy so I an looking for other options.
Be ready with around P4500… But to make sure, call VIP to find out
Thank you very much!
HI THIS IS LEA DELA CRUZ A OWNER OF A HALF CHOW CHOW AND ASKAL DOG, WE DID NOT TRY YET ANY TEST BECAUSE OF FINANCIAL PROBLEM..BUT I GUESSED MERUN PO SYANG DISTEMPER NA KINAKATAKOT KO PO, KAGABI KO LANG NAPANSIN UNG MGA SYMTOMPS ONE OF THEM IS YUNG HEAD BOB AT UNG PANLALAMBOT NG DALAWANG PAA NYA SA LIKOD, NAGMUMUTA DIN SYA PERO MALAKAS PA DIN SYA KUMAIN AND REGULAR PA DIN UNG PAGTAE AT PAG IHI NYA. THEN PINA PA’INUM MUNA NAMIN SYA NG VIT. C AT VIT. B HANGGANG NDI PA SYA NAPAPACHECK UP… THEN I OBSERVED KUNG ANU MANGYAYARI SA KNYA BOUNG GABI, NAAWA PO AKO KASI TUWING MAY KONTING MOVEMENT SYA BIGLA SYANG MAGIGISING NDI SYA MAKATULOG NG MAAYOS , HE IS ONLY 3 MONTHS OLD.
INDI KO DIN SYA NABIGYAN NG VACCINE FROM VET BECAUSE WALA PANG MONEY KASI KAKASTART KO LAN DIN NG WORK. PERO UNG PARENTS KO EH NAG TRY NG HOMEMEDICATION LIKE UNG BUMILI NG 5 IN 1 THEN SILA NA UNG NAGTUROK SA PUPPY BUT THEY INSTRUCTED NAMAN PERO PARANG WALANG NAGING EPEKTO UNG 5IN1
KNINA BAGO AKO UMALIS NG BAHAY CHINECK KO MUNA SYA THEN SABI KO SA PARENTS KO NA 3 TIMES PAINUMIN NG VIT C AND VIT B. HANGGANG NDI PA NAPAPACHECK UP AND LOTS OF WATER NA LANG PARA PANLABAN SA PANGHIHINA NYA THOUGH KNINA NAGLALARO PA DIN SYA AND MALAKAS PA. NKIKITA KO NA LUMALABAN SYA AND LAST NIGHT NAIYAK AKO KASI DAING SYA NG DAING FROM PAIN AND ANG KAYA KO LANG GAWIN EH I’MASSAGE UNG BODY NYA PARA MKAPAG PAHINGA SYA NG MAAYOS
I HOPE NA HINDE PA GANUN KALALA UNG SAKIT NYA AT KAYA PANG MAAGAPAN AGAD 😦
NAHIHIRAPAN DIN PO KASI KMI SA MGA GASTUSIN.
HE IS TOO YOUNG PA PARA MAMATAY SANA ISA DIN SYA SA MGA SURVIVOR 😥
SANA PO MKAHINGI AKO NG HELP SA MGA COMMENT AND ADVICE NIO
MARAMIMG SALAMAT
-LEA
Hi Lea, you can try raising funds online sa Facebook mo. This had been done successfully by one of my friends who has a sick cat. Call VIP Mandaluyong and ask for an estimate on how much you need. You can find their number online.
Distemper is indeed painful. It attacks the nervous system first then the brain. I know it is not in our culture but you may have to consider putting your puppy down if things get extremely bad. They do not deserve this kind of pain.
I’ll be praying for you and your dog.
Thank you po , sana po gumaling sya soonest sya ksi stress reliever ko sa ngaun po kailangan po namin sya ilayo isa pa namin aso..
iask ko lan po if advise’able pa ung pinapatake namin sa knya for a while para mawala kahit papano ung pain.
salamat po
And another thing, may maitutulong pa kaya yung spinal tap if my dog survived distemper this long? Kasi sbe mo nga lifetime na yung twitching and head bobbing. 7 mos na rin after nya madiagnosed with distemper.
No don’t do the spinal tap. Have your dog seen by my vet first or another reputable vet, tell them your dog survived Distemper and ask for advice on the twitching.
They will most likely prescribe Polynerv which is Vitamin B Complex na liquid and vitamin c.
If the dog also has seizures then they will prescribe medication for that too.
Yea ill do that! Btw. For the info na din ng iba and for future readers, kindly visit http://www.kindheartsinaction.com. marami info don about distemper. Mr. Ed Bond, director, also told me na pde pa rin daw makatulong yung spinal tap kht ilang mos na lumabas yung signs ng neuro damages. So ill try it then update ko kayo if merong significant improvement kay bruno after.
Ed Bond featured Bailey’s story on his Kind Hearts website and was the one giving me advice along the way. He is publishing a book soon on Distemper and how Dr. AL Sears and how he discovered the NDV treatment. Id say that Ed Bond is the world’s top Distemper warrior. Thanks for resharing his website…
Also, massaging your dog can help…
John Lester,
How did your dog survive distemper? What did you do without going through the NDV treatment or Spinal Tap? Ilang weeks ang gamutan na ginawa since na-discover na may distemper sya?
Thanks.
The chances of a dog surviving without NDV treatment is 1 to 2 %. The survival rate for NDV treated dogs is much higher, approx 50%. Visit Kind Hearts in Action to see the statistics.
Hi i just want to ask kng kamusta na si bailey today? Is her twitching and head bobbing still happens? Hindi nb ngimprove over time? Thanks. My dog is suffering from distemper since dec 2014 at nakakainis man na ngaun ko lng nalaman about spinal tap, pero at least nabasa ko pa rin na may hope pa para sa espren ko. i really hope its not yet too late.
Hi John Lester, if a dog has Distemper it dies in three to four weeks. If your dog has Distemper and it began last December then it means your dog is a survivor because it’s been more than 6 months.
The twitching is supposed to be for life but Bailey’s twitching and head Bob and chewing gum motion have all stopped. She only jerks around in her sleep once in a while but it is violent Jenkins that she cannot control. But that is the only symptom left behind so it is a miracle. ..
Btw, may I just add that I am not a vet so this is not a professional diagnosis. The best thing you can do is being your dog to the vet and get a professional diagnosis from them.
Its good to know wala ng neuro damage si bailey. Minsan kasi d ko alam kng nakakatulog pa sya ng mahimbing. Thanks for the info. 🙂 very much appreciated.
Btw, how did you know that your dog had Distemper in December? Did a vet give a Distemper test to your dog? Thanks…
Yes. Ginamitan din sya ng parang pregnancy kit test. Don nalaman na positive distemper nga yung sakit.
Hi! I have a 1 year old beagle who ‘s experiencing siezures for the past 24 hours. She had 5 siezures and that started 11am yesterday. I was about to send her to the vet when the 2nd siezure attack. However, my dog didn’t recognize anyone of us and was most likely to bite. I think that was the effect of her second siezure. So i looked for vets who could send out a rider to pick up my dog and apparently all vets in manila don’t have a 24 hr pick up service. I’ll go and call vip to see if they can send out someone here in malabon. Too far i know. I hope they can consider me and my dog. I would also like to ask if this happened to your dog when she had siezures, not recognizing her best friend? 😦 please pray for my beagle too as I’ve been seeing distemper symptoms on her too.
It is normal. They are disoriented after seizures. My questions :
1.what other symptoms have you observed.
2. Does your dog finally recognize you now? For how long did she not recognize you.
I don’t think VIP can pick your dog up. But they can send a vet to you, ask them about that.
I’ll be online all day so if you have more questions just ask.
Joyce
Hi Ms. Joyce, i saw your posts. I have a problem with my pet Scarlet, she is a Dachshund, i am really worried now. She was diagnosed with distemper for almost 3 months now. Unang diagnosis sa kanya ay simple flu lang daw dahil sumer.. they gave us an antibiotic and vitamin c, but after 2 weeks nothing happened and she got worse so i decided to bring her back to the vet and ask them to admit her for 4 days, When we got her back i noticed that she had some signs of having canine distemper which the doctor also told me. the doctor gave her POLYNERV and VIT C. i was really shocked because it’s the second time i had a dog who suffered the disease..
my puppy named Porsche died because of that virus 3 years ago. it was really devastating because we did our best to save him.
after 2 weeks, my dog Scarlet was diagosed with distemper, i brought her to a different clinic they gave Scarlet some injections and NEUROVET and BIOCURE as a supportive medicine for the treatment, for a month she has a good appetite and still looks okay, but then last JUNE 11 she turned worst suddenly, she can stand anymore , had seizures all day and loss appetite, we are forcing her to eat..
I am really worried now. Then i saw your post here, I searched for V.I.P Clinic which the veterinarian also told me to look for, i called their phone number and asked them about the procedure of the spinal tap and the Dr. Sears serum, they told me that spinal tap is done on dogs with severe condition, i was surprised about the price is costly. but i really want my dog to survive. i have been crying for days , i feel helpless because as of now i dont have that much money to take her in VIP and have the procedures done, i know its hew r only way to survive now because she’s getting worse everyday.
What should i do now?? I can’t stand seeing my dog in that kind of situation i feel her pain right now, but i’m also afraid that what i have now ( i mean the money) wouldn’t be enough for all the costs.. i will be receive money on the 20th but i’m afraid that she’ll get worse and
worse if i will wait for that time and i know it will lessen the chance of her survival because not eating for almost 4 days now..
what should i do?? can anyone help me?? pleaseeeee.. i’m really worried about my dog, i don’t just treat her like a pet , she is like my baby and i love her so much. i can’t afford and think of loosing her, can anyone give me an advice now? 😦
You can borrow money. When Bailey was sick I had to use my credit card. You can also go to the website Kind Hearts in Action and find out how you can crowdsource the funds. And maybe someone here reading this can help too.
If you have more questions you can email me jaedeelight@yahoo.com
In the meantime you have to force-feed you’re dog mashed food with a syringe. Force feed water too. Give Gatorade. Be careful when force feeding.dapat sitting ang dog. The food or liquid can enter the lungs if you force feed the wrong way.
I would force feed Bailey every two to three hours using a fat syringe, you can buy them very cheap from a drugstore. Remove the needle and the you can use it. If your are worried how to force feed a dog search for videos in YouTube.
You don’t need to force-feed at night when the dog is asleep. But it’s crucial to keep feeding during the day.
I hope and pray that this helps…
thank you Ms. Joyce. Earlier i brought my dog to a different veterinary clinic and they told me that maybe it’s better if imemercy killing na lang siya para hndi na mahirapan, pero d ako pumayag.. i told them that i really want to pursue with the Spinal tap and kng ano man mangyari tatanggapin ko ng buo dahil alam kong ginawa ko na lahat. yung post about Bailey really gives me strength to fight for my dog’s life. again, thank u so much for the advice. I really hope and pray that my dog Scarlet would be able to survive.
Hi! My dog Sandy is currently suffering with Canine Distemper for almost 1 week now and she is only 3 months old. The vet told us that she has 20% chance of surviving the virus, so they gave as an option for euthanasia, but I am so against it because I really really love my dog. I always cry every time I see her seizures. Is the Spinal Tap safe for 3months old dog? Pls help me I am so worried. and is it true that if she survives the treatment she will be distemper virus carrier forever? (this is what the vet told us). My dog is already on her second day for her 5 day treatment and no signs of improvement.
If she survives, she will shed the virus and no longer be contagious. Like Bailey. The spinal tap has its risks but if you want statistics then please visit the Kind Hearts in Action website. They have numbers there. I have more faith in the spinal tap and NDV treatments because that is how Bailey survived. But not all dogs survive even with the spinal tap. And with your dog being a puppy, it is harder for him or her to fight the virus and to survive the tap itself.
The best is for you to call VIP and ask them the questions you asked me. So that you have their opinion as well and can make a decision based on that.
But please make a decision soon. The virus is making its way to your dog’s brain. When it hits the brain, there is no more hope.
I wish you the best. Be brave because your dog needs you to be so. A tough disease needs tough treatment. Be tough. Be strong… God bless…
Kris, here is a report on the effectiveness of the NDV treatment – http://www.kindheartsinaction.com/archives/1353
Kris how is sandy doing now? I am going through the same with my puppy Stella she is 15 weeks old.
How many days after the spinal were you able to say that Bailey was, indeed, recovering?
My dog has all these symptoms. He has been sick for three days now. I brought him to the vet today after losing his appetite for the last three days. The doctor gave him several shots including antibiotics, vitamins and something for his respiratory system. We brought him home with a dextrose and is breathing fast whenever sleeping. What do I do now? Do I bring him to the clinic with the serum or will I consider the spinal tap? Please help me. I dont have so much money to spend for the procedures you’ve done with Bailey. My dog, Raprap is a very strong and happy dog, but seeing him like this is breaking my heart! 😦
If cost is a concern then an option is to wait for the neurological signs to appear then do the spinal tap. You can also put to do the body shot now then follow it up with the Tap. Spinal Tap is cheaper than the serum and you don’t need a donor dog to donate blood. Neuro signs are twitching and head Bob.
When you say your dog has ‘all these symptoms ‘ what exactly did you mean?
As for finances, I had to put everything on my credit card because it was indeed costly. I rarely use my credit c., only for tuition and grave emergencies like that.
Hoping for the best with you and your dog…
How much is the serum shot? And it needs 2 shots for this kind of illness right?
He had the same symptoms like runny nose, super red eyes, no energy at all and is vomiting.. Can’t eat at all and whenever I force him to eat and open his mouth he would try to bite me. These only happened for three days.
Thanks for finding time to answer me.
Also, may I know where I can buy the colloidal silver and how much of it do I give to my dog? Di ako familiar sa gamot po na yan. I think I need to tell my vet that this may be distemper because he only told me that my dog has clogged nose. My dog was prescribed with amox, bromhexine and clusivol.. Pero aligaga ako kung anu uunahin ko to make him feel better..
Well the first thing is to have a Distemper test. You can’t move forward without this. Once positive then you can decide what to do.
C Silver is available at the Saturday Market in Legaspi Village Makati and at the Sunday Market in Salcedo Village Makati. It is also available at Mara’s Organic cafe at Creekside Amorsolo st in Makati.
CSilver is simply silver particles suspended in water. It kills all bacteria, viruses and fungi. They use it on new born babies of mommies with herpes who give bury. Herpes can cause newborns to become blind as the baby’s face is exposed to the herpes when it passes thru the vaginal canal. So doctors clean the face and eyes with CSilver to prevent Herpes from spreading. There is no real dosage but I give my small dogs a teaspoon in their food and my bigger dogs a tbsp. The best thing you can do is research online on CSilver do you can make an informed decision. I take CSilver myself when I feel.like I have a sore throat na parang I’m going to have a flu. Please read about it because there are a couple side effects. But I have not had problems with CSilver because those side effect on happen if you are taking CSilver long term.I only take it once in a while and so do my dogs.
Hope this helps.
Thanks po for the help. We’ll go to the clinic today for the distemper test. I’ll update you po. Super thank you tlga! Sana its not yet too late. 😦
Yes let’s pray that is not too late. It’s good you’re going today because tomorrow is a holiday and their holiday fee is too much. Three roams pesos. It is the one thing that I hate about VIP. They are excellent except for their holiday and emergency fee policies.
Unfortunately my dog is positive with distemper. 😦 The vet said he probably got it sa labas because theres too many stray dogs in our place. She is suggesting an antibodies shot which costs a bit much. It needs to be injected for 5 consecutive days.. Its not the ndv serum though. And she said it’s fatal and not yet sure if this shot will help my dog. I’m feeling hopeless because my dog is not cooperating with me whenever I need feed him ugh!
Yes they normally lose appetite. I had to buy the soft canned dog food, mix it with water, put it in a syringe then force feed Bailey. But when force feeding be careful you don’t want the food to enter the lungs. Make sure the dog is sitting up not lying down while force feeding.
I cannot give you any insight on the anti bodies shot. I do not know how it compares to NDV. Is it Canglob ? I researched all over the net to look for survival rates of dogs that are given Canglob pero wala akong makita. As for the numbers on dogs who survive with NDV you can go to the kind hearts in action website.
Keep us updated on what you decide to do… Praying for your dog’s survival…
I hope its not too late stephie… act as soon as possible for a tap… we are too reluctant on one of our dog kaya she is pass away last april 16.. and I hope the virus wont affect my other dogs… as of now OK lang naman yung remaining dogs naman tanx to C Silver and we administer vitamin C also.. and now I aware about this sickness of distemper… and I am praying also for your dog survival… its too hard to loss someone you love especially dogs.
Don’t forget to give your dogs vitamins A, C and E every day. No fake foods as much as possible, only raw meat or seared/steamed with pureed fruits and vegetables.
hi ma’am! my pet sunshine has a distemper and she possesses most of the symptoms already. our local vet in our place gave us medications but i still don’t see her improving. though she still eats a lot. she already surviced the mucosal phase like two weeks ago and now she’s exhibiting the symptoms neural phase. Spinal tap is around how much? Sunshine is a fighter, I was told by my vet that usually dogs with distemper don’t eat but mine still has her appetite intact. but im afraid it would worsen day by day. I always talk to her “please magpagaling ka, kaya mo yan.” naaawa lang ako minsan kasi naglalakad siya tapos bigla na lang napapaupo. may distemper epidemic sa lugar namin. around my neigborhood siguro mga 6-8 dogs na namatay. unfortunately nahawa yung dog ko without knowing na may epidemic na pala. i would really like the spinal tap for her. im sure she would survive pero im afraid of the $$$… i hope you respong ma’am! malaking tulong po itong blog niyo and yung magiging reply niyo if ever.. thank you po!
Summer is really Distemper season! Please move fast on the spinal tap. But it is good news that your dog’s appetite is good. That’s one less problem. For the spinal tap it was around 3 to 4k during Bailey’s time. You should call VIP first and ask them:
1) how much is the Tap
2) what are the risks
3) do they have thr NDV virus in Stock
4) if not in Stock, where can you buy it
There is also post tap medicines that you need to ask about. Your dog will be given gabapentin most likely, doxycycline as well, vitamins…
Wishing you the best. Keep us updated ok?
hi po. i saw your msg. on the thread and i can’t help to post a comment. =) distermper spinal tap in VIP mandaluyong is around 3500 – 4k ( depending if the doctor will charge you for consultation ) . I suggest you take the necessary actions before it’s too late. i lost 3 babies because of this virus. 1 of them was with spinal tap and the other 2 with body shots. This virus is traitor, so please go to the vet ASAP.
Thank you fhor the help January. At least the price hasn’t gone up that much. After our battle vs Distemper I changed my pet policies to the ff:
1) Vaccinate. Do not wait.
2) When they look ill or are lethargic we go to the vet as soon as we can. I DO NOT WAIT to see if they will improve.
3) Until we know what the illness is, I give all my dogs colloidal silver as an early protection.
4) I don’t just take the vet’s word for it. I do my own research, ask questions and make kulit.
Waiting to see if my dog will get better is something I regret after our Distemper experience. I never knew that there are some dog illnesses that are traitorous – your dog looks like he’s getting better, but the sickness is burrowing deeper Pala. At the first sign of illness, take action.
I lost my dog Max to distemper & parvo last tues 14apr15. He had seizure and when I got home, he was already dead. I was really sad that I was not around when he had the attack, that I was not beside him when he breathed his last. I really believe that PREVENTION IS THE BEST CURE and BEING ABLE TO CHANCE UPON A VET WHO REALLY DO THEIR JOBS REALLY WELL AND ONE WHO KNOWS A LOT AND IS NOT COMPLACENT. Sadly it took three vets before Max’s real medical condition was confirmEd. I was really VERY VERY VERY DISAPPOINTED with the two vets who saw him first. The first vet at Hana pet wellness said that Max had simple colds and just gave him Broncure which was just a supplement. Lab tests were done on Max and the results showed that he was anemic. Unfortunately Max did not get well after the 5days treatment. I decided to bring him to another vet in Hobbies asia ( which is just across my office ) and the vet told me Max might have distemper so she did the distemper test in 15mar15 but the result was NEGATIVE. I was relieved but then realized that such kind of relief was temporary. Max was given amox for 5days . He did get well but his colds went back this time with cough and difficulty of breathing. That same vet in hobbies asia gave him doxy for 5days upon seeing him in 28mar15 but his conditions did not improve. I went to that same vet again in 06apr15 and was dvised that Max be given doxy for another 8dayS because of his cough/ difficulty in breathing and skin rashes. Though under doxy treatment, Max’s paw pads became already swollen and he is almost naghihingalo when he breathes. Alarmed and feeling that Max’s condition is already an emerency case, I finally decided to bring him to Phil Society for the Prevention of Cruelty Against Animals in Recto one sunday 12apr15 (since PSPCA opens at 8am while the vet clinic in Hobbies opens at 1pm) and that was the only time his real sickness was confirmed. He has both parvo and distemper virus in his system. The vet in PSPCA told me that it might be difficult for Max to recover because having both kind of viruses is quite a bad combi. He also explained that Max is a candidate for mercy killing. I cried at the thought of it and teared up while talking to the vet. Then again I agreed to have him injected with distemper serum right there and then in the hope that it will save him. I even ordered two more serum for him but the night before his second serum will be injected, he expired. I was really very disappointed with the two vets who saw him first and VERY MAD at the second vet in Hobbies asia whose test kits showed Max is negative for distemper but actually positive. IF ONLY HER TEST KIT WAS ACCURATE SHE COULD HAVE administered the right medications to Max And have diagnosed Max’s real medical condition early on. Until now my anger has not died down. Parusa sa mga pets and pet owners yang mga vets na mali mali naman ang diagnosis. Para saan pa yung professional fee na kinokolekta nila kung hindi nila mapinpoint yung totoo sakit ng pets natin.
Bernadette, I’m sorry for your loss and understand your anger. But it is possible for a Distemper test to give a false negative. It happens more often than you think. Distemper is also not usually the first thing suspected in grown dogs that’s why oftentimes owners find out late in the game. One more thing… Some dogs who have been inoculated vs Distemper and other common canine illnesses can still contract Distemper however it is rare that this happens so.it is still wise to have updated shots.
Truly, Parvo plus Distemper is a deadly mix. I have not heard of a dog who has survived having both at the same time.
Anyway, thank you very much for your comment because pet owners really need to be vigilant and not just accept what the vets say. Not all vets are good and even the good ones can make mistakes.
I do not know if this will give you comfort but the pain of losing a pet is worth the joy you had with him while he was yet alive. The memories are now your treasure. I am glad my heart has cherished so many canines and felines over the years. When I lose them I am devastated but I always still find room in my heart for more furbabes… My condolences…
Hi madam thank you for your reply. I think the problem lies in the test kit used by the lady vet in Hobbies. According to Doc Corpuz of PSPCA some test kits required a considerable amount of distemper virus before it can be deteced but the one he used for my pet Max was quite sensitive it can detect both parvo and distemper virus once it hit the animal’s body and even symptoms do not show yet. He also commented on the results of the lab tests done on Max by his first vet from Hana petwellness center. . He said that the machine used by the lab contracted by Hana was for humans and not really for animals that is why the normal values of the Hemoglobin, lymphocytes etc were low, incorrect. Hay… we should really be careful in choosing the vet who will take care of our pets. As pet owners we should do some research first before we bring our pets to them. Baka kasi yung iba vet-vetan lang hindi naman pala kaya magpagaling ng pets natin.
My furbaby Chervy was diagnosed with distemper last Mar.24 & meron npo siya mild na sipon at the same time nangangapal napo paw pads niya. kaya nresetahan po siya antibiotic,immunosin, bisolvon & polinerv. I was asked by our vet kng gsto ko nrin siya paturukan ng canglov d..kso i refuse kc im sure dko siya mdadala dun for 3 consecutive days na same din yung time,.kaya mejo tumagal pa yung pagkakasakit niya..that thing na pinagsisihan ko cause shes now twitching & head bobbing & lumala po yung pagmumuta & runny nose nya. Kaya po nung Apr.9 nagdecide ako na dalhin na namin siya sa VIP mandaluyong & magpa spinal tap..sad to say ngayon po parang lumalala yung kundisyon nya.ayaw na niya kumain at parang mas nanghina yung mga paa niya.lalo din po lumala yung head bob niya pati po pag iyak sa gabi o khit natutulog siya..it really breaks my heart na marinig ko yubg ganung pag iyak niya.. 😦 by the way she is a 2 months & 2 weeks old golden retriever. Mam ask ko lng po,ano pa pong way gnawa nyo pra gumaling si Bailey?slamat po ng marami.
Yes, it will look really bad even after the spinal tap. But be brave and hold on.
1) Are you giving your dog subcutaneous fluids? This is an alternative to IV or dextrose. This will ensure that your dog will have enough fluids.
2) Try giving Colloidal Silver if you can buy some. I get mine from Mara’s Organic Cafe in Creekside, Amorsolo. Research on it online. I always give it to my dogs when they seem sick. I take it myself.
3) Are you force-feeding every three to four hours in the daytime? I use a syringe and combine wet dog food with water or milk to make it liquidy enough to such up with a syringe.
4) Be religious with the antibiotics. Your dog’s immune system cannot fight Distemper and another illness. Many dogs who are recovering na sana, end up catching some other illness like Parvo and the complication of two illnesses kills them.
5) Are you giving Neurontin? This will protect your dog from seizures but it will also make your dog very groggy. Bailey was only on it for three days then I asked if she could get off it because she was sooo groggy. Consult your vet about this.
6) Give lots of TLC. I know it is hard to see your dog so ill but you need to be by your dog’s side as often as you can. When Bailey was ill, I stayed by her side all day only leaving to do my newscast then at channel 9. Then I would rush back to be with her. I put a TV in her sick Bay at the patio of my house so we could just hang out there with her watching TV.
The spinal tap increases your dog’s chances of survival from 1% to about 50%. You can find out more by visiting the website Kind Hearts in Action. You might also be able to find more info there to help you.
I pray that your baby makes it through…
Actually Mam I already have a conversation with the admin of save dogs from canine distemper. It is a facebook page & they were also from kind hearts in action. Humihingi rin po ako advice sa knila regarding the condition of my furbaby. Fortunately po they were really answering my queries katulad ninyo..thank you very much po for the advice & i will try to buy yung c.silver for her sna nga po talaga gumaling siya..
Great, please keep us updated… Praying for the best… The Kind Hearts ppl are truly kind 💕 hearts…
Strengthen your dog’s immune system by giving him Vitamins A, C and E, natural meat (no salt or anything), pureed vegetables & fruits (1/4 of the meal), fresh water and clean environment (less pollution, always dry and clean).
Hi Ms. Lea, my baby uno was also diagnosed with distemper and same as yours umabot sa neuro stage, we also decided na ipa spinal tap cia. I can feel your pain and i hope maging ok na furbaby mo. lagi mo lang po ipa feel sa kanya na he can do it and gagaling cia. My prayers are with you. God bless.
Thank you Mam.. Im giving her the best care & love na pwde ko ioffer..kagabi po nlagay ko siya s laundry basket na may kumot n sapin para malambot at itinabi ko sa pagtulog just to touch her when she’s crying of pain.grabe po iyak niya talaga..kaya pag humihikbi na siya hnihimas ko ktawan nya pati ulo para lng maginhawaan siya at mya maya po nkatulog n rin siya..sna po gumaling na siya.prayers also for your furbaby & regards.
Okay, you are the best furmom ,I’m praying for your baby…
Dog Lover,thnks so much sa info yes gagawin ko yung ginawa mo again thnk you.
Good morning po. Ask ko lang po where did you buy c.silver? How much po un and every kelan ipapainom un? thank you po.
There are three places I know – the Saturday market at Salcedo Village Makati, then the Sunday Market in Legaspi Village, Makati. Mara’s Organic Restaurant and Store also sells it. My last batch I got from Mara. Get resto is at Creekside on Amorsolo st Makati… Hmmmm… It’s expensive, a liter or gallon is like maybe 500 pesos, I can’t remember but it lasts long. I just take a mouthful and drink it. When I feel like a sore throat is coming on. I give a teaspoon per meal to my small dogs. But I don’t it to them long term because it does have certain side effects if you take it everyday like a vitamin…. Best is for you to also research online so you can make your own decision regarding C Silver.
I give it to my dogs and cats if:
1)They look like they have a cold or are lethargic.
2) if they are sick and if my vet says pwedeng isabay ang C Silver with the meds.
3) I give Broyles C Silver for a few days after his grooming. Who knows what bacteria/virus /fungus he’ll pick up Doon.
4) if they are exposed to dogs that I don’t know, like when I walk them sa High Street and they sniff other dogs, then I’ll give CSilver for a few days.
I usually just add CSilver to their food to make it easy to eat. They a combination of kibble, human food and raw meat/bones.
Hi,Ms.joyce our internet conection having problem now lng ako nkapag update sanyo last monday galing nakmi ni Star sa vip yes po for a looong hrs kmi na entertain at 9am whr there na around 1.30pm na natingnan si Star dahil hndi ko inexpect na gnun katagal kming mg aantay na stres yta lalo si Star dhil sa init sa parking area lng kmi ng aantay dhil disya pwedeng ipasok sa clinic isinakay kulang sya sa side car(tribike)naupahan ko dhil yung car ko ay sasakyan ng 4kopang tzitshu pra maipa test ko narin dhil woried ako although mgkahiwalay sila but same hs din.ng makita ni docRichard si Star(ang dr. na tumingin ky Star.)ang ibinigay ay Newcastle and prescribe ng vit.c,vit.b,baytril.aftr nming mg galing sa vip ay dina sya nakaktayo hndi ko alam kung my kinalaman yung pag aantay nmin ngmatagal dahil nga mainit sa parking area or nataon .sa ngyon ay pinapakain nmin sya by syringe pati water.nakahiga lng sya at till now meron parin syang sipon. last tue nakabili ako ngcolaidal silver umaasa parin akong makkarecover sya khit na nakahiga lng syaginagawa ko ang lahat pra mabalik ang lakas nya sa pamamgitan ng pagtiyagang pgpapainom ng med , food nd water.my mga oras po na naiiyak ako at nalulungkot lalo na kpag nakkakita ako ng kmukha ni Star.my pag aalala at takot ako na nararamdaman pero pilit kung pinaglalabanan at pinagdadasal na sana ay gumaling na si Star.pls pray po na makaligtas si Star pang 19th day nya today na my distemper my pag aalala parin ako kung anu ang pwedeng mngyari ky Star,ang sabi ksi ni doc Richard observ ng 1week aftr ng mainject sya ng Newcastle..yung pong 4dogs ko ay napatest ko din last monday aftrn at salamat ky Lord at negative nmn silang lahat by monday po ay for injection na sila ng 5in 1 actually gusto kona silang ipa inject pero kailngan dw munang makasiguro puwede dw kasi na kya nag negative dhil sa walang symptoms kya will wait on the 22th days,kya by this coming monday pwede na silang mapa inject ng 5in 1.ang hirap po tlga nakkaworry dhil sa 4 pa ang inaalalaa ko.pero ng mgkasakit si Star ay inalagaan kona sa vit at pang immune ng system nila ang 4 dogs,dahil hndi updated ang kanilang injection at last tue din ng mg Start si Star ng colliedal silver pinainom narin yung 4dogs ng mas mababang dosage than star pero 3xdin for 15 days.again po pls pray for recovery ni Star.Salamat po.
Ms. Cruz, I have a dog who was diagnosed with severe distemper last March 29. She developed cold, too, so she would breathe very hard. I make sure that her place is always draft-free, not damp. I add a little apple cider vinegar to her broth of meat and vegetables (carrots, chayote, potatoes with ginger). When her cold was worse, I would boil garlic, ginger, vitamin C tablets and green tea and let her inhale the steam. Last Monday, I started to give her colloidal silver, too. Guess what? She is improving now! It is a miracle! So don’t lose hope! Do everything you can and God will grant you your prayer!
@Dog Lover – what are your dosage with the c. silver?? I have a dog too with distemper after we got to vet last april 8 but we are in financial. I have to seek another mean to make it with the spinal tap. my dog polka is not walking anymore and just today from april 9 Mr. Seizure is coming back. 😦 I hope our decision is not too late… tanx ms joyce for this wonderful blog since I read this last april 8 and seek some answers for our dog polka.. and please give me some dosage for other 2 dogs who are not yet infected.
Hi Rommel, if I may answer… there are no hard and fast rules with C Silver. I just give a teaspoon to my smaller dogs, per meal of I see them I’ll or if they meet strange dogs who might pass on.illness to them. When Bailey was ill I gave her C Silver, 2 teaspoons, since she is medium sized, per meal. And while she was sick I also have all the other dogs C Silver as a preventative measure. Of course Bailey was isolated as well.
For myself, a tablespoon at night isf I.feel.like im coming down with a flu. Another tablespoon in the am, just to make sure.
I suggest you also do research online about C Silver. There a some side effects that you need to know about if you take CSilver everyday for long term
..
Thank you for your reply Ms. Joyce.. I know the side effect on it. I just make sure of the large dosage for my ill dog with distemper. as well as my other dog might get sick of it. for now we will separate our 2 other dog out of our house to make sure that they will not get sick with the distemper. once again thank you.
as of today my dog is not able to walk due to the stage 3 distemper and as of now I am seeking some financial for the spinal tap. she was a fighter and I will not letting go of her fight against deadly virus-distemper.
Sir/Madam Dog Lover,
Last night I did your concoction for inhaler – boil garlic, vit c tablets, green tea, but i added vinegar to the water. Then I let my dog inhale it while steaming hot. After few minutes I noticed that his reaction. He started to smell it and got irritated with the smell. He opened his mouth so wide (that is the first time I saw he did that since Saturday that he started to be weak. He was confirmed to have distemper last Sunday) This morning, I noticed he is lively. I also tried to feed him steamed pork liver, a slice every hour para hindi mabigla dahil ilang araw din syang walang solid food intake. He liked it. Few minutes ago, I repeated the concoction again and let him inhale it before he goes to sleep. I think this helped him plus the medications he has been receiving in the past few days. I will continue to do this plus others I read from the comments as I save money for the NDV/NCD.
Thank you so much for the inputs.
Hi An,
wide opening of your dog mouth maybe he has a seizure already. please go for a TAP immediately, this are the signs of neurological signs of the dogs with distemper.. minsan naglalaway yan… (please check youtube about that one)
I will keep praying for the distemper infected dog since my dog died last april because of the deadly disease… one week after we notice of the seizure and failed to go for a tap because of the financial problem…
tanx,
Rommel
Hi Ms. Joyce. Hmm.. what can i say… i have a very heavy heart this past few days… Uno already left us last Thursday, 2 days after his spinal tap. It was a very emotional day for us. I really cried hard because i was hoping he will get better. Dos, Mollie and Savey are still stable up to this moment. They really miss Uno, Mollie is very upset and she is very lonely. After the shots was given to the 3 dogs the discharge on their eyes and noses disappeared. They are also eating well now and Dos is very playful. I hope they will continue to recover.
I’m so sorry to hear that… 😳 losing a furry friend is one of the worst things in life. But I comfort myself with the belief that all dogs go straight to heaven and that they are just waiting for us to join them there one day, not too soon I hope.
Another comforting thought : you fought for Uno. You did your best. Better to have done your best than to have given up at the start.
One more positive thought : you have other dogs who need you too and they are hurting as well over Uno’s loss. They need you to be strong for them as they adjust to life without their furfriend. This is thr reason why I’ve always had a multiple pet home … So that the pain of losing one won’t be so bad with so many other paws and wet noises around to keep me busy.
Now that your other dogs seem to reacting well to the treatment , make sure that they are taking strong antibiotics so that they don’t pick up some other illness. This often happens to dogs recovering from Distemper. They start to get well but then another illness creeps in and kills them. Have them tested for Distemper a month after their procedure was done to check if they are clear . Be vigilant. Watch them like a hawk . They are not yet out of the woods
so don’t relax yet. Remember, an aggressive disease cannot be fought with gentleness. You need to be aggressive too. I’m praying for your other dogs and am Believing that they are getting better… Bless you and your dogs!
Amen! I will pray for you, too. Uno is very thankful for all the love and care you gave him during his life here on earth. He is very thankful to have found a human mama in you. He Loves You. He doesn’t want to see you very sad so try hard to cheer up! I also want to believe that I will be reunited with my dogs again someday in heaven. I lost my most precious dog to heat stroke last February 27. His death has been the most devastating part of my life. Life will never be the same again. http://www.openbible.info/topics/do_animals_go_to_heaven
I don’t want to think that losing our dogs is part of the life cycle. I believe that everything has purpose. After all, dogs are also created by God and He created them to be with us.
Thank you for that very comforting words. Every time i see the moon it always reminds me of Uno. He love staring at the moon before he sleeps. I know God is taking good care of him now and he has so many friends in their right now.
Yes Ms. Joyce they are still in medication. By the way, how is troi?
Troi seems to be fine but is being treated as if she has liver problems. We return in a months time for a blood test that will help the vets figure out what caused the seizure. If it really is due to a liver condition as the first blood test indicated.
The vets say they is possible that it was some outside cause but to be safe, we’re giving her liver meds and cleansing aids. It’s difficult for me because I am nervous she will have a seizure while im asleep. I might miss it. So I’m constantly waking up, checking on her. But she is as normal as a seven week puppy can be although she did lose weight after five days in hospital, two of those days with no food, just swero and IV fluids. Thank you for asking! And pray that she is a normal dog with a normal liver etc etc…
hi!
I’ve been following this topic since November 2014, the time when my dog was diagnosed with distemper. It was at the early stage, so the vet gave me two options, either for my dog Morgan to get 5 shots of Canglob-D for 5 consecutive days, or to have her get the serum. I opted for the Canglob-D treatment, and luckily she’s fine up to this day. I just noticed that whenever I bring her to the vet, there were also other dogs getting Canglob-D due to distemper. I went to another vet for second opinion, and it appears that there are also several distemper cases in the area. I live in QC. Another friend lost several of his dogs to this disease, and said that there’s an epidemic in their area. He lives in Las Pinas. Our dogs were vaccinated. And its disheartening to know that our furry friends are not protected by the vaccines they’re getting. Why is that? One vet said that maybe the vaccine batch they got were not as effective. So much for protection. so sad.
Yes that is terrible but true. Summer is peak season for the spread of Distemper so I think the best thing we can do is keep our pets away from dogs we don’t know. If I have to bring them out i give them Colloidal silver in their food for a week just to protect them. It would be good too to do more research on this. From what I know is that if they are immunized and yet they still get it, the chance of survival is better. I am not a vet, just a pet lover with an amazing dog who overcame Distemper against all odds…
Hi, Janine!
I am glad to read your post. My Chuckie was diagnosed with distemper at an early stage. A day after he stopped eating and two days after I noticed his muta. The vet confirmed it is distemper last July 5 through a Distemper test na parang pregnancy test. I was not given an option for a serum but a 7-day shots of antibiotic and vitamin C. So far we are on our third day of treatment and third bottles of IV fluid. Yesterday, aside from antibiotic and vitamin, the vet added another shot of medicine for his stomach. Today, a new shot of medicine for his nerves/muscles. Mostly preventive. I am hoping that Chuckie will eat today kahit kapirangot para hindi na sya mag-IV. To be honest, medyo masakit sa bulsa ang gastusin since Day 1. But I have to hold on nakikita ko naman na lumalaban si Chuckie. May mga moments lang na matamlay sya. Good thing naka-discount ako sa vet niya. Ang IV kasi with all the shots dapat 1,100 daily. Nung first day lang kami 1,100. Pero itong 2nd and 3rd day niya, 700 na lang per day ang singil sa amin… I hope I can keep up with until the 7th or 10th day. I am thankful to the Vets in Fortuno Animal Clinic sa Meycauayan Bulacan. esp to Doc Jun.
Thank you also for those who posted here in Ms. J’s blog to share their experiences. Maraming salamat nang sobra.
Hi! My baby Zoey has distemper, too. She was diagnosed yesterday. We went to VIP kasi nga i read here na dun mo dinala si bailey. Zoey has not shown any twitching pa naman nung nagpunta kami. So we chose option 2. I was afraid of the spinal tap because the doc said isesedate daw. E may case daw na sedate pa lang di na nagising yung dog 😦 kaya i opted for option 2. Please pray for my baby as well 😦 wala syang appetite. Sabi ni doc kelangan nya ng nebulizer para medyo mabawasan yung bara sa ilong nya kasi sa sipon pata magkaroon sya gana kumain. wala kami mahiraman nebulizer 😦
Did u ask if steam inhalation can substitute nebulizer? Research ka sa Internet how to substitute nebulizer. I will look also.
Fyi, Bailey had the NDV Serum which didn’t seem to really work then she had option 3 the NDV spinal tap. But it is possible that the serum and tap both helped her survive. You don’t need to have both but if you feel the option you choose isn’t working then you can go for the tap.
I’ll check online now for nebulizer substitute na home remedy
Here is one link to making a home made nebulizer. It might not be exactly what youre looking for but if keep researching, I’m sure you’ll find something… Wishing you the best… Keep us updated because your experience may help other fur parents in the same situation…
http://blogs.webmd.com/all-ears/2011/07/homemade-asthma-nebulizer-a-new-use-for-recycled-water-bottles.html
Iba ata yan Ms. Joyce
yung need nya yung parang machine. Yung para sa babies/kids. Ill call VIP later about sa substitute. Mag research din ako and hanap ng cheap na nebulizer.
Ill keep you posted. Thank you!
Ayy how’s Bailey na pala?
Bailey is awesome! She hardly twitches anymore, once in while nalang. She is taba but not too much, loves to play… We believe that we can take her off the anti seizure medicine so I’m slowly weaning her off it… Thanks for asking! And if you find a good substitute for nebulizer, update us!!!
That’s a miracle talaga 🙂 I hope si zoey din. Nabubuhayan ako sa story nyo. Wala pang vet sa VIP, around 9 pa daw dadating. Will update you later.
Will pray for you! I was at VIP today and saw Carla Abellana. 🙂 Maybe you can post on FB and ask if someone can let you borrow their nebulizer.
I think Carla is gorgeous….
She is genuine and, yes, gorgeous!!! It makes me wonder now if ABS-CBN will get her ‘cos she is so warm, friendly and gorgeous! But I guess she is already shining where she is now…
I’m sure Carla will be blessed wherever she goes… Whatever station has her is lucky to have her…
Hi,Ms.joyce thnks so much sa info regarding sa story ni Bailey,hoping na hndi pa huli ang lahat cz now lng pumasok sa isip ko na mg google,ngdepende lng ako sa kng anu ang sinabi ng vet napagdalhan ko ng dog nmin morethn 2weeks na syang diagnosed ng distemper at my nainject narin sa knya na medicine aftr ng magpositive sa blood test na my distemper sya,but ths aftrn mas naging mahina na sya at pakonti konti lng yung nakakain,nya yes tama ka kasi yung 1st nd 2nd vet napunthan ko ay isa lng sinabi na patutlugin at hopelss case nsi Star (name ng dog,)but sa 3rd vet ngkaron ako ng pag asa dhil sya ang naringgan kung pwedeng gumaling. today more thn 2wks na syng my sakit at patuloy nagging weak,pero knina since neighbor lng yng vet,pinunthan ko pra ipaalam ang condition ni Star nd she said painumin ko muna ng honey for 2 day nd then kpg ka hindi na tlga mg ok patutulugin na.naiyak nako,but nung umiiyak nako she said bring my Star in her clinic tom am and dedextrose dw nya muna.at dahil sa sinabi sakin ay napaisip ako at ng try mg google abt distemper.thnks nabasa ko yng ky Bailey na story. tom am iam going to vip,honestly ms.Joyce i dont have much budget cguro din thats y ndi ko naisip na dun dalin ang dog nmin malapit lng po ang vip saming house.pero in God grace,mairaraos ko rin ang expenses napakasakit kasing isipin na mawawala sya saamin,thnks so much,at sa mga ibang ng comment nagkaron ako ulit ng hope na mailigtas ko si star.God bless us.
Is star twitching na? If she is twitching then you have to do the spinal tap. They’re is still hope for star. I’ll be praying. Stay in touch…
God will provide!!! Continue feeding your dog with honey, and raw or steamed meat in vegetable broth (carrots, potatoes, spinach, ginger – with Vit. C and without salt or anything). Be consistent. May your precious dog survive the battle! ❤ ❤ ❤
And yes, heed Dog Lover’s advice! Thank you!!
I was wondering if you would want to switch to feeding your dog raw diet? I read that it will help the dog fight the virus naturally. I hope Bailey will recover fully soon and will live a very long, quality life with the people who love her! Our dogs were diagnosed with distemper, too, and we are doing everything to help them fight distemper. I am also looking to buy colloidal silver ASAP.
How galing naman your timing! I just bought a book on raw diet for dog!!! I will look deeper into that.
Bailey is fine, hardly twitches anymore. But still on anti seizure meds. Hopefully a raw diet will help her get off the meds
Hoping your dogs make it through!! Please keep me updated….
I was wondering where you buy your colloidal silver? Is this the cafe that you were referring to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yG4PwCmgVYI?
Yes that’s where I got my last batch of C Silver!!
Do you know if they are open this Holy Week? I need to bring our puppy tonight.
Do you know if they are open this Holy Week? I need to bring our puppy tonight. 😦
They are open but there is a 3k fee for checking in your dog during a holiday. There is also an emergency fee of something like 2.5k for late night check in. It’s best that you call VIP and ask them straight. This is one thing I disagree with. I feel that their emergency fees are too steep. I had a minor emergency this week with a cat but he escaped. Buti we caught him Weds late afternoon and I was able to get him to VIP by 7pm. Thursday and Friday they are open but only to those who pay the emergency fee. Fyi, they will look closed but talk to the guards and they will let you in.
Hey there ms Joyce. Ask Ko Lang.. My dog was diagnosed distemper few months ago. And he never been taken any ncv or spinal tap. He was under medication for almost 3mos. And on his last examine he was free from virus. He still have this neurological thing that doctor said he will have it forever. One thing I notice he never yawn or able to open his mouth wide anymore. Babalik pa kaya yun? Maoopen pa kaya niya young mouth niya tulad nung dati? Or that’s forever too?
You are blessed. Accor to stats I’ve read Only 1 to 2% of dogs survive Distemper. The NDV bumps up that figure to 50% on average.
Hmmmm, I’m not sure about the yawning. Can he eat well anyway? Bailey had twitching but miraculously it is almost gone. She hardly twitches now…
Last Saturday, Uno and Dos had their body shot at VIP Mandaluyong. The doctor said that we will have to observe with in 48 hours if there is any progress with Uno and Dos. Hours after Uno had the shot, we noticed that the involuntary movement of muscles around his left eye disappeared. But he is still a bit lethargic up to this day, but there is no mucoid discharge from his nose (only clear and watery discharge). He is also eating well. Dos on the other hand seems to have the mucoid discharge after his shot though it disappeared yesterday. He also seems to resist the food, but take it anyway when we feed him with our hands. We still don’t know what will going to happen next, we just hope that the NDV is on it’s way, working to save our babies. I will keep you on track. Please include them in your prayers. thank you.
You can add Colloidal Silver to their food. I did that. I get my C silver from this organic cafe on Amorsolo, from VIP and from the Legaspi Sunday market in Makati. You can research on Colloidal Silver as an anti virus, anti bacterial and anti fungus. Side effect is you turn blue daw but only if you drink it everyday. That’s not a bad side effect considering that the side effect of Distemper is death… I take C Silver myself if I feel like I’m coming down with the flu…
Ma’am, my dog Uno which is 3 months old is tested positive for distemper. We will be going to pendragon tomorrow to seek for the treatment. May i know how much would it take to have the sears serum? this is his 3rd day upon testing from distemper.
Hi I wouldn’t know how much it is at Pendragon. Have you tried calling them up? Please keep us updated so other readers will know about Pendragon. Ty
Yes Ma’am, i already called the clinic. they said that they will have to check the puppy first before making an estimate on how much the sears ill cost. My dog is still eating though he is lethargic.
Yes Distemper is like that. Your dog seems half sick or it will seem ok for one day then goes Back to being ill. A traitorous disease. You think your dog is getting better but actually the virus is burrowing deeper into your dog. Move fast on it, praying for your dog. Will also appreciate any info you can share so that other pet owners will be informed…
yes, i will be posting every now and then about the distemper treatment for my dog. thank you ma’am. honestly this Blog gives me so much hope.. thank you so much!
Thank you, January and I am hoping that your 🐶 makes it thru…. stay brave
thank you so much Ma’am.
Hi. Thank you for posting your experiences with your dog! I would love to know how she is doing today! I’ve applied to adopt an 8 month old golden retriever mix who I’ve been told has overcome distemper as a puppy (I’ve requested the vet records). He has diminished hearing and limited sight, he is completely blind in one eye so they are removing it next month. Other than that he seems to be in perfect health. My question is what I can expect in the future. Has your dog had any residual health issues since his recovery? I’m having trouble finding anything on the internet regarding dogs who have survived distemper, I would love to know life expectancy and future medical needs. Thank you in advance!
The one major problem I encountered is seizures. They started about six months after she was declared free of Distemper. I had to put her on phenobarbs. A daily pill. Right now she is on a very low dose and we will soon try to wean her off the meds.
The minor problems are twitching and not so coordinated muscle control. The twitching is gone tho but sometimes she will thrash around violently in the middle of sleep but just for a second or two then she is ok again…
I’m just wondering if your puppy twitches nonstop. That is the hallmark of the Distemper virus… And survivors, specially new survivors twitch uncontrollably but are generally functional…
Ma’am thank you for this wonderful story that you share. I have 4 pups (dachshund) sad to say but they all got distemper too. Just like you we did our very best to survive and fight with them till the end. Unfortunately we lost 1 of them kung kelan napatagal na ang laban namin, according to our vet malala na kasi yung sakanya dahil nag seizure na sya at nag bula na ang bibig nung una palang kaya sakanilang 4 sya ang may pinaka mamabang chance. We can;t believe of what happen kase medyo malakas na sya eh then isang madaling araw I heard him crying I was working at that time on my working table na super lapit lang sakanila. Ako kasi ang naka assigned na nurse at that and at that moment its time for there neutralization. When I saw him acting something I am familiar. He bark at me when he saw me 3 barks then he cries for a bit and then nag start na sya mag stretch and I know already kung anong kasunod nun. Masyado akong nataranda kinuha ko kahad yung oxygen concentrator machine to help him by giving oxygen kahit na alam kong huli na or wala na. After nyang tumingala and take his final breath… wala na sya..
The other 3 pups is doing good so far 2 sakanila are in good condition but the other 1 is what I worried so much about, She was still weak there are times yes I saw her strong runing and even barking with her brother and sister. But something caught up may attention the way she walks is not normal its like she is weak and most of the in out of balance and until now I can see na para syang sini-sinok I can’t explain how should I call it or kung ano ang tawag dun. I don’t know if its a muscle twitching .. I’m scared and worried yung 2 kase ok sya nalang ang naiiwan. Continues naman kame sa pag papainom ng gamot sakanila and even the neutralization pati nga pag patak sa mata ng eyedrops na prescribe by vet still on going. Ang nawala lang is yung mga naka saksak sakanilang dextrose kase hindi na sila nag tatae at nakaka kain na sila ng maayos. The only that bothers me now is that movement na nangyayare sakanya. Sa tingin mo ba madam kailangan namin sya ipa- spinal tap?
Sorry for my late response, I got so busy with lots of things. Anyway, I think the most important thing for you to do is to bring your dog to VIP Asap because only the vets there can determine if the spinal tap is needed. Do not wait. Do not feel that just because the dog seems better today you will delay going to the vet. Distemper is traitorous. Your dog will have good days and bad days. You will think they are getting better only to discover one day later they are worse than ever. Bring your dog NOW. Do not delay.
Hello again madam just like you said I wen’t there to find my luck of curing my dog so far ok sya. We didn’t wen’t under distemper but only “Body Shot” I can see that it works kase nawala yung sa eyes and other symptom’s ng distemper the only thing that bothers me until now is her involuntary movement of muscle or muscle twitching. I’m think to bring one of my puppy back to have another body shot or maybe a spinal tap. Madam if you don’t mind me asking yung dog mo ba nung na spinal tap walang symptom’s na naiwan? hindi ba sya nagka muscle twitching?
Bailey had severe muscle twitching after Surviving Distemper. But miraculously, it is almost gone now. It’s been maybe four or five years since she had the spinal tap on exactly this day March 22. They are supposed to twitch for life I was told but somehow, she hardly twitches anymore… I’m glad your dog made it with the body shot!!! Congratulations!!!
Hi madam good early morning I saw you last night at VIP I was there t the front desk talking to the nurse you were wearing dark blue bistida and wearing an eye glass I was supposed to talk to you but I felt shy I was wearing a dark blue blouse and an eye glasses to my bluse is printed with the word “PLAY” in white I hope you can still recall me. I wen’t back to VIP for another body shot just to be sure that my pups are all ok. You are accompanied by 1 women and a man as well. I ask the nurse to confirm if that’s really you and she told me yes. That’s why I felt glad and look at you many time. Feeling ko nga naiilang ka I’m sorry for that. I ask the nurse again what are you doing there cause as far as I’ve know your dog Bailey is fine now and the nurse told me that you wen’t there to visit your friends pet. Any way sorry for being like a stalker. Its just I felt surprise and happy. 🙂
Good Morning Ma’am. I saw you last night at VIP. =)
Latest update: Last night we decided to have uno a spinal tap. It went well and Doc Gina is so nice! Uno is still lethargic but he can manage to stand on his own. i hope he get’s better after the tap (fingers crossed) As for my other dogs, their Dad Savey (adult husky with vaccines) and Mollie (mommy), Doc Gina also gave them body shots, Dos on the other hand is doing good after the body shot last Saturday. i hope all of them will recover, specially my Uno.
Hi January, I’m glad to hear your dogs’ progress. Good bless ppl like you who find ways for their pets. Anyway, it’s my turn to ask for your prayers. My pup Troi is suspected to have a liver shunt that prevents the liver from processing her blood. It’s not a good condition to have. 50% of dogs die within 10 months of diagnosis. She managed to survive the night which is a good sign. She is only 6 weeks old tho so I am so worried for her. She is not yet living with me though. Still with the current owner who is such a wonderful woman and loves dogs like we do. Anyway, hope to run into you at VIP. Im going there now…
we’ll include troi in our prayers. =) i’m hoping for his recovery.
So that was you! Yes I remember you are very slim with a model’s figure. It is a stressful time for me again because the puppy that I was going to get had a seizure yesterday. The current owner rushed her and her sister to our vet. Distemper was ruled out but now they think the pups have a liver shunt which means the liver is abnormal and not processing blood properly. I am rushing back to VIP now as I reply to you. My pup Troi is only 6 weeks old but she survived the night. Hingalo siya, nakakaawa. I was so stressed that time you saw me but if you see me again please say hi. I am never too stressed out to say hello and chat with other dog lovers… Bailey is fine at home. When I finally found home last night at midnight I have her a big hug and thanked God that she is alive today. Please help me pray for Troi. Non stop paying kami but there is always room for more prayers… God bless…
🙂 will do madam, I’ll be back there to VIP this coming saturday for follow up check up sa isa kong Puppy hopefully everything will gonna be ok at that time. Praying the fast recovery of your Troi. Sana nga po mag kita ulit tayo and I promise I won’t gonna be shy to say Hi 🙂 .. God Bless din po
Hello Ma’am. My dog (Bonnie) is also suffering distemper. I started giving her B-complex, Immunol and Isoprinosine. I wish makarecover siya kasi medyo maaga-aga pa. Wala siyang nasal discharge or red eyes. Only the muscle twitching. Nung nakita palang talaga ng vet, alam na niya agad yung problem.
I just want to ask (maybe nasagot na ito sa ibang replies), should i go with the spinal tap already? I don’t want to lose my dog. Thanks. 🙂
Yes, spinal tap if there is already muscle twitching. Bring your dog asap to VIP and have them diagnose and treat. Call them first to make sure there is a vet available who can do the tap. And you may have to buy the NEWCASTLE Disease Virus LaSota strain if they are out of stock. Call them first. Do it asap, please don’t wait Anymore. Twitching means the disease is at stage three or four. God bless…
Oh, did your vet do a test to make sure? VIP will surely test your dog first so expect that to happen when you go there.
Hi Joyce! It’s really nice that you shared your experience with all of us and are still active on sharing whatever we ask for.
My loved dog is also suffering from DISTEMPER. I do not know if she will survive or not but we are trying every possible thing from our end. I reside in a place called Jammu in India. We don’t really have much experienced vets here. Though they have told us that she won’t survive. Sad to see her like this but considering her will power to fight against the disease, we are trying every possible medicine, every treatments they suggest.
I do not know the result. But I really want to know the signs of recovery and improvement in the dog. My Dog’s name is JUBEE ( JU sounds like shoe, bee like bee ) . whatever medicines we have given till now have reduced her very very fast head bobbing and leg twitching. Though it is still present, it has not gone but I have observed it’s reduced. Sad , she’s unable to see properly, she has lost her direction and is confused. I really hope she recovers. Could you share the signs of improvement and recovery?
Thanks ,
Priyanka Charak
Please email ed bond asap. Go to his website Kind Hearts in Action. It is full of information on Distemper and the signs that come with healing.
In Bailey’s case she only started showing signs of recovery two weeks after the spinal tap. Her recovery was so slow I almost thought she was going to die. Anyway, I know the are vets in India who know how to do the spinal tap and Ed Bond can point you to them. His email is in the contact tab of his site. Don’t delay, email him asap. He is based in New York fyi
Thanks Joyce! It’s too late for me to save her. I lost her today… May She rest in peace! I do have two more dogs.. I would certainly take precautions and take care of them. 😦
Distemper is highly contagious. Please have your other dogs checked. It is an airborne disease and if they have sniffed noses them the chance that they were infected are high… But I’m praying that they are free from the disease.
I am sorry for your loss. I have lost pets for other reasons in the past and each loss tears me apart… I hope you find comfort in good memories of your furry friend…
Bailey’s twitching continued for five years but now she is almost twitch free. The trouble with Distemper is you will have good days alternating with bad Days. Just when you think they’re getting better, they get worse. It’s terrible because your emotions are like a roller coaster and then you delay bringing the dog to the vet because you think they are getting better. Your best bet is the spinal tap and Ed Bond might be able to help… wishing you and your dear Jubee the best. I hope and pray she makes it through…
Pingback: Surviving Distemper or Just A Case of Bad Temper | musings of a shy soul
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Hi there!
My 4 month old shih tZu was first diagonosed with parvo and atayed innthe hospital for 15 days the i took home with the ivf, anti biotics and multivits.. He went a bit well after few days and was able to eat his food and everthing else looks normal so i remove his IVF. after 2 days, he started being sick again, he was not eating but syill drinking.. Then 2 more days after he still dont want yo eat his food.. I tried giving him different kinds like chicken, beef, liver, canned dog food but no luck so i took him to the vet (different vet this time) the i was told that he is suffering from Distemper and that there is no treat for this and it is highly contagious so i had yo take him home but asked the vet to put him on IVF again.. Now, still he is not eating nor drinking..he still manifest all the symptoms of distemper.. Honestly, im loosing hope..:( but whenever i look at him, i looks like he is fighting and it makes me wanna fight for him too but i have no idea what could possibly happen..
I also have another shih tzu(pregnant) in the house so i dont know what to do exactly.. Pls help me..
Separate the dogs because Distemper is highly contagious. Bring your dog to Vets in Practice (find their address online) and ask them to test your dog for Distemper. They always test even if another very had confirmed it. VIP offers three experimental treatments. They can explain it all to you. Go.now. The longer you wait, the worse it is for your dog.
Mam my dog pet Chervy has distemper also. She’s now starting to twitch & some involuntary movements starts to show..im so much worried. Can u tell me somehow how much money all in all do i need to cure distemper..:( im just an ordinary employee who just want my furbaby to get well.thank u & godbless.regards also to Bailey.
Hi Lea, Bailey’s Distemper was years ago. It then cost me, for the spinal tap, about 4k if I remember right. Then there are meds for recovery. The recovery meds cost me maybe 1.5 to 2k. I’m not sure what recovery meds they will prescribe but that’s about how much I spent. That does not include the cost of the Serum. But your dog won’t need the serum since that is for first stage. If the dog is twitching, that’s the late or neuro stage. I borrowed money at the time and was able to pay it in a month or two. I had so many expenses at the time. But I do not regret fighting for Bailey. Even if she died, I had made peace with God and myself and accepted His will na. Losing the money would hurt, yes, but knowing that I gave up on Bailey who is my dear friend, would hurt me more. Money is not going to give me the joy of coming home to my happy barker who makes me laugh and removes the stress of the day…. I know you are smart and can find ways to earn the extra money you need. God has given all of us the ability to make wealth.. I encourage you to do it… I’ll be praying and please keep us updated if you go for the spinal tap. Bless you…
Hi, our dog is suffering with the same virus. He already have antibiotics and food supplement advised by his Vet. I am planning to have the serum or the spinal tap for him, but may I know how much it would cost so I can prepare the budget? Can you please give me an estimate. Thank you..
THe serum is the most expensive. Beyond 10K. ANd YOu will need a big dog to donate blood. Call VIP for how much that costs now. The serum is for early stage Distemper.
As for the Tap, it’s cheaper but only effective when the virus is neurological, meaning, the dog is twitching na and at an advanced stage. During Bailey’s time about 4 years ago it cost me 4K. Please call VIP because you will need to have the NDV virus and sometimes VIP is out of stock. You will have to buy it at a poultry supple and VIP can tell you where. For an explanation why a bird virus is used to fight distemper, search Dr. Ed Sears Spinal Tap for Distemper. You can also search Kind Heart in Action for information on how to fight Distemper with NDV treatments.
Hello miss joyce. My dog was also diagnosed to be infected with Distemper virus. Do you think a 3-month old puppy can survive all the procedures (maybe except the spinal tap) that Bailey has undergone to cure her disease? Can you please help me also to look for a blood donor because I can’t think of any owner that I know to have a large healthy dog. I can’t afford to lose my dog 😦 thank you very much for your help.
Hi Marnie, so sorry to hear about your puppy. I know of no dog donor but you can try looking for pet facebooks and asking for help there. You can also ask Labrador kennels if they would be willing to have one of their dogs donate blood. The process involves putting the donor under anesthetics and then withdrawing the blood. The serum is for early stage. The tap is for advanced stage. It’s best to treat during early stage of course…
Maybe if you make an eposter asking for a donor , you can post it on several sites online. You may want to offer a fee. I hope this helps…
And also, how about your other dog? Is he okay? Becasue i have 2 other dogs as well, and the vet said they might have been infected by the virus too but still shows no symptoms but eventually they will show up and the only thng i can do for now is give them vitamins. 😦 i cant imagine my life without my 3 babies. But money is such a serious case for me and im so afraid i might lose them just because i cant give them the right medications they need 😦
As soon as I notice that one of my dogs is ill , my policy is to separate that dog from the others. So Thankfully none of my other dogs caught the virus from Bailey. I also gave all dogs colloidal silver for the duration of her illness as extra protection just in case.
Perhaps you shouldn’t keep dogs or only keep one if you can’t afford to have them treated when they are ill. We need to be responsible pet owners and think about the welfare of the dog. I hope you learn from this experience and in the future not have pets anymore until you reach a point where you can afford it. Just a word of advice, please don’t be offended. I know you are already going though a tough time and I don’t want to add to your burden but I believe that you should seriously consider what I said.
If your other dogs were exposed to your Distemper Dog, it is almost certain that they picked up the virus because it is highly contagious. Again, if your financial situation is bad, the humane thing to do is to put your dogs to sleep. I’m so sorry you have to go through this. My heart goes out to you…
Hi there thank you for sharing this. But i have a problem.. On the first week, i noticed my dog (a labrador) was also having a lot of muta. But i didnt worry about it since my dog has previous case of eye infection before but wasnt that severe. But then she started getting a runny nose and nagkukulangot na yung sipon nya. I was worried na but i didnt take here to the vet because i dont have money 😥 but then more and more symptoms started showing up. We thought it was only conjunctivitis but then we were wrong. After 2 weeks, i started noticing that my dog is having a hard time ealking now (paralysis) and i cried so hard when i saw her struggling. And even though i dont have money, i thought it was time to take her to the vet. And then she was diagnosed by distemper 😥 the vet said there’s still no cure for distemper and the only thing she can do is to give her anti biotics and vitamins to stregnthen her immune system. I am so worried because it’s the 3rd week now; 1 week after bringing her to the vet, giving her all the meds the vet required us but there’s still no progress. And she cant walk AT ALL anymore 😥 im so worried because we live in the province and there’s no spinal tap here. And i dont have money. I dont know what to do 😥
The humane thing to do is to put your dog to sleep. I am so sorry you and your your Lab have to go through this. But if the situation is bleak you should not let your dog suffer anymore. I have put a dog to sleep, my terrier, many many years ago. He was ten years old and suffering from a serious heart condition. When his situation got worse, we put him to sleep. It was one of the saddest days of my life. But it was the right thing to do because he was beginning to deteriorate rapidly and at his age, the vet said, he could never recover. I’ll be praying for you and your dog. Bless you.
Hi, there! Thank you for sharing your stories. I am not sure if my dog is a candidate for distemper and hopefully he is not. My dog has a fever for over 1 week and was brought to the vet as well. I have been reading all your posts as well as the links shared by ED and I would like to know if prolonged fever will be a sign of distemper. My dog did not undergo yet any lab test but was given antibiotics, b complex and multi vit. And my dog refused all those meds but still trying to give it to him. Hopefully, my dog feel well. There is no question as to how much I love my dog but at this point, it breaks my heart that I was not able to support his medical condition due to tight budget. Shall I bring my dog to the vet for distemper test? Thank you very much, Allan here.
Hi Allan, yes I so understand your tight budget situation. ANyway, there is no other way to be sure that your dog has distemper except thru a distemper test. Please have your dog take the test asap. The sooner you find out what his illness is, the better you can fight it. God bless…
Thank you very much. Will bring my dog today to Pendragon Vet for testing. Hope everything will be okay.
Hi Again..sorry to disturb you, may I know if Pendragon Vet is okay for Distemper test? I have read below that someone asked if the serum in Pendragon is approved by Ed Bond. Also, another one said that her dog is a distemper survivor with the help of Pendragon. Shall I go there? Thank you
Allan, I can only vouch for VIP. I have no experience with pendragon . Have you tried asking Ed? Email him, he responds really fast.
Hi, Ms. Joyce! I totally understand you. I emailed Ed and mentioned about Pendragon. But I decided to bring my dog to VIP tom early morning. We were about to go to VIP this afternoon but we had a hard time looking for taxi. Hopefully, everything will be okay tom. I will update you after the test/s. Thank you very much. God Bless You! Happy New Year!
Hi, Ms. Joyce! Just came from VIP QC. And my dog was tested negative for Distemper. Although, his platelets are low, I believe he will be better in the next coming days because of the medicine that was given to him. Thank you very much for your assistance and Have a Blessed New Year!
Gosh Im so glad it’s not Distemper. What was it daw?
my dog is suffering now a canine distemper merun po ba kayu alam na nag peperform ng NDV trearment here sa davao city if you know po please email me po i really need asap my dog already suffering for 1 week now
did bailey ever get vaccinated for distemper? my dog was diagnosed with distemper, she just missed her shot 4 months ago. though my dog does not show any symptoms of distemper… just a positive test (accdg to the vet, as i didnt get to see the actual result). vet said her scale is 2 in the test. im getting doubtful bec i asked for second opinion, and the other vet said that the scale 2 might have just beem the result of a prior vaccination.
Hi Miss Joyce
I am teary eyed while reading your article.
My dog also is a distemper survivor (just last month October 2014) and until now he is under medication – we are giving him medications under low dosage.
I 101% Agree on what you have concluded above:
1. Complete dog vaccine is a must
2. TLC is only distemper’s treatment.
3. Don’t Give up on your pets – They are with you during happy times so you must be with them in times like this.
We have no great vets in our area and we are 33km or 1 hour away from the city that has good vet clinics, so all I could do is research and research.
For all of the people who will stumble on this comment of mine, here’s what me and my partner did to save my pet from distemper.
2 B complex every 6 hours (pharex – 3.95php each)
2 ascorbic acid every 6 hours (vitaplex – 1.95php each)
3x a day force feeding (cerelac mix with the powderized tablets in syringe)
I have also written an everyday diary of my dog Light the day he was diagnosed of distemper until the day the doctor said he was okay and can play with other dogs. (Link is below)
http://www.geemiz.com/geemiz-thoughts/fighting-against-distemper.html
Lastly, let me say that you are a true beauty queen, both inside and out and now the whole family is a fan. 🙂
Yes, love your pets, give them freedom, give them love , touch them all the time, don’t tie them down or keep them locked up. They need to run and play with you. Such faithful creatures deserve our friendship. I’m glad your dog made it thru!!!
Hi again mam.. just want to ask how much po magagastos ko lahat if ever ipagamot ko po sya.. para mkpagprepare po ako khit papano mam.. thanknu po 😥
Hi mam.. i think my dog has a distemper.. nanginginig na po ang buong katawan at ayaw kumain.. the vet give her a vitamins at nkadextrose po sya.. san ko po kaya pinakabest na vet dalhin at how much po ngastos kay Bailey? Iyak na po kse ng iyak daughter ko… pls help me po.
Hi Beng, sorry I’m in Thailand now and my Internet sa area na ito is not so good so I’ll keep this short. Please read the post, all info is there. Pati sa comments please read.
But that one thing I will repeat is that you CANNOT GUESS that a dog has Distemper dahil nanginginig. He or she MUST be tested. I recommend Vets in Practice. Please Google them for their phone and call them for the cost of the test etc. They have a clinic in Alabang, Mandaluyong and White Plains.
did bailey ever get vaccinated for distemper? my dog was diagnosed with distemper, she just missed her shot 4 months ago. though my dog does not show any symptoms of distemper… just a positive test (accdg to the vet, as i didnt get to see the actual result). vet said her scale is 2 in the test. im getting doubtful bec i asked for second opinion, and the other vet said that the scale 2 might have just beem the result of a prior vaccination.
Hi Paula, no Bailey never had shots. That’s why at the end of her story, if you read it through, I admit I was at fault for not getting her shots. Now she is updated with all necessary immunization. I am not a vet but from what I know is that Distemper tests are like pregnancy tests. If a line shows, no matter how faint, then it’s positive for Distemper. Never heard of scales, however, neither am I a vet so you better get your dog retested elsewhere. Distemper is a terrible terrible disease. The sooner you know for sure if your dog has it or not, the better equipped you are too fight it.
Hi sis would like to ask Kung magkano ang ndv spinal tap at ndv serum?and why giving vitamins with no (b)?
Hi there, around 4k but please ask vet to be sure. I’m not quite sure I understand your question on vitamins…
I just want you to know that because I read your article about your dog’s survival, I did NOT put my rescued puppy down after he was diagnosed with distemper, although that was suggested by several vets.
It cost money, but after a 5-day stay in doggy ICU, he came home. He was not out of the woods yet, though…we (3 adults) took turns copaging (thumping his chest), nebulizing with saline water every hour, suctioning the mucous from his nose and his meds for pain. It took several months, but Jack is running around and looks great. No one said he could live (except you) and yet he did, with no obvious after-effects.
Thank you!
Well Linda congratulations to you, your dog and the two other human dog-care givers! So happy for you all and i hope you message will strengthen others as they fight for their own little furry ones…. Thanks
mam my dog is di nawawalan ng muta sa mata 2 months na cyang ganun naawa na ako anu bang gagawin ko anu po bang ang maaring sakit nya nauuntog na nga cya pag nag lalakd eh kc natatakpan na ng muta ang mga mata nya
Hi Cass please bring your dog to a vet for proper diagnosis… Do it asap because, as u said, nakakaawa na your dog. God bless
How long did the tick continue for???
Hi Monica, her twitching is practically gone now. We noticed this about 6 months ago. She still jerks around in her sleep every hour or so but the twitching is barely discernable. Its another miracle, really, and gives hope to other distemper survivors….
does she cry when she is twitching. my dog is twitching and cries alot, but i do not want to give her the phenobarbital. she was becoming very addicted to it. what do you give bailey for him not to cry when they are twitching?
Well, what is your dog’s problem? Does she have distemper? Phenobarbs are for controlling seizures. They are NOT for twitching. Bailey takes phenobarbs to avoid the seizures. I dont believe Dogs get addicted to phenobarbs but if your dog suffers from seizures then you need to see a vet who will decide if it needs phenobarbs or a diff treatment.
yes, i was giving her the phenobarbs for her to feel more comfortable and sleep. i need to only give them to her if she has a seizure. thank you. how long did it take before you knew the virus in Bailey was gone. i know the tic stays but, that there was no more progression on of the distemper disease? like you said above one day she is fine and the next she looks like death. i appreciate your responses.
Hi Monica Im not a vet but thats not how phenobarbs work. You dont give phenobarbs only when seizures happen. It is a maintenance drug so I am under strict orders to give it daily because stopping the pb can cause severe seizures.
One month After Bailey had her NDV Spinal Tap, we had her retested for Distemper and she was free of the virus. Get your Dog retested.
The rollercoaster good day bad day happened throughout her illness (about 4 weeks) and after the tap for about 2 weeks. So thats a total of 6 consecutive weeks of up and down days. It was craaaaazy!
Monica, what Distemper treatment have you given your dog? If she is twitching and crying that sounds like she is in the neuro stage. Are u in the US?
Hi.. I brought my pet to VIP too,, vet says she is negative in distemper but we dont understand why she is having involuntary muscle trembling. We brought her to another vet and they cant identified the cause of her leg twitching too. Can you recommend a clinic that can check her nerves problem? We feel so desparate. She cant sleep and just cry all day long. She has kennel cough too.
Hi Janz what did VIP say? Did you ask them for a diagnosis on why the twitching?
Yes.. we asked them. Vet said wala sila gamit to check her nerves. Xray didnt work too. Wala naman po sya pilay. They only gave her Vit B.. and a pain reliever but it doesnt work too. Also an antibiotic kasi mataas yung bacterial infection nya. Gusto ko na i-assume na positive sya sa distemper kasi wla naman kami maisip na ibang dahilan. She is only 4 months old. Please advise us what to do…
You cannot just assume na positive siya sa Distemper. For the sake of your dog’s health you need to retest him/her for Distemper. Assuming will not make it so. Sometimes there are mystery illnesses talaga and you can’t expect vets to know all the answers kaagad. so it is your responsibility to keep on searching for the reason behind your dog’s condition. As long as hindi pa siya lumalala at buhay pa naman, eating and functional then keep on searching for the truth.
So how is your dog na? I am praying for you and for the true cause of your dogs problems to become clear… God bless…
I contacted Ed Bond too then he advised us na mag undergo na sya ng spinal tap. We brought her sa SJVets, then sa Pendragon for tests again. And confirmed, she was positive in distemper at sa blood parasites. Poor baby. 😦 We fought for her.. but sabi nung vet malala na daw ung distemper nya.. kumbaga sa cancer, stage 4 nI contacted Ed Bond too then he advised us na mag undergo na sya ng spinal tap. We brought her sa SJVets, then sa Pendragon for tests again. And confirmed, she was positive in distemper at sa blood parasites. Poor baby. 😦 We fought for her.. but sabi nung vet malala na daw ung distemper nya.. kumbaga sa cancer, stage 4 na daw? Neuro stage, I think. We asked the vet na subukan na ang spinal tap.. pero dahil 4 months old pa lang sya, Dr Sears’ serum lang ang ibingay sa kanya.. then other medicines. Lumala sakit nya.. too late to save her. On Nov 20, our sweet beagle passed away. Pet Valley ang nagbigay ng service sa cremation nya.
We got her from Tiendesitas last Aug 21. Kaya pala in-advise kami sa mga gamot na iti-take nya in case daw na mpansin nming hnd sya ok. Duda na tlga ako kc 1st night pa lang nya sa amin.. iba na sya. Kawawa sila. Sna naaalagaang mabuti ung mga puppies sa Tiendesitas kasi magkakahawaan lang sla. Sna hnd sila tratuhing paninda lang.
Thanks Ms for sharing experiences and helping us. We tried.. but hnd kinaya ng baby namin ung sakit. Nung una kasi, bago namin dinala sa VIP.. pina-check din namin sa Animal house dhil sa ubo at sipon nya. For others, kahit un pa lang po findings sa pet nyo.. siguro pa-test nyo na agd kung positive sya sa distemper. OA na yta ako (I was just so sorry!) Para maagapan. Complete nman daw sya sa vaccine nung nkuha nmin.. pero un nga, she was very sick na pala. Ang bigat sa loob makitang hnd sya ok. She suffered too much. Ilang gabi sya hnd mkatulog.. at iyak lang ng iyak.
I remember, Elisa Test kit ung ginamit kay Beatrice.
More power to you. And hello to Bailey 🙂
I contacted Ed Bond too then he advised us na mag undergo na sya ng spinal tap. We brought her sa SJVets, then sa Pendragon for tests again. And confirmed, she was positive in distemper at sa blood parasites. Poor baby. 😦 We fought for her.. but sabi nung vet malala na daw ung distemper nya.. kumbaga sa cancer, stage 4 nI contacted Ed Bond too then he advised us na mag undergo na sya ng spinal tap. We brought her sa SJVets, then sa Pendragon for tests again. And confirmed, she was positive in distemper at sa blood parasites. Poor baby. 😦 We fought for her.. but sabi nung vet malala na daw ung distemper nya.. kumbaga sa cancer, stage 4 na daw? Neuro stage, I think. We asked the vet na subukan na ang spinal tap.. pero dahil 4 months old pa lang sya, Dr Sears’ serum lang ang ibingay sa kanya.. then other medicines. Lumala sakit nya.. too late to save her. On Nov 20, our sweet beagle passed away. Pet Valley ang nagbigay ng service sa cremation nya.
We got her from Tiendesitas last Aug 21. Kaya pala in-advise kami sa mga gamot na iti-take nya in case daw na mpansin nming hnd sya ok. Duda na tlga ako kc 1st night pa lang nya sa amin.. iba na sya. Kawawa sila. Sna naaalagaang mabuti ung mga puppies sa Tiendesitas kasi magkakahawaan lang sla. Sna hnd sila tratuhing paninda lang.
Thanks Ms for sharing experiences and helping us. We tried.. but hnd kinaya ng baby namin ung sakit. Nung una kasi, bago namin dinala sa VIP.. pina-check din namin sa Animal house dhil sa ubo at sipon nya. For others, kahit un pa lang po findings sa pet nyo.. siguro pa-test nyo na agd kung positive sya sa distemper. OA na yta ako (I was just so sorry!) Para maagapan. Complete nman daw sya sa vaccine nung nkuha nmin.. pero un nga, she was very sick na pala. Ang bigat sa loob makitang hnd sya ok. She suffered too much. Ilang gabi sya hnd mkatulog.. at iyak lang ng iyak.
I remember, Elisa Test kit ung ginamit kay Beatrice.
More power to you. And hello to Bailey 🙂
From what i understand, THe serum does not work once you reach Neuro stage. IT is really the tap that should have been done. Or serum AND tap. THat’ s what we did with BAiley. Serum then tap. She was already in the Neuro stage too but was already an adult dog when she fell ill. From what I know, VIP is more confident in giving the tap to dogs that are too small or too young. I don’t know much about Pendragon except from what readers have written to me here in the comments section….
anyway, that’s all water under the bridge, you’ve lost your baby and yes, it’s okay to mourn. GAnyan din ako sobrang OA ang emotions. EVen my hamster, when I lost her (5 years ago) I was so forlorn crying and crying. NAglasing pa ako, wahaahaha! It’s funny now but I tell you, I was so pathetic then. ANd I am a fully grown woman! Haaaayyy… we just love our pets so much….
Hi Janz, sorry to hear about Beatrice. I also lost a puppy last year to distemper.
Hi Joyce! I am still following this topic on your blog and it’s so sad to read about other dog owner’s experiences with distemper. Janz’s post caught my attention because he said Pendragon did not want to do a spinal tap on his 4-month-old puppy. From the other posts I’ve read here about their experiences with Pendragon — and adding my own experience with them — I have observed na medyo cautious sila in doing spinal tap on puppies. They also discouraged me and just did the Sear’s serum on our teacup pomeranian, who was only three months then. Even when our pup’s distemper has reached the neuro stage, they did not advise the spinal tap because he was too small and might not survive the procedure. However, since the neuro stage is the final stage of distemper, I thought, what the heck, I won’t just sit there and watch our pup baby die. So I made the decision. And since Pendragon did not want to do the spinal tap, I brought our frail pup to VIP for the procedure and he survived it. Pendragon is heaven-sent for having the Sear’s serum ready any time, but VIP has more confidence in doing the spinal tap, even on small dogs.
By the way, Joyce, after 7 months we now have a new furry friend at home — Carly, the beagle. My son got her as a gift last Christmas. She was only 2 months old then. She is now 4 months, healthy, completely vaccinated (we are doing it right this time!) and we love her, even though her energy wears us out all the time 🙂 Also, she was not bought from a pet store or a breeder. Her beagle parents were nurtured by a friend, who is also a dog lover. I think that’s the best way to acquire a pet.
Yes but doesn’t it just break your heart when you see dogs in petshops like the ones in Tiendesitas? THey too need homes. I think the better way to do it is for the Philippine government to come up with stricter laws on businesses like petshops. Kawawa talaga these sweet little dogs. ANd what can you do if you happen to fall in love with a baby from a petstore? It’s not our fault. These petshop owners should be responsible enough and should love their creatures. It’s really pathetic how they look at dogs/cats etc as a business. THey are like children and for many they ARE children. LIke my dogs are my babies.
ANyway, thanks for sharing your story, you are right, VIP will go for it since the dog is at the brink of death anyway. At least it’s another option for pet parents who feel they are willing to take the risk.
I myself am adding a new family member – a girl standard poodle! To act as a guardian dog and to be my child. I am so excited! I have only seen photos of the pups and have yet to choose…
we took our dog to the vet today and said she has distemper. the doctor gave her the serum therapy and some antibiotics. but its been a weak before we decided to visit the doctor. tonight ive noticed her jaw was moving as if she is chewing. will the medications help her not too get worse or is it too late?
Who is your vet? The chewing is a classic distemper sign that means the virus has progressed to the neurological phase and the serum didnt work. If im correct then you need the NDV Spinal Tap but please bring your dog asap. Dont wait anymore. This is a terrible disease and u need to be aggressive…
Hi ms Joyce.. today dinala ko dog ko sa vet (standard shihtzu)kase 4 days na sya my nasal discharge and eye discharge. At first i thought its only Cold and tried to give him antibiotics but it didnt work.. But before this symptoms first symptoms niya is Chewing i never thought it was that serious then follow na nasal discharge and eye discharge niya then today nagworried na ako and rush him to vet kase i saw a slight red fluids sa mouth niya.. so they ran CBC test and the doctor said he might have DISTEMPER and she gave me antibiotics and vitamins and a capsule for the chewing. Sabi ng doctor if makarecover sya in 2 days thats a good sign if not i have to expect that i might lose him. Nalungkot ako then started googling and found that this virus is curable nowadays. And hinde sya kumain the whole day yesterday and i felt relieve when he eat as soon as we get back from the hospital kanina. He never vommit nor diarrhea.. i hope thats a good thing.. if the only chance to survive is the serum then i might go for it. But im from Pampanga so may i know if ilang beses kau bumalik sa VIP? Btw i emailed u awhile ao didnt saw that there is forum but mayeb its the fastest way to communicate with u.. 🙂
Regards…
KHAYE
Pag may chewing symptoms na then it’s neurological and you need to do the spinal tap. Call VIP for all the things you need to do and bring. The tap.is a one time procedure, you don’t have to keep going back to VIP. call now and do it asap because your dog sounds like it’s in a severe state. Praying for you…
Thanks for the reply.. 🙂
Its been 5 days now mula nung pinacheckup ko baby ko… His been recovering too much.. No nasal and eye discharge no fever.. yesterday i brought him back for follow up check up.. Medyo nagimprove na sya just waiting his RBC wil be back to normal. Ung pagchew niya hinde na masyado malala,, minsan na lang. sabi ng vet ko either his stress or suspected to have the viral disease.. follow up check up in 2 weeks.. and to all i read i think my baby is fighting the virus.. his eyes are cleared white now and he been eating by himself. And i just found out that his shot is really not updated.so i might get that done when he recover asap.. Thank you sa blog mo 🙂 it helps me alot..
dr valerio, its the nearest vet here in our place. we already confined her today and i told the doctor what i have noticed last night. he would inform us if the virus progresses. he said that if the virus affects the nerve there are no chances of surviving. 😦
Im sorry but read my post again. Bailey’s Distemper reached the nuero stage but she survived after she recieved the spinal tap. If you u want your dog to have a chance at survival pull him/her out NOW and get the Spinal.Tap done at VIP. Do it now. For the statistics on NDV tap survival visit the website “Kind Hearts in Action”.
I also am doubtful if your vet really gave Al Sears’s Serum. It is different from Canglob. It requires a donor dogbto donate blood. As for Canglob I have yet to see stats of how many dogs survive with it. Ive searched online and cant find anything.
Anyway, call VIP right now, ask if they can perform the spinal tap. Ask if they have stock of the NDV. Then after the tap you can return your dog to your vet for confinement bec VIP does not accept D Dogs for confinememt because Dist is super super contagious.
Please move now, dont wait.
Hi Madamme,
It’s been almost 3 weeks now after the NDV spinal tap and our pug is now recovering. Although she lost her hind legs she is doing great. Eats and Drinks on her own now. Bowel movement is also now regular. The NDV spinal tap works. The last medicine our vet gave her is Phenobarbital and the twitches and seizures are now very minimal sometimes it does not bother her. We are not moving in to the rehab phase.
We also found out very late of the distemper, we had the tap 3 days after the neuro signs appeared.
Our vet first performed the spinal tap through the documentation given by Ed bond.
if your Vet does not want to do this please convince them or sign a waiver. It will really help your dog. The NDV serum is the most expensive yet the most effective in the early stages of Distemper. If with Neuro signs do the tap, if after 14 days no improvement have another spinal tap.
Vitamins given:
No Vit B ( as explained by dr sears)
Vit C
Vit A
Lots of water and malunggay extract
Sometimes honey
Vit E
This blog has been helping me a lot about this dangerous virus. Thank you for this article it gave me the drive to pursue this alternative procedure.
Im happy for you! But I have a few questions:
1) What exactly do u mean about your pugs losing his hind legs?
2) Who is your vet and where is the clinic?
3) Wow, perform a second NDV 14 days later if first tap doesnt work? Did Ed Bond tell you this?
Anyway thanks for the update because all the new info we get here has the potential to save other dogs so maraming salamat!
1) She has lost her strength in his hind legs, she can stand but has no balance. I have to support his hind legs for her to walk properly, I was planning to make a cart with wheels to train her hind legs. I keep massaging them. According to Ed bond, although the virus was killed the damage cannot be undone, so now time is our Hope.
2) I’m in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental Visayas, When I first email Ed he gave me vets in manila, I said I am islands away. We do not have access to vets in Manila, so I asked our local vet if she is willing to do the Tap. She has heard of it but has not tried it. We sign a waiver then proceeded with the NDV spinal Tap using La sota strain. I was desperate as neuro signs are fast to progress. The cost was around 2000 php
3) As I was reading the forum of kind hearts in action I saw a post about 14 days after spinal tap and it got worst, and then one answer suggested a second tap 12-14 days after the first one if their is no progress, I’ve confirmed this with Ed and he said there was a Vet in Houston who did it routinely.
Right now she eats on her own although in a crawling position and drinks water as well. She is trying to play with other dogs but she always falls.
Still in Vit C
Small does of Phenobarbital
Cod liver oil
Lots of TLC as you this article suggested
I have 1 adult and 3 puppies but good thing they were not infected with the virus as they have 2 shots already.
Ms Joyce
It is almost a month since the NDV spinal tap, My pug can now walk, although she still stumble and sometimes wobble but she is slowly getting her strength back . We keep massaging the hind legs and the spine.
We give Phenobarb for maintenance only as prescribe by our vet, half once daily and after a week every other day.
To everyone reading this: If your Dog is in the Neuro stage have the NDV( New Castle Disease Virus) spinal tap. It works like World War Z. In order to kill the Distemper virus they use another virus for chickens. Do not be afraid to try it. I rather have 50% chance than nothing. Post care is really important- Fluids, food, Vitamins (no B)
Myddin (BM) shows a symptoms of distemper right now. She has runny eyes and blisters in her abdomen. She got her last shot of 5in1 vaccine last August 16. I can’t sleep right now because I’m too worried about her current situation.
Blisters in the abdomen are not distemper symptoms. Please get your dog tested for it ASAP anyway. Thats the only way to tell for sure…
It’s been 8 days since the spinal tap. Our pug still has head bobs and cannot walk. She eats and drinks water but we have to give it to her not by her own. How would we know she is out of the virus? What other type of care should we give her, so far just vitamins and finishing her antibio. We did not give her neurotics yet. Do we need it? she has no balance, head bobs and twitches
Hm. We had a neuro med (Gabapentin) which Bailey took from Day 1 to 3 after the tap. But it made her so groggy we took her off it.
From what you describe, your pug is not yet out of the woods. It was the same case with Bailey. Very little improvement until after two weeks post-tap.
A month after the tap, we had her tested for Distemper and she was negative for the virus.
Btw, how does your dog poo and pee if he cant walk on his own?
Apart from antibiotics, I was giving Bailey Colloidal Silver. subcutaneous fluids too because she wasnt drinking much. Im really glad your dog is eating.
Take it a day at a time. Your dog is still fighting for its life, it seems, so the best you can do, apart from all the meds, food and H20 is to continue giving lots of TLC. Im praying your dog wins the battle…
If I bring her outside she walks but has no direction then falls, his front legs are okay but right hind leg is woobly, The only good thing is that the neuro symptoms did not get worst after day 2 since the tap.She poops and pee there.
We gave her Vit C, Immunol, fish oil every other day, Vit e.No B yet as we stop it after reading the notes from Dr, Sears.
Probably we need to give her Pedialite?
Thank you for responding, I was reading the comments and the article since the time she was diagnosed. We kind of know it very late already and we had to contact ed bond for the spinal tap documentation. Our local vet gave it a shot, well nothing to lose anymore at the time, we need to give her something to fight for.
It’s been 8 days since the spinal tap. Our pug still has head bobs and cannot walk. She eats and drinks water but we have to give it to her not by her own. How would we know she is out of the virus? What other type of care should we give her, so far just vitamins and finishing her antibio. We did not give her neurotics yet. Do we need it? she has no balance, head bobs and twitches
Dear ms. Joyce, i would like to make sure if the serum at pendragon has been approved by ed bond?
Hi Cristina, good question. Are you in touch with Ed?
Ms.joyce i sent you email. Please read, i just lost one puppy today after the spinal tap last night 😦 im worried for my sharpei puppy
Okay, checking email now…
My dogs are distemper/parvo survivors. When we had them tested if they were already clear from the virus and it came back negative, i was so relieved that they have already recovered and survived a fatal disease! what puzzled me was right after confirming that my dogs are clear from the virus, my vet insisted that they should have two doses of 5 in 1 vaccine explaining my dogs are more at risk since they were exposed to the virus. She wants to give the first dose at the same day they were tested negative and the second dose a few weeks after. Was it the same for bailey? Did she get vaccinated right after recovery?Im quite confused cause tha way i see it my dogs have already formed a natural immunity to the virus being exposed to it and if they would undergo a titer test im pretty sure the results will show that they have high antibodies for distemper and parvo. Ive been researching online and i havent found any case of distemper that needed another vaccination right after recovery. What are your thoughts about this?
Hi Anne, excellent question! Bailey gets her annual 5 in 1 shot which includes distemper but I dont remember the timimng. I think you should try calling VIP and asking the vets there. I remember they gave me an explanation as to why Bailey still needed annual protection vs distemper but cant remember what it was. Bottomline was that Bailey still needed it so she gets it every year….
I agree that they should still have annual 5 in 1 shots, but what was troubling me was they wanted to give it right away, as in right after finding out they are negative. my dogs are not yet due for their annual shots, they were about 5-6 months when they contracted the disease so technically they have just finished their puppy shots which should have protected them from that very disease. My third dog which is a two year old contracted the disease just 3 days after his annual 5 in 1! Jeez, talk about protection, and now that his clear of the virus they wanted to give him 2 doses of 5 in 1 again. Im beggining to get wary of over vaccination. I will try to call vip as you suggested, i hope they entertain questions off the phone.
Yes. That sounds strange. You should talk to VIP and maybe a couple othet vets. Unfortunately, dogs still can get distemper etc even after youve vaccinated them but its supposed to be a rare occurence so for that to happen to all your dogs is quite odd. But talking to a good vet, maybe a couple of them, should be the way to go….
Hi ms. Joyce, thanks to your blog, we we’re able to give our husky the ndv induced serum on his early onset of distemper. If it wasnt for your info, we would only be relying on Canglob, immunoglobulin. After our husky has been diagnosed with distemper (runny nose with mucus, eye discharge, coughing, lethargy) our neighborhood vet gave him a shot of Canglob. But i wasnt satisfied and the next day, after his second shot of Canglob, we went straight to Pendragon Vet in Kalayaan. It was a hassle-free, fully-furnished, fully equipped hospital. They have an isolation room for distemper and they accept confinement of dogs with distemper. The best part is, they have their own blood bank and stocks of NDV. After running all test for my husky, which took about 1 hour, i had them proceed with the ndv serum. They took him overnight, his last shot will be at 3pm this afternoon. We are being positive about the shot. The vet did not recommend the spinal tap since he is still in the early stage of distemper (no twitching). Again, thank you very much! I know we’ve done all the best for our husky, hoping and praying now that he will get well soon!
Our dog, Budoy (who me and my BF consider as an offspring) was diagnosed with distemper last august 4, 2014. He’s a doxy BTW.
But before that, our OTHER dog (askal), Darna, had it first. She is older than budoy (budoy just turned 3 years old last august 1, 2014). Approximately july 28 2014. NOW Darna’s doing fine. She only had one rabies vaccine as a puppy and thats it.
Budoy however had complete shots as a puppy but was just late in his annual deworm and rabies shots.
Budoy was given Distemper therapy shots, prescibed some cephalexin (liquid) for 7 days, twice a day, metronidazole for 7 days twice a day, vit c and some anti fever med once aday for 4 days (forgot the term).
Was advised to be admitted, but then wala kaming pambayad and were on a budget. So, home care na lang.
vet said we can rub honey or pancake syrup in his palate if innapetent para daw may energy ng konti.
The only thing that gave is relief is that he likes to walk outside. And he drinks lotsa water.
Tulog lang ng tulog palagi, pero pag anjan kami ng BF ko, gising naman sya. He even wags his tail when given attention.
He just vomit about twice a day. (unlike nung dati na 6-9 times a day sumuka ng clear to cloudy liquid). and mapili sa pagkain.
I try to look strong in front of my BF but deep inside I AM DYING already. Budoy is our MIDDLE MAN (or dog) when we were just dating pa naman… And he still is!
I really hope he gets well.
Nakaka-awa lang pag pinapainum namin ng meds kasi ayaw nya talaga uminom.
I was thinking of incorporating his meds with food. Ill try to buy some raw ground meat kasi hilig nya yun. or maybe some boiled chicken sa susunod na sweldo.
Pleas include our budoy in your prayers.
Hello Quirky, I’m not sure if I replied to you yet. My apologies for my crazy schedule. ANyway, how is Budoy? What is the latest on him?
he wont eat any more, but i strive to give him meat broths via syringe. he takes them. he has this yellow discharges in his eyes and nose, parang tao rin pala, saka lang lumalabas ung sipon pagkatapos ng 1 week na hirap huminga. kakatapos lang ng meds nya. tapos me white film yung mata nya kaya hirap makakita. just keeping my self optimistic by thinking na kahit papano nakakaubos ng 110 Ml. na broth.
My BF is soooo depressed. And Im affected. He can’t stand seeing him na mahina. I try my best to look pokerfaced para di sya masyado malungkot. Trying to maintain the good vibes and hoping Budoy will survive. It wont be easy if we lose him. SYa kasi middle man namin. And he’s like a SON for us.
Were taking him back to the vet to have his eyes checked.
Im hoping and praying hard that he gets well. Ang hirap talaga eh! Iba yung umuuwi ka sa bahay na me nagaantay sayong Budoy na super excited makita ka.
Will you go for the spinal tap? please dont delay.. do it asap for all your sakes… tho it comes with risks and will not assure healing, i believe the risk is worth it!
His vet said, NDV spinal tap is only for distemper victims with neuroligical signs (yung nanginginig, walang control sa muscles or seizures). He did received NDV intrevenously, thats what he recommended kasi wala pa syang nervous signs, so mas mura. 400pesos kasi yung spinal tap di basta2 nagagawa ng walang risk.
As of the moment, budoy’s accepting 40-60ml meat broth/water and I feed him 1 tbsp mashed bananas (for potassium!). Since wala kaming honey which is recomended by the vet, I subtituted white sugar na pinupunas sa ibabaw ng dila nya . I know sugar isnt good for dogs pero Im just weighing things and chose the LESSER EVIL. Dogs can taste sweetness unlike cats. So sugar can give him the urge to eat. It works, pero via syringe lang pakain ko sa kanya. Ill be buying a big syringe, big enough to fit a plastic tube na pwedeng lagyan ng mashed foods. Ill just pretend na nagpapakain lang ako ng batang masakit ang ngipin.
This really breaks my heart!
But Im just trying to be strong for his owner. Kasi pag nagpakita ako na depressed ako, mas madedepress sya lalo.
Im sharing you his story.
http://irisignacio1986.blogspot.com/2014/08/i-love-you-budoy.html?spref=fb
grabe, di ko mapigil di umiyak pag ako lang mag isa.
Hi, how is bailey now? Normally, how long a recovered dog can be contagious? My vet said na kahit tumagal yung dog ko, forever na siyang nakakahawa. Parang ayaw ko maniwala. Is this true?
Hi John its been a little more than three years since her battle with Distemper and she is doing fine. About 8 months after her spinal tap she started having seizures so we had to put her on phenobarbs. But a very low dose seems to work, thank God. Phenobarbs are bad for the liver in high doses kasi.
As for her twitching, it has almost gone away except for the jaw clenching. Its a miracle really because my research told me the twitching is for life na dapat. But she barely twitches now however she does have strong spasms that last for a few seconds every night in her sleep. She is my miracle dog!
As for her being contagious for life is outrageous. Her constant companions at home are Ramses my Chihuahua and Broyles my Schnoodle. And Woolsey my aspin who has never had shots because he is afraid to go in my car is her companion too but he’s fine as the clear blue sky. All my dogs are!
Hate to say this but you might want to start shopping for a new vet…
Yup. First vet didn’t have any diagnosis. Second vet did a test and confirmed it is distemper, but advised to put my dog to sleep because he’ll carry the disease (daw) forever. He is twitching his jaw often when he is steady or asleep.
I have two other dogs so I need to isolate him. I’ll bring him to my sister’s house and baka dun na din ako matulog paminsan minsan, malapit lang naman. My sister’s maid agreed to take care of him when I’m not around. I give Vitamin C, Cefalexin and Vitamin Bplus as prescribed by the vet.
As for the mucus in the eyes, when did it stop? Are there any meds for this? He had mucus in the nose but it seems the discharged stopped. Yung sa eyes na lang ang meron. He seemed improved by the meds, he barks a lot now and runs around. He eats and drinks. But as I’ve read it’s a bad day/good day disease. I’m still hoping and praying of continuous improvement.
1 to 2% of dogs can survive Distemper. But the NDV spinal.tap will increase those chances to 40-70%. To see the stats please visit the Kind Hearts in Action website. i believe your best action is to have the tap done.
There is no use really in ‘curing’ the eye mucus. Its really part of Distemper and goes away when the dog gets better. If he/she gets better.
Just clean the eye area as best as u can with warm water and cotton buds.
If your other dogs were exposed to your distemper dog even for just seconds, id stay on the safe side and have them tested asap. There are two treatments for early stage distemper – The serum and the NDV body shot.
And i do hope and pray you consider the Spinal Tap for your ill baby.
Are you planning to bring your dog to VIP or Pendragon for NDV treatments?
hi ms. joyce! tanong ko po kung magkano ang NDV spinal tap. Kagaya nyo rin po ang aso namin ay aspin. Isang matanda na at bata pa. Iyong matanda ang na-diagnose na may distemper nahawa na lang po ang isa. Sa ngayon apat ang gamot nya : bromivet, cotrimed, canicee at dextrose in powder. Please send me an email. Maraming salamat po.
the NDV spinal tap is around 4k. to see success rate of NDV in stopping Distemper, search Kind Hearts in Action website on Google….
would like to first commend your blog about how Bailey got well. I could only imagine the loss of lives without the enlightenment from your website.
I am a self confessed pet lover to the point of adopting abandoned and injured furbabies. I have 16 separately cats and now 1 dog.
The pup which I would fondly call ” Doggy” was adopted from her former owner, a neighbor who feeds her “when able.” So ever since she was a tiny puppy, she would try to sneak into our yard and even try to beg for some cat food. Needless to say I had been feeding her since. She kinda grew attached (but still would not let me pet her) to the point that she would be welcoming me home and even trying to get in the car just to sniff my legs whenever i arrive. However, at that time the owner made it clear that their young son (a kid) had been playing with the dog and doesnt think of having it adopted. Towards the last week of June though, I noticed that she had lost alot of weight and was literally skin and bones. To start with her appetite is really not that big that’s why she’s lean even before. I got alarmed at her state and spoke with the owner that I will bring her to the vet, he(the 40ish man) definitely agreed that I take him as he says he is planning to give her away or throw her away as she’s already sick!
By June 24th I notice that she kept rubbing her eyes and there was suddenly alot of discharge from her eyes when she sleeps. I wasted no time and brought her to the vet nearest to us with facilities for blood work. She was diagnosed to be with distemper (that was June 25). Doggy is also found to be with erlichia and worms so the doc gave doxycycline, prednisone, malunggay capsules and ascorbic acid. On the follow up check up 2 weeks later (july 9) , she had her 2nd round of deworming and had Frontline treatment to eliminate all her ticks. On the two weeks that I was caring for her, I would say that from July 5th til then her appetite went up and she would eat well already. however on the two-week interval from June 25th – july 9th. her meds were the same besides the malunggay capsule that was replaced with Iberet tablet with Bcomplex. i made sure i to research on distemper. and that’s when I saw a blog speaking of having a dog get well due to spinal tap. the blog also zeroed in to details in so much so that ur site was highly recommended. The blog is of Ms. Joyce.
By July 11th, the twitching was far too evident and this had evolved from the tremors on her hind legs that began in June 30. Reading blogs after blogs that seizures may come in anytime, I made “nursery” out the baby puzzle rubber matting that I had looked for specifically for her. This is to make sure that even the wall near her is cushioned.
I decided to go for the spinal tap on the 14th (yesterday). I followed the your blog’s advice to have the spinal tap done in VIP (vets in practice clinic in the city fo mandaluyong. The doc (Dr. Gina) discussed the risks on doing the spinal tap, one of which is that the dog might not wake up anymore.And seeing Doggy very attentive and all, I took the risk. And SHE WOKE UP! 🙂 However, none of her meds are changed and the doc only added Gagabetin (i hope i spelled it correctly) to lessen the twitching. I am writing to you now to ask is there anything more that should be given to my Doggy? I mean say high doses of immune system strengthening vitamins or a certain high dosage of vitamin C. I am afraid she might catch any more infection after while in the process of recovery Please share what else I may do to ensure she braves it well? Also how do I know she’s out of the woods already?
P.S. So far she never had seizures but her hind legs has no strength to sit or stand, she only uses her front legs.
another P.S. at the VIP Doggy was given the spinal tap PLUS the NCD body shot
I think thats very wise and covers more bases than just the tap alone. Bailey had the serum shots (which we gave too late) and then the tap. I still think that even if we gavevthe serum too late, that combined with the Tap helped her recover. But it was a very very slow recovery because she was so close to death when we gave the tap. It took two weeks post tap before we saw improvement in her.
The trouble with Distemper, is that there are good days and bad days. The good days make you think your dog is getting better so u delay treatment. What ppl need to know is once their dog is diagnosed with Distemper they need to move aggressively and not delay treatment. An aggressive illness needs aggressive treatment, IMHO. But those seemingly good days make us think our dogs are beating the odds, lulling us into a false sense of hope… Distemper is truly a traitorous villain.
Anyway, stay in touch… im praying for Doggy!
Dear Nina, thank you for sharing how you and Doggy became close. The kindness you displayed is astounding! To me (and Doggy) you are the sun while that man is the scum of the earth.
Anyway, a few questions: how is the appetite of Doggy? Even with bad hind legs can she pee or poo on her own? Is she still on doxycycline?
Dont give Vitamin C muna. Ask the vet first or research which Vitamins are best for Distemper dogs. I gave Bailey a Vit B complex. But i think i read something about Vit D but please ask first since im not a vet.
One other thing is Colloidal Silver. You can add that to Doggy’s meds. Research on it too. Its an anti fungal, anti viral and anti bacterial oral / topical liquid. I drink it myself when I feel like Im catching something. VIP sells it. I buy mine at the Sunday Market in Legaspi, Makati.
Gabapentin will make your dog suuuper groggy. I remember taking Bailey off it on Day 3 or 4 post tap bec she was so lethargic. She perked up afterwards. But I asked the vet first if I could do it.
Oh, did they prescribe subcutaneous fluids? Thats for dealing with dehydration.
Right now your best weapon is TLC. When Bailey was ill, i set up a TV and fan in her ‘ward’ which was the patio of the house. And i stayed there with her watching TV, reading books and touching her all the time. I would do the dog whispering thing too! I spoke to her constantly assuring her that I was with her all the way, win or lose.
I hope this helps you. If you more concerns email me at jaedeelight@yahoo.com
hoping and praying for the best!
Thanks Ms. Joyce for the prompt response.
To ans your questions:
– Doggy’s appetite is alright. She has double or triple her appetite from way back when she still doesnt have distemper yet.
-Yes, even with bad hind legs she pees and or poops on her own. she would try to prop herself up and make her way inches from her pillows when she wants to pee or poop. She pees like 3-4 times a day and poops once in the morning and once at night.
-Yes she ‘s still on doxycycline half tab once a day.
“Dont give Vitamin C muna. Ask the vet first or research which Vitamins are best for Distemper dogs. I gave Bailey a Vit B complex. But i think i read something about Vit D but please ask first since im not a vet.”
—she’s already on Ascorbic acid ( is that same as Vit C?) since June 25th – July 9th half of 500mg 2x and then from July 10th onwards it was reduced to half of 500mg ONCE a day. and when informed doc Gina (the one who did the spinal tap) said she’s not gonna be changing any of the meds and will just ad gabapentin to alleviate the twitching. I however am soooo scared she might catch pneumonia or something that’s wny I was asking what else I can give to strengthen her immune system 😦
“One other thing is Colloidal Silver. You can add that to Doggy’s meds. Research on it too. Its an anti fungal, anti viral and anti bacterial oral / topical liquid. I drink it myself when I feel like Im catching something. VIP sells it. I buy mine at the Sunday Market in Legaspi, Makati.”
—Alright I’ll have one of staff drop by there to get one. Does it have side effects though?
“Gabapentin will make your dog suuuper groggy. I remember taking Bailey off it on Day 3 or 4 post tap bec she was so lethargic. She perked up afterwards. But I asked the vet first if I could do it.”
—- tonight was the first time I had her take Gabapentin and since reading your response I noticed she seems to be in deep slumber ( she sleeps very lightly before)
“Oh, did they prescribe subcutaneous fluids? Thats for dealing with dehydration.”
— No they didnt… to compensate for the lack of which I have her drink 12 ml of water thru syringe after each meal…she growls, bites the syringe from the side of her mouth but laps the water until its finished. Would that suffice?
Im sorry to have alot of questions in turn. Im just glad to have read your blog.And yes I will practice the “dog whispering” too 🙂
Last month our belgian pup passed away due to distemper. What age or month does Bailey caught the distemper? im worrying about my two adult aspin/askal dog doesn’t have vaccs
Hi Michael, sorry I only am responding to your query now because it got stuck in Spam and I found it today as I was clearing out spam.
Anyway, Bailey had her distemper when she was two or three years old already that is why the vet did not suspect Distemper at first. Its usually puppies that catch it. Distemper is highly communicable and you two adult dogs will catch if they were exposed to the puppy. All it takes is one sniff and the virus can be passed. How are your two dogs now?
Hi,
my puppy 3mos golden ret was already 20days post spinal tap. Is he already out of the woods considering his. Appetite is currently good?
Yes, mosy likely out of the woods but best practice is to have your baby tested for Distemper a month after NDV just to make sure!
Hi Good day po!
Ask ko lang po yung address ng Vets in Practice sa Mandaluyong?
How much din po yung nagastos nio po for her recovery w/ distemper?.
Please please po nag wo-worry na po tlga ako sa dog ko po…
Please i really need your help po… 😥
Many Thanks,
Dianne Reyes
Hi Dianne, I texted you na…
During the last week of May, I noticed my 5 year old dog feeling weary. We just thought she was just having a flu, or something but she was different. I noticed her having a runny nose, and coughinh. We didn’t really know what was wrong with her, so we took her to the vet last May 30, 2014 and the vet concluded that she was diagnosed with CANINE DISTEMPER VIRUS. We deeply regret on why we didn’t take her earlier to the vet for vaccination, knowing that this is a very deadly virus. But then the vet told us that we can still save her. Then he recommended the following medications:
Broncure (for coughing, sneezing) – 5ml (2x/day for 10 days)
Immunosin (for warts) – 4ml (2x/day for 7 days)
B1 B6 B12 capsule (vitamins) and
Cefalexin 500 mg tablet (anti-biotic)
We’re now on our 7th day of treatment. It was hard giving her the meds especially Broncure and Immunosin, which should be given through a syringe because she easily runs away. She has muscles twitches on her legs, she can’t fully open her eyes and her nose also has gotten dry and has boogers. I try to take it off with cotton buds once in a while. We put ice wrapped in towel on her tummy and feet to make her feel cool. She’s also picky when she eats. She may like this now, and not later. One thing we’re very worried about is her bowel movement’s very slow. We give her lots of water but it’s been a week since she hasn’t defecated. We just hope she’ll survive the treatment because she’s been a part of the family already. Please include my dog, Nikki in your prayers. Thank you!
Have you seen any improvement? Like steady improvement? Distemper is usually marked by good days and bad days. The good days make you think your baby is getting better and lull you into a false sense of security. If your dog isn’t getting better in a steady manner, please consider the spinal tap. You can get stats and more info on the Kind Hearts in Action website. The treatment is offered by both Vets in Practice and Pendragon Vet clinics.
Wait, you mentioned warts in your Distemper treatment. Warts are not part of Distemper, to my knowledge. That is strange.
Hmm… you really should talk to Doc Neilsen at Vets in Practice or to the head vet at Pendragon. The treatment you describe seems to only be for support and won’t fight the virus at all. You need to boost your dogs immune system to fight the virus, that is what the NDV treatments do. Please talk to VIP or Pendragon asap.
Last friday night, she stopped eating na. So we decided to stop giving her meds na dahil baka lalo lang siyang mahihirapan. I’m from Cebu and konti lang ang veterinaries na malapit sa lugar namin. Sadly hindi in-advice ng vet ang spinal tap, and I think that’s what we should’ve have done first. She died last night 6:33 pm, I could not stop crying since then. But anyway, thank you for the info. I wish Nikki would have lasted and survived like Bailey.
Hi Shela, they most likely wont suggest it because its not a procedure you will see in veterinary handbooks. Its really just an experiment that the veterinary society in the US rejected. so people who saw that the NDV procedures could save dogs just went online to promote it as a way to increase your dog’s chances of beating distemper.
Anyway, i am truly sorry for your loss. And thank you for leaving a note even in the midst of your pain. In my heart i believe that you and i will see all our pets again when we get to heaven…
I lost my dog today. 😥 Thanks for all the info anyway. </3
Paula, im sorry for your loss 😦 and my heart goes out to u…
Hi Ms. Joyce, I just want to update you how my lil boy’s doing. He’s now okay, I could say that he’s a Distemper Survivor confidently. After a week after body shot, he developed twitching and jerking, but he’s playing and eating na that time. But I was nervous. So I decided to bring him at Pendragon for spinal tap. Before doing the spinal tap, they did ELISA test and CDV test, both negative! Meaning, wala na syang distemper! Pero on medication pa din sya to control twitching and jerking, no seizures eversince. He’s playing, eating so much, barking and getting fat! His nose is always wet. No more hard paws and thick nose. Yeeeehey! Thank u Ms. Joyce and thank God!
Fantastic! Bailey is also on medication to manage seizures but im just thankful she is alive and kicking hard! Indeed this is good news thanks for the update, im sure it will give hope to others!
Hi! My dog has just been diagnosed with distemper. And Im willing to try all the possible treatments that are available. My I know how’s Bailey doing so far? After how many days or weeks did he return to his normal condition?
Bailey is great, i have a video of her somewhere in the comments. Her twitching is less pronounced. She runs, plays, eats like a normal dog but has seizures so needs daily medication. It took her a slow month to recover bec she was at the brink of death during the tap. But now she’s a bouncy dog again!
Thanks. Praying that my dog will have the same results.
Yes, move fast because Distemper is a traitorous disease…
Hi. We just went to the vet this morning and we opted for another treatment which is the immunoglobulin shots. The vet didnt recommend the spinal tap because of the risks involved during the sedation process. Im curious with what happened to Bailey after they gave anesthesia? Do you know what type of anesthesia they gave him? They also mentioned that they had a previous case where the dog died after sedating. Now we’re having second thoughts because my dog is having spasms all throughout the day.
Youre having second thoughts in the sense that now you are thinking that you should do the tap? Well, its a tough decision talaga because some dogs do not wake up anymore, that is true. But Bailey was at the brink of death and the stats on the Kind Hearts in Action website (search it) gave me hope. i havent seen any site that gives the success/fail rate of immunoglobulin. but what i know is it should be given in the early stage to be effective. unfortunately, distemper is usually discovered when its in the late stages. The Tap is a late-stage treatment when all else fails. However, there is the risk that your dog wont wake up or that the tap wont work because the virus has done too much damage.
Im not sure what Bailey’s anaesthetic waa but she was out only for 20 minutes. I took the risk because she was going to die anyway. The survival/success rate of the tap is 40-70% depending on certain factors compared to the stat that 1 dog in 100 can survive Distemper without intervention.
By the way, may i ask why thd vet is worried that your dog wont wake up? is it because your dog is a puppy or very small?
Hi Paula and Joyce, if I may butt in on the sedation for the spinal tap. In my experience with our dearest Daimyo, our pomeranian teacup, that was also the biggest concern we (me and the vet) had when we brought him to VIP for the spinal tap– he was too small, only weighing 600 grams. To diminish the risk, the vet gave him a dose of anesthesia that is lower than the minimum. He woke up about 15 to 20 minutes after the procedure. Bring your dog to VIP, they would know how to do it. Best of luck!
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Hi
My name is Rebecca
My 2 month old puppy has canine distemper.
We just got her check at the nearest vet in our area and there they diagnosed her with canine distemper.
I would like to ask for opinions,recommendations or anything that would help my puppy stay longer with me.
Bring your puppy either to Vets in Practice (Mandaluyong) or to Pendragon Veterinary Clinic (QC). You can find their phone number and address online. Inform them that your puppy has been diagnosed with Distemper but bring the diagnosis from your original vet to prove it. They might still ask for another test just to make sure because there is such a thing as a false positive.
Then they will determine, with your decision, if you should do one of three things:
1) NDV Body Shot – for early stage Distemper. The cheapest treatment.
2) Dr. Sears’ Serum shots – for early stage Distemper. Pendragon already has the Serum available. At Vets in Practice you will be required to bring a big dog to donate blood before they can make the Serum. The most expensive treatment.
3) Spinal Tap – for advanced stage Distemper.
You may also opt for Canglob shots. It’s an anti-Distemper medication.
Distemper is usually marked by both good days and bad days. The good days will make you think your dog is getting better but the virus is actually luring you into a false sense of security. So bring your dog asap, even if he seems to be getting better. The virus is a terrible one that digs deep into your dogs system, attacks the body first, then enters the spine and ends up in the brain leaving your dog to die after a series of seizures. So please take action now. Do not wait and see. Just go.
Hi Gemma,
I lost my beloved dog just this Sunday because of distemper. Like you, I was also lead to Ms. Joyce’s blog as I was researching for ways to stop this fatal disease. After my Brando died last Sunday, at the slightest coughing of my other dog, I immediately had him tested for canine distemper. He was positive.
I had a bad experience at VIP-Katipunan just this Sunday. I confined my dog there from Friday-Saturday and they only diagnosed my Brando for bronchitis and ehrlichiosis. I got him Saturday morning but when we got home he was breathing laboriously, such that I went back to VIP-Katipunan the next day. It was only last Sunday when he was diagnosed for distemper because the attendant told the vet to have Brando tested for distemper.
As he was not at the neuroligical stage, the doctor gave Brando a body shot. An hour later, he died on our way home in my car. Similar to one of those who commented above, he just expired like that.
Anyway, I will rant about this on a separate forum.
More importantly, I think, Gemma, is if your dog is in the pre-neurological stage, it’s best to go to Pendragon Veterinary Clinic in Kalayaan, QC. I brought my other dog, Barney there right now, and unlike in VIP, they have the Sears Serum in their bank. You won’t be subjected to further stress in trying to find a donor dog. Furthermore, they confine distempered dogs there so they get the care that they need. My dog was confined Tuesday and I’m hoping he will be released tomorrow. I visited him yesterday and he was doing very well. 🙂 He’s also eating already and moving around. The Sears Serum is quite expensive though.
If you’re dog is already twitching, Pendragon also does the NDV Spinal Tap. They have complete facilities and are very caring with their patients. Please look for Dra. Mae Valera. The Hospital is also open 24 hours and accepts emergency cases like me. 🙂
Hope this helps,
Cez
Thanks! I did refer Gemma to Pendragon. I dont know anything abt that clinic except that PAWS recommended it to another lady with a Distemper dog. Im am deeply sorry about your VIP experience and the loss of your dog. I, on the other hand, have had good experiences with them overall. The one good thing is now we know that there is an alternative vet who offers the NDV treatments….
Good Afternoon. we will be going to pendragon tomorrow to get treatment for distemper. my dogs are 3 months old. Ma’am how much does the Sears treatment cost? i would really appreciate a feedback from you. thank you so much!
Hello joyce. My name is gemma. Three of my dogs has distemper and it sadens me so much. I first went to animal house to cure them, but i was not really impressed on the attention theyre giving to my dog they do not entertain my question on how to cure distemper at all. So i searched in the internet for cure to distemper, and insaw your post. I asked them the procesure you have posted and they do not know about it. Or maybe its just not in their meedical protocol. So ive decided to go to VIP. Theyve first given me NCD through IV. Its been three days but i dont see huge improvements yet. Pls help me, joyce. What are signs that my dogs are improving. Though one of my dog isnalready eating although in a sleeping position. If its posible, cAn i get in touch with you to and asks for guide to help my three dogs speed ul their recovery. I will apreciate it very much. Thank you! Pls contact me at my fb acct: hoping for your kindest responce. Thaank you.
Gemma. i tried looking for u on fb but cant seem to find you. but i sent email , check your box. ty
Im so sorry. The email above is inactive. Can you email me instead at gem_cbllr@yahoo.com thank you!
the email i sent u bounced. please email me at jaedeelight@yahoo.com
Ive emailed you already. Thanks!
Hi Joyce, it’s 1:56 a.m. and I am wide awake searching the internet for a cure for distemper in the Philippines and I am super thankful my search led me to your site. Daimyo, our 11-month-old tiny Pomeranian has been diagnosed with Distemper five days ago. We took him to the vet’s clinic because he wasn’t eating and was too weak he couldn’t walk. He was also coughing. Good thing that the vet did the Distemper test but she didn’t say that our puppy can survive the disease (I took our pup to Animal House in Makati since it is the nearest to our place). The vet prescribed Isoprinosine (an antiviral drug) and Vitamin B complex, and asked us to take Daimyo home since the virus is highly contagious (he was confined and was on intravenous fluid while they did the tests on him). Aside from the weakness, lack of appetite, coughing and nasal mucus, there are no other symptoms we have seen on Daimyo so far– especially the twitching, thank God!
And thank you so so much for sharing Bailey’s story here. It just gave me hope. My kids will be very happy to hear this good news tomorrow and we will bring Daimyo to VIP immediately!
We actually got Daimyo from a pet shop just a week ago. My family has the option to return him to the store and take our money back but we decided to keep the puppy and take care of him. The discovery that he is ill and all the efforts we have so far exerted taking care of him 24/7 have made my kids so attached to Daimyo and they do not want to leave him like this. He also barked for the first time while under our care, which became an emotional moment for all of us. Besides, if we take him back to the pet shop, they might just leave him to die since they won’t be able to sell him to a new owner anymore.
We have been praying for Daimyo to get well and I believe that getting to your website could take us there. Again, thank you so much. It’s amazing how things such as sharing a story can save precious lives.
All the best,
Arlene
You made the right decision to keep this baby even if it will cost you. Dogs are not things we can throw away when things get tough. And, you are setting an example for your children to follow…
Anyway, im glad your dog is already 11 months. Younger pups have a harder time surviving. Anyway, keep me updated on the recommendation/treatment of Daimyo. Praying for his survival!
An error there, our Pomeranian is only 11 weeks (not months), which makes his case more delicate. We took him to VIP this morning and since his infection is still in the early stage, he was given the injection called “Body Shot,” a single-dose shot which is intended to fight the progression of the virus. We will bring our Pom back to VIP after a month for them to do another test to check if the virus will weaken. We were given two options– the Body Shot and the Immunoglobulin, which is to be given for 5 consecutive days. The doc said there is no guarantee which one is more effective but both works the same way. It is a matter of how the dog’s body responds to the meds.
Aside from the body shot, the doc also strongly recommended that we try the serum treatment but they didn’t have it currently. So we are now in the process of finding a donor for the blood that will be processed into a serum. The donor should be a healthy, big dog (at least 15 kilos). This is going to be quite an expensive process but saving a life has no value. I was just confused because from articles I’ve read and shared by Kind Hearts in Action, the available treatments can give 40%-70% survival chance for a distemper dog, but the vet said all the options available gives only 10% chance of survival. My kids and I are, however, pinning our hopes on the higher rate.
Our Pom developed a slight fever after the shot but he is back to OK and was running around as soon as we got back home. I hope that you and your readers will kindly include our Pomeranian pup in your prayers– that we will soon find a donor dog and that he will survive this virus and get to live with us for years, just like your Bailey. I will keep you and your readers updated on our pup’s case. All the best.
The Serum developed by Dr. Al Sears requires donated blood from a healthy dog. Does your vet follow Dr. Sears’ protocols in making the serum?
Dr Sears Serum would be the best. I believe it is more effective than the Body Shot. Dogs who get the Serum Shot in the early stage normally survive minus the permanent twitch. This is what ive gleaned from my research on the matter.
You may also want to give your pom colloidal silver which i did with Bailey, my other dogs and one other dog who was exposed to her. The dog exposed to her NEVER got the illness even uf they spent a couple days together during the early days ofBailey’s illness. I did separate them but after Woolsey was exposed to her for a couple days. I really believe C Silver protected him. Do some research bec it does have side effects.
Praying that you find a dog donor. How i wish i had a big dog. All my babies are small to medium.
Keep me updated so i know how to specifically pray for you and your furbabe…
Yes, we will definitely go for the serum. Will also ask Dr. Gina of VIP if the colloidal silver is appropriate for Daimyo. Thank you for thinking of having your babies to be donors. Indeed, too bad that they can’t be, but the thought is much appreciated 🙂
Hi Joyce and Anna, I have been refreshing my browser and realized that the trail of our discussion is gone. Could you share with me via email any new information you may have about the treatment? Joyce, has Ed Bond replied to you? My email address is arlenealano@yahoo.com. Big thanks!
sent you email
Hi Arlene, I have a 3month old pup who was also diagnosed with distemper. I just got a body shot today since there are no available donors for the serum. Please let me know the status of Daimyo.
Pendragon Veterinary has the Serum. She emailed me to say that was going to get the first shot yesterday. No update yet apart from that…
Hi Stephen, I replied to your email but for the benefit of Joyce’s other readers who are interested about Daimyo’s case, I am posting here my response to you:
We got a donor dog, a golden retriver, last Wednesday but he did not qualify for blood donation because his blood test showed he is anemic. However, we found a vet clinic that has the Sears serum already available — check out Pendragon Veterinary Clinic in Kalayaan Avenue, QC. It was recommended by PAWS. The clinic operates a dog blood bank that’s why they already have the serum.
Here’s what they did for Daimyo yesterday– they ran a series of blood tests for CBC, antibodies (ELISA), and a new distemper test for reconfirmation. They require dogs being treated for distemper to be confined in isolation in their hospital so they can closely watch them during the administration of the serum, which is 3 shots to be given 12 hours apart. Daimyo was also weak and his coughing is bad so they had to put him on IV fluid.
The ELISA test showed that Daimyo’s antibodies are fighting the virus, which is likely a result of the NCV body shot given to him at VIP. So that’s a good news. But again, the success rate of the treatment depends on the response of Daimyo’s body to the injections. What’s complicating his case is his respiratoy infection.
If you have the results of your pup’s CBC and distemper tests, I would suggest that you bring them so they won’t have to repeat these tests. They also need information on your pup’s vaccination (what vaccines and dates given). If your pup has just been diagnosed, best to bring him/her for the Sears serum immediately.
Hi ms. Joyce, my 3 month old siberian has been tested positive for distemper just this morning. It still hasnt attacked his nervous system. I’d like to go to VIP for the blood serum or ndv. But i dont know the first step to take. Shall i bring a dog blood donor? Or buy the ndv from the poultry supply? I want my puppy to be injected asap before his distemper progress further. At the clinic, This morning, they provided him with suero, a med to help him breathe easier, an antibiotic and an immunoglobal. But i wanted to go ahead with the blood serum of dr. Sears.
Dr Sears Serum is the best talaga out of all treatments but as u know, its for early stage lang.
If I were in your shoes, id call VIP first and get the qualifications of the dog donor. It has to be a big healthy dog with complete shots I think. Call to confirm. Their landline is online.
FYI a reader says Pendragon Vet in QC regularly gets blood donations from dogs to make the serum so check with them. It will save u from having to look for a donor. However, i cant vouch for Pendragon since Ive never been to their clinic.
If u have more questions email me at jaedeelight@yahoo.com i check my mail several times a day.
I wonder where he gets the blood donors. Anyway, i am thankful that there is anothet vet who is willing to try the NDV treatment because almost all vets outside of VIP dont even want to study the findings of Dr Al Sears. They just say its experimental and risky. Well, if youre going to die anyway then why not try? So i get so upset when vets dont even bother to check the data compiled by Kind Hearts in Action. I hope more vets will be open minded like yours….
Arlene, i will bring this up with Ed Bond in New York. We need to make sure that the serum does follow Dr Sears’ protocols. I dont understand how it could be so cheap yet imported from Belgium. From what i know the serum should be kept cool so to import it cold is costly. it would seem cheaper to find a donor dog im Manila. VIP has a laboratory that makes the serum. I wouldnt trust anyrhing unless Ed Bond of Kind Hearts in Action puts his seal of approval on it. Ill send him an email. If you want to, you can conract him as well.
Hey girls! I asked Dr. Valerio, and I think I made a mistake. It is Canglob D. It is used to treat distemper though. My friend’s lil babe was in neuro stage when he brought her to Dr. Valerio. He injected the lilgirl with Cnaglob for 5 days. My friend told me that after 2 shots, his baby girl was better and now, after 2 years, his lil girl is very bubbly. But still, the twitching continues when she’s asleep. I emailed Ed Bond about it and I am just waiting for his response.
Btw Ms. Arlene, I just realized your baby is 11 weeks old, correct me if I am wrong, but I read from Mr. Ed Bond’s kind hearts in action that the NDV body shot doesn’t work for 12 weeks old pups and below. I am hoping and praying that it’ll work on your babe. God bless.
Yes, thanks for clarifying this. I tried looking for information on the success rate of Canglob but couldn’t find any. The success rate of Dr. Sears’ serum is found on the Kind Hearts in Action website. Not sure if Canglob can be called a serum though. I’m not a vet. But I think it could be something you could try for now until you do find a donor dog.
I hope it’s okay, I had to erase some of your previous messages so people won’t get confused. Let’s try to be clear about the difference between Canglob and Dr. Sear’s Serum. Canglob is a veterinary drug used to treat distemper and a few other illnesses. Dr. Al Sear’s Serum is purely for Distemper warriors. it requires a donor dog to donate blood. the blood is turned into a serum using an centrifuge, following the protocols of Dr. Al Sears. Let’s call Canglob, Canglob and the NDV Serum, the Serum and not mix the names just for clarity. Thanks!
I also edited your comment so as to make a clear distinction between the Serum (Dr. Al Sear’s treatment) and Canglob. I checked the description of Canglob online and nowhere does it say that it’s a serum. And after reading Wikipedia’s definition of SERUM , I don’t think Canglob can be called a Serum. However, it is indeed a treatement vs Distemper and an option in fighting the virus. However, I still can’t find any information on the drug’s success rate online. It would be good to know how many dogs survive after recieving Canglob shots.
Arlene, I just emailed Ed Bond. He responds fast so please wait for his thoughts on the matter. I trust him far above anyone in this matter. He was the one who guided me when i was so confused about the options to take.
Thank you, Joyce and Anna, for taking time to investigate further on the serum. This is unbelievable and I am overwhelmed by the gestures, this is so much appreciated.
Anna, thanks for clarifying that what Dr. Valerio has is not actually the serum, that answers my question why it has to be given for 5 days.
Joyce, I will not do anything until I get Ed Bond’s response from you. The drug that Dr. Valerio will use costs only P350 per shot (the cost depends on the weight of the dog — our little Daimyo weighs less than 1 kilo), plus P300 doctor’s fee. But the confinement would cost P5,200. The total cost will turn out the same as going through the process of having a donor dog and developing the serum.
Hi Dr. Gina did the body shot for my lil boy and spinal tap for my lil girl Unfortunately, my girl didn’t make it. While my lil boy is on its way to recovery but I’m still planning to give him the serum. Just to be sure. But now he’s eating a lot, barking, playing, running but his lower legs are not that strong yet. In God’s perfect timing, everything will be back. He’s turning 5 months now. I am praying for your lil furbaby. And I hope everything will be fine, I know how it hurts and they don’t deserve to feel the pain. God bless you and your baby.
Grad to know your little furbaby is okay. Ask ko lang saan yung poultry sa Quezon Ave where you got the NDV? I really need it. Dalawang puppy ko may distemper. Please reply. Thank you.
I was not able to take note of the addy. It happened 3years ago ao memory is spotty. But you can call VIP and ask if they have some in stock or ask them the number and addy of the poultry supply.
But from what i know, the NDV is available in most poultry supply shops.
I hope your two babies make it… move fast. God bless…
Thank you so much, Ms. Joyce. I am really worried. 2 weeks na since the first onset sa isang puppy ko, he’s eating a lot naman, umiinom, no seizures, bright yung eyes nya and kumakawag yung buntot when I’m calling him and pink yung gums nya. Yung isa naman 4 days palang pero parehas sila ng kalagayan. Gusto ko sana dalin sila sa VIP para sa serum shot, can you give me some advice? Please contact me. Maraming salamat!
Hi Anna, any update on your dogs?
Hi Ms. Joyce, unfortunately, my lil girl just passed away yesterday, 7 days after spinal tap. Well, it was heartbreaking but I know I took all the risk for her to be better. I know I did everything to give her the best chance to survive. But I think, she wasn’t meant for me. Knowing that she’s now on a better place and she’s not hurting anymore makes me better. I love her so much and it really hurts. It’s like losing a child.
On the other hand, my lil boy is so much better now 8 days after the body shot. He was sick for 3 weeks but Doc Gina from VIP only did the body shot because she said he’s still strong and still eating. I think what made him strong is the Canglob that my other vet injected. Just so you know, he survived Parvovirus just last month then just a day before his vaccine schedule, distemper came. I told Gina about it and she said that Canglob really helped him and advised me to give Canglob to my other dogs to help the immune system because they are all exposed to the virus. If somebody’s reading this and your dog has distemper, go to your vet and ask for Canglob first before any treatments. It helped my lil boy and I hope it will help yours too. My lil boy is now eating a lot. He’s playing, he keeps on barking, he’s running, especially when I am around. But he is still on medication. He is taking Immunol twice a day, 1000mg of Vitamin B complex, 6000mg of Vit C, Antibiotic, 1 tab of Liv 52. Sana tuloy tuloy na sya gumaling. Thank you Ms. Joyce for your blog, without you and these info, I wouldn’t know the NDV thing. And if I didn’t know the NDV, my lil boy won’t survive distemper. So thank you so much. You’re our Angel. God bless you and continue to give hope to someone who has a dog with distemper because you don’t know how much you make a difference. Yeah, my lil girl died but at least I still have my lil boy and it was all because of you. Thank you very much.
I am heartbroken that you lost you little furry girl. But I am so thankful that your other pup is on the way to recovery. At least you have great comfort in that. Yes, thank you for your advice regarding Canglob. AS a ‘pre-treatment’ before doing any of the NDV treatments.
But just a warning – your dog is still in danger until he takes a Distemper test that proves he is distemper free. That means he must not catch any other illness during the recovery phase because binat will be a killer. Make sure he is taking his antibiotics, and not getting too tired from play. Give him all the TLC you can give. And based on your letters to me it seems he is getting an overdose in that area, aahaha!
ANyway, this is really why I wrote about Bailey’s story. Because i want’ other pet owners to know that there is hope even if their dog catches the dreaded Distemper virus. Many dogs have been given an extension on their lives because of Bailey’s story and each survivor brings me so much joy… God bless you… and keep us updated!
Hi, Ms. Joyce. Do you remember me? Unfortunately my pup passed away a month ago. Her story at mybabyella.wordpress.com.
Sorry its http://myellababy.wordpress.com/ more power to you!
Hi there, i read it and left a comment. Golly, what a journey you had! And it’s so so sad that Ella had to go 😦 feel so bad. But I know your baby is indeed happy now and in perfect health in heaven. Thanks for writing that post and for posting the link…
May I ask what are the meds that you gave her after the treatment? And what treatment was that? Thank you and I can feel your loss.
Ms Joyce thanks a lot for the cooment. It was heartwarming. Thank you for your efforts and taking time to answer and guide each one of us going through this. God bless you more.. @Annabanana31, she had the NDV body shot. I think it helped her a lot, i feel that it was the bloody diarrhea which happened in the end that weakened her immuned system, after that she had green mucus discharge.. Her meds were vit b complex, c, multivitamins, coamoxiclav, metronidazole. Another thing that helped her in the beginning was honey. I have her a lot of it. I would dilute it with water and she loved it.. Honey has antibacterial effects and it also boosts the immune system
Hi, ask ko lang how much ung serum? My dog is suspected to have distemper. Also can we go straight to the spinal tap or kailangan talaga serum shots muna? Thanks. Btw ang sign pa lang niya is ung nasa ilong pero hindi pa siya hard paw at wala pa siyang twitch.
Suspected? Have u done a Distemper test? If your dog is positive and you caught it early, the serum or body shot would be your options. If it is late stage then the tap would be the option.
in Bailey’s case she did the serum but she was entering late stage distemper already so it didnt work. We did the tap and it took days for her to recover because she was so sick, at the brink of death even. But, the tap gave her a fighting chance and she made it.
Anyway, from what i know you dont need both serum and tap. Its just that Bailey’s case forced us to do both. You can learn more about both procedures in the website Kind Hearts in Action, search it online. Wishing you and your dog the best!
Hi!
Thank you for sharing this post. Indeed, Canine Distemper is hard to diagnose as its a combination of various symptoms happening all at once. My dog started showing symptoms since 2 weeks ago but we thought the twitching is just some sort of shivering/shaking due to fever. Now, it has gotten worse as she would uncontrollably bob her head.
I have just a few inquiries:
1. How much did you have to pay for the Spinal Tap?
2. Will the serum need to be injected before the Spinal Tap can be done?
Hoping for your response to these queries. Many thanks 🙂
1) i paid about 4k all in all for the tap which was three years ago. post tap care will cost maybe a thousand. Thats for supportive meds, antibiotics…
2) no need for serum if your dog is indeed in the neuro phase. Twitching is a sign that its neuro phase na. serum is for early phase.
hoping your dog makes it! God bless!!!
My vet diagnosed my puppy of a canine distemper but i didnt believed her. My puppy is coughing and mucus on his nose and eyes but he has no diarhea or not vomiting either…he is just picky eater but eating and drinking his water
Being in denial will kill your dog. Get a second opinion and do it at VIP where they can treat it if it really turns out to be distemper.
Hi mam, i have the same issue with ur dog ito pa nman yung una aso na nag alaga ako nagsisisi talaga ako until now na 2weeks na nakalipas di ko pa sya dinala sa vet then last saturday nagpakuha kami ng test results nag positive sya sa distemper nung una kase dedma lang ako akala ko may sore eyes lang sya but then ayan na may distemper sya ang sakit marinig na sabihin ng vet na wala guarantee na mabubuhay pa aso mo from distemper and i wont give up taking care of my dog pati mama ko tumutulong na sa pag aalaga for now its been 3 days after since na nagpacheck up kami saturday lang kase kami nag punta sa vet (march 29) meron sya 4 days na babalik balik kami sa vet for conglobe dshot vaccine sabi yun daw support nya and meron pa sya 3 gamot na iniinum polinerv, antibactirial and brohexime yang mga gamot na yan required nya inumin in 14days after ng 14days i didnt know kung ano na pwede pa mangyari for now tuliro utak ko malayo iniisip ko dahil sobra ako nag sisi hindi ko agad sya dinala sa vet ng makita ko ayaw na nya kumain. Hindi na nya maigalaw yung mga paa nya but iniexercise namin at sya rin pinipilit nya bumangon but naaawa ako sa kung paano yung hinga nya para bang hinahabol at super sakit na makita ko sya ganon.
would u mind to give me advices? im hoping na makakasurvive sya sa distemper. Like bailey nakasurvive sya sa tarantadong virus na ito.
thank you.
yes, if i were in your shoes, id go to vets in practice asap. i would not wait. they offer the ndv spinal tap which could save your dogs life. read more stats and survivors from all over the world in this website – Kind Hearts in Action. tutoo ang sinabi mo. pag dedma lang tayo sa illness ng dog we are helping the illness to kill them.
paano po kaya yun d pa sya nag poo poo 2 days na? binigyan kami gamot ng vet lactolose. Im so nervous everyday hindi ako makatulog ng maayos, hearing him kumakahol sa gabi im so worried po talaga. kung bakit nag kadistemper sya di naman po sya lagi nasa labas ng bahay 😦
Bailey is not an outside dog either. Anyway, your best choice of action in my opinion is to stop waiting and wondering why and bring your baby asap to Vets in Practice. They can answer you questions better than i can. Be brave for your dog. do not be afraid to make tough decisions. When we did the serum on bailey it did not work kasi advanced na siya. last resort was spinal tap. vet said may risk na di magising si bailey. i decided to proceed because she wouldve died anyway, she was in bad bad shape. sometimes our indecision is what kills our fur babies.
Hi ma’am, gusto ko din sana dalhin ung dog ko with distemper sa vets in practice for treatment, pero ang worry ko lang ay kung kakayanin pa nya. Galing kami sa ibang vets, nagbigay lang sila ng medicines to improve his immune system. Sa ngayon po kasi palagi lang sya nakahiga and sobrang minsan lang tumayoi, hindi sya kumakain at nagsusuka. With his condition, kakayanin pa kaya nya yung treatment?
Hi jam, I’m not sure if he can handle it but where will you be coming from?
We are staying here in Sta. Mesa, Manila, Franco is already 1 year and 2 and half months old. We are not yet noticing twitching, but he really suffers extreme pain in his abdomen.
My opinion is this, if your dog is in extreme pain and you are not inclined to put him to sleep then bring him na to VIP. Might as well. The little extra comfort at home will not save him but the trip to VIP might. And youre not far pala from the vet. My thoughts lang…
Hi miss joyce thank you for sharing your inspirational story. 🙂 I just wanna ask po kung makikita po ba ang result ng distemper kung positive or negative thru blood test? yung baby po kase namin mahina kumain ilang araw na tapos kahapon po ayaw nya ng kumain pero pag binibigyan nmin sya ng chicken liver kinakain nman po nya may times din po na masigla sya laro ng laro pero madalas din po syang tulog. Nagpa blood test po kme kanina sabe ng vet ok nman daw yung kidney and platelets mejo anemic lang. tinanong ko po kung posibleng distemper yun ang sabe po ng vet itest daw po for distemper? Pagkakaalam ko po makikita na din po sa bloodtest yun dba? Pero sabe po ng vet itest pa daw for distemper? magkaiba po ba yun? Thanks in advance po! Godbless you,your bailey and your family! =))
THANK YOU! 🙂
please observe if there is thickening of nose and paw pads. if there is sipon. if the dog is twitching mildly nonstop. or as if chewing bubblegum. these are some distemper signs. best is to bring your dog to vets in practice i u suspect distemper bec they (and one or two other vets) are the omly ones who practice the treatments mentioned in this post. I hope to God its not Distemper because it is a devastating and painful disease. Move fast, dont hesitate. Dont wait and see if your dog will get better. Traydor ang Distemper because you will bad days alternating with good ones. iisipin mo na your dog is getting better, hindi pala. so ipa-test mo na kaagad. God bless…
Thank you so much miss joyce bukas po papa check ko na agad ng umaga kahit po masigla sya at talon ng talon pero di po kase kumakain puro chicken liver ang gusto. Mas okay na nga po na maka sigurado kami kesa mahirapan pa ang baby namin. 🙂 Thank you miss Joyce for the advice. Godbless you! 🙂
you are most welcome. Guilty din ako in the past. i would wait for days before bringing my sick dog to the vet. but i learned my lesson. now, at the mere sight of a cold or cough, we go straight to the vet. many illnesses, if caught early, can be cured or treated… praying for your dog to be fine!
Hi miss joyce thank you for sharing your inspirational story. 🙂 I just wanna ask po kung makikita po ba ang result ng distemper kung positive or negative thru blood test? yung baby po kase namin mahina kumain ilang araw na tapos kahapon po ayaw nya ng kumain pero pag binibigyan nmin sya ng chicken liver kinakain nman po nya may times din po na masigla sya laro ng laro pero madalas din po syang tulog. Nagpa blood test po kme kanina sabe ng vet ok nman daw yung kidney and platelets mejo anemic lang. tinanong ko po kung posibleng distemper yun ang sabe po ng vet itest daw po for distemper? Pagkakaalam ko po makikita na din po sa bloodtest yun dba? Pero sabe po ng vet itest pa daw for distemper? magkaiba po ba yun? Thanks in advance po! Godbless you,your bailey and your family! =))
The test for Distemper is different from the typical blood test. But it still involves your dog’s blood. They will put some of your dog’s blood into a plastic stick that looks like a pregnancy test. One line is negative, two lines is positive for distemper.
wonderful help. ang laki ng tulong.
i have a couple of questions, it would mean soo much if you could help me out.
i have 8 dogs. never had an issue, til 1 of them started acting a little different, i didnt take it that seriously though.. and i noticed no signs of Distemper, no discharge from eyes or nose, etc. Just a fever, then started to look very depressed with squinting eyes (they say it means the dogs in pain) wouldn’t eat or drink, runny nose (no color), and then developed a cough. having never heard of distemper, we couldnt save her. broke my heart running around my area holding my dog (whose jaw wouldnt open, i had to slip my finger in between his jaws so he could breathe, any time i moved him he would what seemed like screaming with his mouth shut from pain.. i couldnt take it anymore and took him home , died in my arms after 5 minutes..
i thought that was it.
a couple of days later i noticed most of my dogs having yellow/green discharge from eyes and nose, 2 of them with a dry-cough, 1 going crazy on his ear and face, (now swollen and painful to touch) .
another dog i have (who has a heart condition) coughed and i instantly saw blood, just a few drops, so i took him to the vet alng the way he was coughin up blood. tested him and it came back distemper Positive. but they said that with his health condition. he wouldnt survive. 😥 (i never once even considered mercy killing) but thats what it came to, being caught off guard. had all my dogs checked and they were all distemper Positive,
the vet said that 2 of my 8 dogs only “barely” have it or something, like it was still weak. and they had a high chance of surviving.. my other dog (a 2 month old pup) said was 50/50.
i had them treated, Honestly regret now not asking what it was.
all she said was 1 was a vaccine for the Distemper, hopign that it would work,
and then an immune system booster.
^ under those 2 injections, is my dog really going to stand a good chance?
it just sounded so vague. after reading of more specific ways of having it done.
What do you think i should do? also the vet said my 1 dog was too far gone. though i have noticed no twitching in any of my dogs, or a bobbing head,
mainly just Discharge, diarhia, Cough, vomiting. (the puppy has what looks like swollen eyelids)
is that considered the early stages? What would you recommend? am i currently on the right track? ive already lost 2 of my babies to this, and 1 they say cant be helped (whole body jerks suddenly, every now and then, like its gunna throw up)
i dont want to waste time and set them further back, any recommendation, or highest probable rate of making my dogs better, would be very very appreciated. my number just in case 09231062547.
any help would mean the world. that way i dont have to go through everything you went through.
(this would be day 4 since i noticed discharge)
Thank you! again 09231062547.
sent u a text…
Hi,
I recently adopted a 4 month puppy from a local shelter. She had her 2 md vaccinations 6 days ago and is scheduled for her third in two weeks. She has a rare hacking cough along with some nasal leakage.she has had no ocular leakage. She has had no signs of fever, diarrhea, vomiting or loss of appetite. I have had her for now 7 days. She is eating three meals a day as well as several treats. Her poop has been solid. She has been energetic and playful. Just started antibiotics and the nasal discharge and hacking coughs have been reduced. Does this sound more like Kennel Cough? If this was distemper would I have already seen other signs?
Best is to test for Distemper. If u wait too long to test for it, your dog may end up with a permanent twitch. Bring your little one to a vet asap and seek advice or just request for a test. Sometimes vaccinated dogs will still get the virus….
Hi miss joyce thank you for sharing your inspirational story. 🙂 I just wanna ask po kung makikita po ba ang result ng distemper kung positive or negative thru blood test? yung baby po kase namin mahina kumain ilang araw na tapos kahapon po ayaw nya ng kumain pero pag binibigyan nmin sya ng chicken liver kinakain nman po nya may times din po na masigla sya laro ng laro pero madalas din po syang tulog. Nagpa blood test po kme kanina sabe ng vet ok nman daw yung kidney and platelets mejo anemic lang. tinanong ko po kung posibleng distemper yun ang sabe po ng vet itest daw po for distemper? Pagkakaalam ko po makikita na din po sa bloodtest yun dba? Pero sabe po ng vet itest pa daw for distemper? magkaiba po ba yun? Thanks in advance po! Godbless you,your bailey and your family! =))
Hi,
I have a dog who is suffering from a distemper. We already brought him to the vet and they gave her a shot of Amoxicillin and Expectorant as well as Multivitamins. She always whines and cry whenever she’s trying to sleep, As what I can see on her body, Her nose is dry and frequent hair loss. She had a fever with the temp of 39.4 before but after a week after her temperature was back to normal. But every now and then I can still see her suffering from muscle pain I think because of frequent muscle twitching.
I’ve read about the NDV treatment and maybe that’s the only way I can save my baby from distemper. From the blog that I’ve read as for Bailey’s condition she was already twitching at the time that she had her NDV treatment. Whenever I hear her whines and cries before sleeping it is very heartbreaking. Is there any option that we could do for NDV treatment to be more cheaper? I really wanted to save her but it’s to expensive for us.
I had to charge Bailey’s fees on a credit card. And it was my bday when she had her tap so we sacrificed my bday plans and used the money for her. I cannot help u bring the cost down but i can encourage u to find ways to save and or earn extra money or find cash somehow.
I cried when i saw how much it would cost me but then i realized that Bailey guarded me and my house so loyally and she brought me so much happiness that it was worth it, even if she died itvwould be worth it to get into debt for a creature as true and pure as my Bailey girl so i stopped crying and gave them my credit card.
Hoping for the best and praying for a miracle….
Hello,
Na.diagnosed din na may distemper yung husky (his name is Coli) namin nung march 11 sa clinic sa may tiendesitas. Bale 5th day pa lang ngayon since makitaan ko sya ng mga symptoms. Minsan lang siya nagt.twitch pero wala pang seizures. Later dadalhin na namin sya sa VIP..ano po ba ang dapat na treatment para sa kanya? At magkano yung magagastos kung sakali. Thanks
Hi Mary Ann, it’s best if you ask VIP about the cost. I paid around 4k for Baileys spinal tap but that was three years ago. Also spend maybe 2k on post spinal tap care (medicines). Twitching is a sign that it’s advanced na. If the vet confirms that it’s advanced stage, i would suggest spinal tap. That’s for final stage distemper. The body shot and serum are for the earlier stage. But please ask the vets kasi I’m just a pet owner and not a vet…. hoping for the best…
Hi Ms Joyce,
Yung Subcutaneous Fluids ba na binigay sa inyo ni Doc Allison is Lactated Ringer’s Solution, or yung dextrose na pwede through skin lang iinject? if ever ganun din po, ask ko lang if normal lang po ba na may namumuong lump ng fluids sa dog skin?
Dextrose that you administer under the fold of the skin. Yes, therr will be a lump because it takes time for fluids to be fully absorbed but after several minutes it disappears… 🙂
Hi Ms Joyce,
yung Subcutaneous Fluids ba na binigay sa inyo ni Doc Allison is Lactated Ringer’s Solution, yung dextrose na through skin lang iniinject? if ever ganung dextrose po yun, normal lang po ba na may namumuong lump sa sakin nung dog?
Hi Ms Joyce,
Ask ko lang if eventually lahat ng distemper nauuwi sa neurological stage or as early as respiratory stage may possibilty na macure agad? Thanks!
Irac, from my research I learned that 1 to 2% of dogs survive Distemper in general. I am not sure if those 1 to 2% experience the neurological stage since I am not a vet and have limited experience when it comes to Distemper in dogs.
There is no cure btw, at least according to my research. The Body Shot, Serum and Spinal Tap are not considered cures but are treatments. They will treat your dog and help him or her survive but it doesn’t cure them. It helps them through the storm kumbaga but doesn’t get rid of the storm.
But whatever you call it, cure or treatment, it doesn’t really matter for us pet owners I guess, because for us, their survival and quality of life are the most important. Just my thoughts.
If you are in the early stage, chances of treatment are very high with the Serum. The Body Shot, Im not so sure what the success rate is. But for statistics on these treatments, visit the website Kind Hearts in Action. Please search it on google. It is loaded with information on Distemper and available treatments….
Thank you so much for sharing to us Bailey’s story. I suprised my kids with a shih tzu 2 months ago. We named her Sasha. She is the sweetest ever. But after a few days when we got her she became sick with fever, cough and cold. I brought her to a nearby vet and she was given vitamin c and medicine for respiratory. She got cured but after a few days got sick again. It was on and off. We had her tested for distemper, like the kit you used for Bailey. It was a relief when the doctor said it was negative. Sasha continued medication with antibiotics. Soon she got well and had her first 5in1 vaccine. After a few days, I noticed that she was having this involuntary movement while sleeping. Sometimes she runs around like crazy. And sometimes loses her balance while standing. I realized that these could be possible signs of later stage of distemper. I was so dismayed with the accuracy of the distemper kit. I am hoping that my little Sasha will recover just like Bailey. I will ask my vet about Spinal Tap. I hope it will work with my baby Sasha. We love her so much. She brings us joy. Thank you Ms. Joyce for giving me hope. God bless you. Till next time.
Hi Dada… sometimes a postive Distemper dog will register as negative. It’s best to do a second test if in doubt.
ANyway, the involuntary movement that is the hallmark of Distemper does not only manifest during sleep but also during wakefulness. Does your dog twitch while awake? Running around like crazy is also not really a sign of distemper. Losing balance only happens when they are so thin with advanced Distemper. Maybe it is not Distemper? You should have your Sasha retested for the Virus.
As for your Vet giving the spinal tap, just so you know, the tap is an experimental treatment that only VIP offers. There might be one more vet who tried it but I’m not familiar with him or her but only heard about it from a reader. You can find out more about the treatments for Distemper on the website Kind Hearts in Action which you can search on Google… wishing you the best and believing that your little furbaby is fine…
Thank you so much Ms. Joyce for the reply. Yes she now twitches even when awake.. I just pray that my Sasha will survive all of these. Thank you for all the information and wishing me and my baby the best. God bless…
hi my dog’s name is meatball and he got distemper last august 2013 right now he is still surviving but have a very strong involuntary movement of his nervous system. He got shots for vitamin B and it normally lessens… Is there a way na mawala na ung involuntary or for how long will he survive almost 8 months na cya after the distemper thank u for your kind information here
james
Statistics show that only 1 dog in a 100 survives distemper (without NDV treatment) so your dog is a rare survivor, congratulations!
The twitching doesnt go away tho, im.sorry to say. It may lessen over time but, just like my Bailey, your Meatball will twitch forever.
It has been 3 years i think since Bailey survived Distemper. I read that Distemper survivors, if taken xare of well, can enjoy many years of life.
One way to help ease thevtwirching is to regularly massage your dog specially up and down the spine.
btw, Can Meatball run and play? Is he normal in every way except for the twitching?
Oh, does Meatball have seizures? Bailey has bad seizures because nerve damage might have been severe so his vet had to.put her on daily medication to control the seizing…
My pup is currently fighting off distemper. Its been 37 days since she was diagnosed. Shes had ndv body shot but spinal tap wasnt advised for some reason, shes had seizures and was controlled by medications, she still kept running and was very active for about 3wks until she started crying and whining, it got worse, almost the whole day, vet suggested euthanasia, i didnt give up on her, now the crying and whining has lessened but the head bob and twitchings has progressed. Also few days ago she cudnt walk or get up, the other day, she was able to walk and stand, today, shes having a hard time again. Is there any timeline for recovery? Or signs.. Its been 37 days since diagnosed and she had cough atleast more than a week prior to that.. Its been a long, tough battle..
Yes Distemper is often a month-long battle interspersed with days when u think theyre getting better but then the next day theyre worse. Anyway, the person who might be able to answer your questions better is Ed Bond, author of the website – Kind Hearts in Action. Search the site, you’ll find Distemper info and Ed’s contact. Praying for you…
I have contacted him, and he had adviced spinal tap, but in vip the doc believes that this is distemper virus damage and the virus is gone because she doesn’t have hard pads and her blood test was normal. Also she was 3months old and weighing 2kgs. She might not be able to take the general anesthesia for the tap.. Thanks.for the prayers and supporting the rest of pet owners facing this dreaded virus. Hows bailey? Does she get to run and walk? Does she still experience head bob and twitching? Thanks!
Hi Sonia, yours is an interesting case. Most puppies that young and small don’t survive Distemper. And it is indeed difficult to put them under anaesthetics due to their smallness and youth. Yet it seems that your pup survived against all odds but is now suffering from the nerve damage wrought by the virus. You will need supportive treatment, maybe physical therapy – VIP offers this – and this treatment will most likely have to be for the rest of your baby’s life.
AS for Bailey, I’m looking for a video I took of her two years after the Tap. It was taken last year. I’ll upload it as soon as I find it… 🙂
Found the video here, just click…
Its good to know that Bailey has improved a lot.. As for my pup, she is still battling.. She had a bloody diarrhea on sunday 😦 rushed her to VIP for an iv and she was prescribed antibiotics and tranexamic acid. We try to force feed her and replenish the lost fluids.. .
Okay, i hope your sweety gets better… thanks for the update… ill be praying for your dog to beat that virus!
Hola Ms Joyce! Just wanted to give an update on how my dogs are doing. The three dogs that got infected are all well, they’ve been eating on their own, lively and shows no more signs of distemper.
Oh thank God! How many dogs did you lose again to distemper? don’t forget, you need to get their distemper vaccinations every year!
Hello! I am sad kasi 2 puppies na namin ang namatay dahil sa distemper kahit vaccinated sila. Now naman, my 5 year old shi named Angel is fighting distemper 🙂 parang nagkaron ng outbreak sa place namin kasi may reported dogs na namatay na ang signs and symptons ay CDV.
Im sorry to hear this and condole in your loss. Have u considered any treatment for your surviving dog?
Hi Ms. Joyce, sorry to get back so late. We lost the two younger ones, its been more than a month na rin po. How long before you were able to mix Bailey po with your other dogs and how long po kayo nagpa-inom ng colloidal silver sa kanila?
The timeline was something like this:
First was 2 weeks of going back and forth to the vet and not knowing exactly what was wrong with Bailey.
At the end of the those 2 weeks, the vet tested for Distemper and Bailey was positive for it. She was also twitching but very mildly.
We opted at once for the serum treatment which involved 3 shots given every 12 hours i think it was.
A day after the 3rd shot, I decided to go for the Spinal Tap because her twitching got worse and I just had this bad feeling that the serum shots did not work because she was already in the neurological phase.
After the Tap, it was touch and go for two weeks. She would have bad days followed by one good day then bad day again. Roller coaster. It took about two weeks before she started having good days everyday.
One month after the Spinal Tap we had her tested for Distemper and she came out Distemper-free. That’s the only time we allowed her to be with the other dogs.
I gave her Colloidal Silver every day, with every main meal (breakfast, lunch, dinner) from the time she was diagnosed with distemper until they declared her distemper free.
Anytime my dogs look sick, I give them C Silver kaagad. I drink it myself when I feel like Im going to come down with the Flu. But before you consume C Silver or give it to your pets, please do research first so that you fully understand what it’s about and what risks there are.
Oh i’m so sorry to hear that you lost the two younger ones. Did any of your dogs survive?
hi, meron po bang vet na nagtrea2t ng distemper using spinal tap dito sa Baguio? tnx. my beagle puppy kasi kami nadiagnose ng canine distemper.
Kurt, none that i know of. but try calling vets in practice and asking if they are affiliated with any vets there. How serious is your dog? Nag-ti-twitch na ba?
hi, i have a dog who also survived distemper. this post was very helpful and gave me hope that there are ways to save dogs from this disease. the vets we visited weren’t too hopeful about the situation and often mentioned euthanasia as a possibility. good thing i came across your site. thank you very much!
my dog already exhibited the signs: vomiting, conjunctivitis, fever, cough. the twitching was very minimal at first, but when it became more regular we took her to VIP. they conducted a blood test but found out that my dog is negative for distemper. they said it meant that she has already survived. this I found weird, but i couldn’t be happier knowing that my dog was now safe. they just administered the NDV just to be sure. my dog got better for the next 3 days, we were mostly concerned about her wobbly walking but after the vaccination, she was active again and was even running around. on the 4th day, all of a sudden she lost control of her front legs and now unable to walk. we visited VIP again (this time in alabang) and they just prescribed prednisone (steroid). my dog got better again, she can move her front limbs and prop herself up although she still couldn’t walk. after we stopped the prednisone, she got worse again. now she’s just lying on her side. administering steroids can’t be a prolonged solution as it will affect her liver. she eats, pees, poops lying down. it is really 24/7 care for her. she is continually losing weight due to the twitching. we are still hopeful that she will get better, although it becomes very difficult at times, since we also sense her difficulty holding on.
I just want to know how your dog is after surviving distemper. can she still walk? what other measures do you do to care for her?
Sometimes a dog gets a false negative. It happens often, i hear. Did u have the test done twice?
Bailey is a normal dog in all aspects except for her nonstop twitching. She plays, runs, barks, jumps and eats like crazy.
I am worried about your dog’s inability to walk. Perhaps you shouls bring your baby back to the vet?
i agree with Miss Joyce, maybe you should bring your dog back or have her checked by other vet? kumbaga, ask for second opinion. Almost like your dog, on the third day after the ndv body shot, she tried eating but the next day she started vomiting again and worse, may blood na. May ibang doctor ako na ni-consult and they changed her meds for vomiting. After a week or less, controlled na yung vomiting and for two weeks now, aside from frequency of poop, everything normal na.
hi, yes i will be bringing her back to a different vet tomorrow. maybe ask for another blood test. my fear is that it has been several weeks when we first had her blood test (the result of which was negative) and that it might be too late. thank you. it’s nice to have a ‘support group’ like this for dog owners who are willing to battle this dreadful disease.
hi all,
am browsing different websites till i read this… just this morning my 4 yr old dachshund (mochi) test of distemper was positive. since thursday last week, everyday nasa vet kami in front of UE recto, wherein our first visit is because of vomiting… as in continues vomiting everytime i fed her and after she drinks. i even bring my pet in the office after check up sa vet. i dont even sleep anymore at night because i can hear mochi crying though mochi sleeps beside me. mochi stops vomiting. for past few days, looks like she’s craving for water that she doesnt want to stop drinking after which she will vomit. i gave her pedialite but the effect is still the same so i limit the quantity of water i gave to her and even count minutes before giving her another. i also made used of syringe to make sure the quantity of water she drinks. am just really worried about mochi that since sunday she has this redness of eyes and the “muta”. she has the fever during that time and that the vet said to cold compress her which i still do till now. i dont know what to do anymore that nobody will be left with mochi at home if i go to work…help me god with mochi. am really scared for her 😦
Hi Liza, you should bring Mochi asap to Vets in Practice and have her retested there for Distemper. Craving for water is not usually a sign of the illness so you should have her retested. Sometimes nag-fa-false positive ang dogs for Distemper. If she is positive still in new tests then you will have to determine what stage she is. Early stage treatment is the Serum. Or the NDV Body Shot. THe late stage treatment is the NDV Spinal Tap.
After the procedure, Mochi will need bantay during the day. In Bailey’s case, we would let her sleep from 10pm to 6am alone at the patio in a makeshift sick bay that I made for her. We could not bring her into the house because I had two dogs inside who could get the illness from her. AS long as your dog has someone during the day to administer medicines then she’ll be okay. The evenings are not so crucial but of course, it’s best if she is with you.
Move fast. Distemper is a terrible killer. But with the procedures I mentioned above, there is hope. But move fast. I’ll be praying for you and mochi…
Hi joyce, i myself limited mochi in giving water last week so that vomiting of “wagas” will be reduce and/or avoided, yesterday according to my partner mochi did not crave for water but she’s drinking all by herself, till i left home this morning, she can walk, drink, eat though i spoon feed her (eversince she was a baby). yesterday vitamins were injected to her as well as body shot (i presumed cos it was only over the phone i had a talked with the vet, i badly need to report for work cos last week i was with mochi everyday at vet clinic) the whole night last night i place a somewhat cold face towel in the head of mochi covering her eyes because i see her feels more relax due to the redness of her eyes and that slightly the “muta” was lessen though her eyes are still cloudy. 6 am today, i gave mochi 3 meds, just have to be round the clock medication but my partner will go home before 2 pm for the meds. we are being left without any choice and it’s really time constraints because nobody’s really left at home during daytime… hayzzzz..my heart ‘s at home now you know 😦 even if am not physically present with mochi. am still hoping and praying that the day today will be favorable enough with my baby mochi.
joyce? would you know if there is any implication of the body shot with mochi if it’s not distemper? though my partner brought home yesterday the supplies (tool – key look alike) used in the distermper test done to mochi. somewhat early stage daw.
tomorrow will be another battle for me because my partner has no way to go home for mochi’s medication… i might bring her again at work :(.
thank you very much for your time joyce… will update you on moch’s status tomorrow.
liza
Which Vet gave the body shot? and was Mochi already twitching when she was given the bosy shot? To my knowledge, kapag nag-ti-twitch na ang dog it means advanced stage na, umabot sa nervous system.ung virus. Body Shot is not effective bec thats for early stage. The last recourse is the NDV Spinal Tap. The tap will reboot your dog’s system to give one last battle increasing your dog’s chances of survival from 1% up to 40% maybe even up to 70% chance. if you visit the website Kind Hearts in Action, you will see the stats of dogs who survived after NDV Tap. If u write tge blog owner Ed Bond, he will respond to you as fast as he can. Praying for Mochi. Get all the rest you can, you need the strength to fight for your dog…
Hi joyce, no twitching naman, from last week it’s more of vomiting and then lately cloudy eyes. early stage pa day. guess what?..mochi’s with me in my office now..(no choice) otherwise she will be left alone at home till evening. so far mochi is doing good though..mochi’s right back leg is swollen till now. ka text ko yung1 sa mga vet sa may recto and told me that malapot daw kasi yung gamot that was injected to mochi. mochi can still eat and drink but if she’s on a rest like now… i used syringe to give water para continues ang water even if she’s resting and she can walk though “mejo ika-ika” dun sa swollen leg. sad lang everytime i look at here eyes that’s really cloudy, somewhat breaking my heart…hayzzzz.. in fairness when mochi hear’s a sound of cracking biscuit and her nose move like “sniff…sniff..sniff”..foodie…eat din sya 🙂 (that is my mochi). on saturday, we will be back sa vet for another shot..daily dapat mejo madugo ang gamot kaya nagprescribed ng daily maintenance good for 14 days. 3rd pa lang today.. long way to go.. am still hoping and praying everything will turn out to be ok…will keep you posted joyce.. thank you for your time 🙂
Hi Liza, okay, be brave for your mochi… im glad that you can at least bring your baby to work. i assume mochi is in a kennel? Am.praying for u both…
good morning joyce,
hand carried 🙂 resting in my office chairs, visitors chairs and coffee table :), yesterday the whole day she’s doing good, nang a agaw na ng french fries :), walking, barking to all people came in my office 🙂 . i see moch’s eyes of “muta” really lessen.. probably because of last week’s continues vomitting that almost result to dehydration. though a bit cloudy pa din ng eyes nya but better from the past few days and i really find it helpfull and usefull to place a cold facetower in moch’s face covering the eyes. and round the clock and medication. kahit papano nakakatulog ako kasi nakakatulog na ng continues ang baby ko :).. i didnt bring her to my office now because it’s my daughter’s school holiday today, so she’ll take care of the little one. hope everything will turn out to be a good day for mochi because tomorrow is the sched of vet again… will keep you posted joyce.. thank you very much for your time
May God bless your office for allowing Mochi to be with you. We need more companies like that! Your presence will help Mochi A LOT! When Bailey was ill, I was at her side as often as possible. Talking to her, touching her, taking care of her needs. I even put a tv on the patio for her! AAAHAHA! Praying for you and Mochi… keep up the good fight!
hi maam. im reaching out to you with a very heavy heart.
one of my dogs has recently been diagnosed with the canine distemper. yesterday, actually. home is a two and a half hours drive from manila but when i heard the diagnosis from my mom, i rushed home immediately after my hospital shift. im beside my self, mom too was very very upset because she’s the one who’s been taking care of our dogs (we have 6, different breeds, mostly local dogs).
the symptoms came out last sunday lang, coughing and runny nose. didnt bring her to the vet immediately, tuesday night pa. then wed, di available ung doctor so we werent able to get the distemper test done. no twitching then, and she’s been vomiting frequently. whatever food we gave her, i-expel lang after two hours. it was very disheartening to see her like this. ive done research, i was brought here, and it gave me hope.
i have decided to bring her sa vip mandaluyong thinking, ilalaban ko sya no matter what. but then tonight we observed and saw some muscle twitching in the mouth. ang bilis naman magprogressed, i thought the muscle twitching will not happen this soon! its very hard to project a strong facade lalo na sa harap ng mom ko, she cried when the diagnosis was made.
the horror doesnt stop there, another one of our dogs also tested positive for distemper today.
only one of our five other dogs is somewhat safe though she’s been exposed na rin. in-isolate ko na sya, kawawa rin because she might thought she’s being neglected. the other four are sick with either fever and colds. what a nightmare.
Yes a nightmare indeed. If u can buy Colloidal Silver to protect your one dog, do so. i gave Woolsey, my aspin who got exposed to Bailey, a daily dose of 1tbsp in the AM and 1tbsp at night. Hindi siya nahawa. I cannot assure it will work for your since im not a vet and diff dogs react differently, but it might be worth a try. i buy my c silver at the Sunday Market in Legaspi Vill Makati but since you live far try looking online. or maybe ask a drugstore near you. i also suggest u research on C. Silver online.
so are you bringing ur dogs to VIP? The ones who just caught it have a big chance of surviving. they can get the body shot which is the most affordable treatment and is for early stage. Please dont give up hope. Fight for your dogs if u can… will be praying…
we went there today and they gave her the body shot. the doctor prescribed baytril, an immunostimulant, antacid and b complex vitamins to boost her appetite. still with no appetite though and vomited only once today. greatly worried with how were going to give the meds if she’s not eating properly. nawalan din po ba ng gana ang dog nyo during the treatment time?
Is your dog twitching already?
some wobbling on the mouth po. like she’s smiling.
BTW, yes, appetite was terrible. Especially right before and after the treatment. Force-feed to the max. But we managed to get three or four syringes of mashed and watered down soft dogfood into her belly with every meal. I think we started feeding her every three to four hours kasi nga kokonti lang ang kaya naming i Force-feed at a time…
btw po, my mom has crossed out the ndv spinal tap option because of the risk na hindi na magising dog namin.
FYI, the risk of death due to Distemper is far greater than the risk of your dog not waking up. Both are risks, yes, but if I were in your shoes i’d do the Tap if my dog is twitching already. If u want a second opinion, contact Mr. Ed Bond of the website Kind Hearts in Action ( search it online) he runs a worldwide campaign vs Distemper and is far more knowledgable than me, and maybe most vets, about Distemper.
I have talked to Mr. Bond last thursday night and he pointed me to some useful articles. very helpful. now im researching for what to do since she still wont eat on her own. our dog is used to table food and what weve been feeding her now is boiled liver, and a/d prescription food.
okay, youve got one of the best advisors in the world with Ed Bond. Hes really amazing and truly cares….
Maica, how are your dogs now?
hi ms joyce. ung isa po na napabigyan ko ng ndv shot is bumabangon na more often and waggling her tail na rin pero force-feeding pa rin kami sa kanya. another one of the sick dogs is suffering from inappetence na rin. tapos ung isa, i learned just now is parang nag-seizure pero di sure mom ko. im buying some supplies for them, ncd, if makahahap po ako, then the canglob shots. i can no longer afford the spinal tap for the one that got seizure pero papabigyan ko pa rin po cya ng ndv thru iv. its financially and emotionally draining.
anyway, would u know po kung nagdedeliver ng colloidal silver ung binibilhan nyo?
may i know kung saan po kayo nakabili ng ndv?
if you can just let me know thru sms, i wont be online again po. thanks so much ms joyce.
.
Good day po ms. Maica, magkano po binaran nyo s mandaluyong nung nagp NDV po kayo, pls reply po, salamat po
hi there, the ndv body shot is computed per weight. my dog is 8kg+, it costed me 850.
Ok po, s VIP po b kayo nag p NDV? Thanks for the information po
The NDV spinal tap is different from the NDV Body Shot. The tap is around 4K and is for advanced stage Distemper. The Body shot is cheaper and is for earlier stage. See Maica’s response…
Pag may seizure po, spinal tap n po ang gagawin? Ma’am joyce, ngaun lang kame nagkapera, and dadalhin n namen c Prada s VIP now, lets pray po n makasurvive baby namen, kagabe lakad cya ng lakad, may sipon kase, ma’am joyce tulungan nyo po kame pag pray c Prada
i believe so. and do it as soon as you can maam.
Ma’am joyce galing kame ngauns VIP, i was insisting n spinal tap n po ang gawin nila kay prada but they said n baka hnd n po magicing ung baby namen, kaya NDV body shot lang ginawa nila,eh may siezure n nga po c prada, pano kaya un ma’am? Gagaling p po b c Prada? Ngaun nasa bahay n kame and naka dextrose po cya kase hnd talaga cya kumakaen, at the same time, sinicipon p cya kaya hirap n hirap cya huminga, ma’am i hope n gumaling cya s NDV body shot nya kanina, lets pray po
i am not a vet and cant make diagnosis. i can only share my knowledge. anyway, the tap is really a risk, your dog might not wake up anymore. meantime you need to forcefeed your dog. mash canned dog food, mix with water and forcefeed with syringe. be careful and slow kasi baka pumasok sa lungs. research online on how to forcefeed properly. you can also try giving colloidal silver. you can also try looking for doc neilsen sa VIP. He is the head vet and is really really good. ask him kung pwede ang spinal tap sa dog mo….
Ma’am joyce, nalulungkot ako kase kamamatay lang ni prada ngaun around 230 AM, hnd ko alam why it have to end this way, im totally in tears now while writing you this, yerterday feb 01 ng morning nagpunta kame s VIP para magpa spinat tap n po, kase nag seizures n nga po cya, pagdating dun sabe nung vet, dra.kim, wala daw guarantee ung spinal tap n magigicing p daw baby namen, when we went there, totally awake c prada, kahit nagmumuta p din eyes nya and may sipon, so ayaw talaga ni doc n mag spinal tap kame, kaya NDV body shot nalang, after nun, umuwi n kame with n may hope talaga and everybody was happy n NDV body shot n cya cause we believe that theres still hope, agad ko binili mga meds n nireseta s amin, and pinakaen muna namen cya before we gave her the meds, i put her to sleep and while sleeping, hatsing cya ng hatsing which is i’m happy kase lumalabas n mga cipon nya, ilang beses nga cya naglabas ng madami sipon, medyo mahaba tulog nya until nagicing and ok p din cya, kahit hirap cya huminga, nakikita ko n lumalaban talaga cya masaya n ako kanina kase nakikita ko n mukhang maganda n ung nawawala colds nya, nung gabe n, kumaen cya uli, drink and take ung meds nya, tulog uli, kase may habit c prada n gusto nya tinatap cya habang natutulog, im happy n po kase i thought tuloy tuloy n cya nag ok, nung nagicin cya uli nung gabe, nag wewee cya, again kahit hirap cya huminga, lumalabas p din colds nya, and habang tinatanggal ko ung mga sipon n lumalabas, natutuwa ako dahil andun n ung hope ko, gicing lang kame watching over prada, nasa lap n nga cya ng mom ko nun kase gusto talaga ni mommy to watch her recovery, gicing p din kame habang c prada, pipikit didilat, still humihinga p, maya maya p nag seizure cya and according to dra. Kim, isa s mga meds n nireseta nya ay para s seizuse, and to give it twice a day or whenever there is seizure or jerk, so we did, tapos bigla nag seizure n cya tuloy tuloy up to her last breathe….. Ayan po ang nangyari kanina ma’am joyce, lahat kame nag iyakan n po, kase tinitignan namen kung may heart beat p, wala n talaga, iyak n ako ng iyan until now, c mommy and ung anak ko and ung kapatid ko nalang nag asikaso kay prada, i was really crying hard and my husband just held me up, i see my self crying like a kid n humagulgol tlaga ako coz i cant accept n bkt nagkaganun, ngaun lang ako umiyak ng ganito, the whole family was shocked, even my 80 year old grand mother, naiyak talaga! Ganito pala kasakit ma’am joyce, sobrang hnd ko matanggap pagkawala nya, nalulungkot kaming lahat kase mag 1 year old n sana cya…..
Hnd ko alam ano nangyari nung buglang seizure n un kanina, kase ang nakikita n names was a sign of hope and we feel n lumalaban talaga cya…
Ma’am joyce, im really in pain now, even my husband cried, especially my Son, kase alam mo pag matutulog kame nung hnd p sick c prada, either kame ng hushand ko katabi nya or ung son ko, alam mo b pag naliligo anak ko, andun cya s labas ng door ng bathroom while waiting for my Son, and pag andyan shoes nya, humuhiga p cya s shoes ng anak ko, mahal n mahal nya kuya Fau nya and ganun din anak ko, mahal n mahal nya c Prada, mamimiss namen cya, i will miss ung mge ginagawa nya like alam mo b everytime i came home, bubulagta cya s paa ko, gusto nya pakarga agad pag dumadating ako, every morning pag breakfast kame ng husband ko together with Prada, she eats boiled egg for breakfast, pag nasa bahay lang ako, we play, while im wathcing tv andyan lang cya s tabi ko, and pag matutulog n, tinatap ko cya,
Nakakalungkot talaga ma’am joyce, lahat kame, my mom, my lola, mga kapatid ko, c Fau ung anak ko and ung husband ko was really in pain s pagkawala nya,
I am thankful dto s blog mo n nagbigay s amen ng hope for our baby, andami ko natutunan dto habang inaaalagaan namen cya during her battle with her distemper, it really breaks my heart n makita habang namamatay cya, especially my mom coz she was in her lap when the seizure attacked.
Sana ginawa nalang ni dra. kim ung spinal tap kanina, for what reason n ayaw nya gawin, or maybe she is not especialized to do it, kaya body shot lang nirerecoommend nya,
Ma’am joyce, sorry if this may sound blaming but kung ginawa lang sana ni dra. Joyce ung spinal tap, maybe prada would still wake-up, ung mga nabasa ko nga n nag spinal tap, nakasurvive, alam mo talagang nagtataka din ako bkt ayaw ni dra.kim to do it, which i believe that procedure will make my baby survive…. Malakas ang paniwala ko kase kita mo nga po c Bailey mo now… Buti k p nabuhay baby mo….
This is the saddest day of my life, losing my dear prada.
Prada mamimiss k naming lahat, lalo ng kuya Fau mo, ng papa edward mo, lola ruby,
Lola mama (my 80 year old grandma), ate ruth, Og, Cookie, fhel, fitz, rive, and also your manang Chuchu (our other dog, 5 year old JRT)
Prada i know that you are in heaven now, im sure hnd k n nahihirapan dyan at hnd k n mag seizure dyan…. I hope makakapaglaro k dyan, baby, iloveyou so much, i wish we can be together again, para mahug kita, para katabi kita sleep, lalo n pag tayong dalawa lang dto s house, i will really miss you coz iloveyou so much,
Ma’am joyce sorry for being too emotional here, kase po c prada ang aming first fur baby, madami n kame naging dogs, most of them big sizes, and most of them namatay talaga s katandaan, ung iba ninakaw po, ngaun lang talaga kame nsmatayan ng dog n nagkasakit po, and it hurts kase we really treat her as baby talaga, katabi matulog, kasabay kumaen, kasabay maligo, lahat talaga mamimiss namen syo baby! I hope one day we can play again, iloveyou prada mante!
Hello Francia, i totally understand where you are coming from and when I read your comment this morning after waking up, I could not bear to answer you at once. I needed some time to process your sad letter. I adore my dogs too specially my little Broyles, a Schnauzer Poodle mix because he sleeps beside me. We discovered that he’s epileptic pala so you can imagine just how attached I am to him because of his special meds, special diet, etc etc. Bailey is my darling too and I can’t imagine how painful it would have been to lose her when she was fighting distemper.
Actually, what happened with Bailey was that the vet suggested the Serum for her. So I did that. But after communicating with Ed Bond, the guy in New York who helps people and dogs fight distemper, he encouraged me to get the tap because the disease was neurological na dahil may twitching. That means it’s in the spinal column (at least thats my understanding) and will soon reach the brain. When it reaches the brain they say there’s nothing that can be done anymore. He said that because Bailey was twitching na, dapat NDV Tap. THe Serum is useless daw. So balik kami sa VIP and asked to do the Tap, which they did. But the warning was, there’s a chance she wouldn’t wake up anymore. We took the chance and she woke up naman. And it took a couple weeks but she did recover.
Anyway, in your case, here is my suggestion. Since you are in a very emotional state and in shock, give yourself time to process this whole thing. Let yourself mourn your loss. Do everything to honor Prada – make a shrine for your baby, a photo album, anything to honor your baby. Now is the time to do that. Yun na muna dapat ang focus mo. Tell Prada’s story. Maybe by sharing your dog’s story (just like I shared Bailey’s) other dog owners will be warned.
After a week or two, when you are less emotional and more in control, maybe you can bring your issue to VIP and ask them why the Body Shot was recommended instead of the tap which is what you wanted. You could have signed a waiver naman that you will not sue them if Prada doesn’t wake up. You should bring the issue to Doc Nielsen who is the head vet and owner of VIP.
In Bailey’s case, the vet that told me to give her the Serum was a junior vet and I think he made the wrong call kasi she was twitching na. Useless daw sabi ni Ed Bond ang Serum when the dog is twitching na. Dapat Spinal NDV Tap daw so I brought Bailey back and asked for the Tap na. I wasted so much money on the Serum when we could have just done the Spinal Tap in the first place. But I did not get mad that VIP because IMHO, getting mad at the vets doesn’t cure your dog. Working with them is a better option or just changing your vet to someone who understands you better. So I asked for a different vet and VIP gave me a young lady vet, si Doc Allison who is very good daw at doing the spinal tap.
Anyway, I think your questions are valid but yes, don’t fall for the blame game. That doesn’t help you. Prada is in heaven and feeling like it was someone’s fault (or your fault) is not healthy for you. It is normal, but not healthy to keep feeling like that.
HOWEVER, you have very valid questions and if you feel strongly enough about them, you should return to VIP, when you are less emotional na, and ask Doc Neilsen if his vet made the wrong call. Your purpose now should not be to blame, but to get answers and to get closure. Also, to help Doc Neilsen and other dogs. Malay mo, that vet made the wrong call and Doc Neilsen can correct her so that other dogs who go to her will have a better chance at fighting distemper.
Also, FYI, during a seizure, the dog doesn’t feel any pain, at least that’s what human seizure patients say. They don’t feel pain. And I believe that you will see your dear Prada again, just like I will see my dear dogs one day in heaven. And if they are not there, I’m sure God has a good reason for it. Saka, when we are with God, we won’t need anything or anyone else because His presence is enough. Pero prayer ko talaga is that our furkids will all be in heaven to welcome us. And knowing the merciful heart of God, He very well could have them all running around and barking on the golden highways of eternity…
The bible says: God gives, and God takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.
May Prada rest in peace…
Ma’am joyce, nakakalungkot kase c chuchu namatay din now, at 730 pm, two of our dogs died today, prada 230 AM, c chuchu ngaun lang 730 Pm, last night dinala ko din c chuchu s VIP, around 8pm feb 01, nag NDV body shot Din c chuchu, wala cya seizure, nagmumuta and cold lang po cya, and totally no appetite, kaya pina NDV n din namen c chuchu last night s VIP, c prada nung morning cya, c chu chu naman nng gabe, ang napancin namen kay chuchu, hinihingal cya ng mabilis pag uwi namen galing s VIP for the NDV vaccine, c dr.dan ang nag inject po s kanya kagabe, nagmumuta n kase cya and wala n talaga appetite pero wala seizures, tapos ngaung gabe bago cya mamatay, malakas n ung sound ng hingal nya, tapos tumingin cya s face ko and biglan cya tumumba breathless n po, nasalo ko p cya pag tumba nya, then came out ung poop nya n may blood n po, pero lifeless n cya kase lumabas n din tongue nya, she died in my arms
Ma’am joyce, kakalungkot po, magkasunod ko cila dinala kahapon feb 01 s VIP with hope and faith, then magkasunod din cila namatay ngaun feb 02, talagang sinakluban akong langit at lupa n magkasunod namatay mga mahal kong dogs,
Chuchu, mahal n mahal k namen, thank you for being a great guard dog for mommy and lola for six years, sorry kung nahawaan k ni prada ng distemper, i will miss you too, i will miss that you always run around the house, and talagang matapang k n dog, mamimiss ko ung malakas mong mga kahol, mamimiss ko ung katakawan mo, and most of all we will miss the one and only you…. i hope we can meet in my dreams, kayo ni prada, para mayakap ko kayo uli,
Ma’am joyce lage yumayakap yan c chuchu s akin, pandak cya n mataba, gulat nga c dr. Dan kagabe nung iniijectionan cya dun kame s may parking ng VIP, very sweet yan, every family member n darating s house, yayakap cya talaga, pipilitin nya sasampa or papasan po, nakakalungkot talaga, hnd ko alam bkt ambilis ng mga pangyayari, i am full of hopes po talaga nung nbigyan n cila ng NDV body shot, tapos ganun nangyari s kanila, and to think n c chuchu po recently lang ng signs nya like ng muta, sipon and no appetite, mga two days palang cya, kaya we immediately decided n body shot n din cya nung gabe, kaya dinala naman namen agad s VIP kagabe, its so heart breaking n kaninang umaga c Prada iniiyakan ko, ngaun gabe c chuchu naman, kinomfort nalang ako ng mga kapatid ko kanina, naawa talaga ako kay chuchu kase very painful cuguro talaga dahil anlakas ng hingal nya n umuungol p cya,
Ma’am joyce, salamat s mga info n share mo dto, it really helped me a lot n madugdunan p ung buhay ng mga dogs namen kahit papano, especially kay prada for the 16 days battle with the virus, kung pano mag force feed etc, it really helped a lot po talaga,
In memory of chuchu and prada, may they rest in peace and i hope they are happy kung nasan man cila now, iloveyou prada mante and chuchu mante, i will always be proud to be your Pet mommy kahit wala n kayo, you will stay in my heart and in my memory hanggang nabubuhay ako.
Salamat ma’am joyce s blog n ito, until our next chat again, goodnight po and lets continue our advocacy to support and protect all domestic animals, i really love dogs and cats po talaga
Francia, i didnt know you had two dogs. do you have more? Distemper is highly contagious. Mag nose sniffing lang yan, the virus transfers kaagad. if u have other dogs, now is the time for the body shot, dont wait bec when the symptoms are bad na, body shot is not so effective.
Anyway, Im truly sorry for your loss. Sunodsunod pa. 😦 I dont know what to say to comfort you except that any dog would be blessed to have you for a mommy…
Hi Ms Joyce, just an update po. Yesterday we said goodbye to one of our younger dogs. He’s the first one who got infected. His battle lasted for two weeks. The first week (Jan 16) we got him checked up, bought his meds and he got better. (BTW, the vet who saw him didn’t insist on the distemper test for god-knows-why, naprevent sana namin ang distemper outbreak sa household.)
Anyway, We really thought he did kc he’s no longer sleeping upright, no more colds, eye discharged and laboured breathing. Then on Jan 28 he started having the so-called chewing gum fits and mild seizure. He was lively pa, then on Jan 30th he stopped standing up, parang na-paralysed na sya. But I knew he was a fighter, he wouldn’t let me trim his facial fur =). Jan 31st his eyes were constantly closed and i only fed him pedialyte, he can no longer swallow solids. By this time I’ve already prepared myself, na bilang na yung days na nasa amin pa sya. So on Feb 1, in the afternoon, after feeding him, my mom left him for a while, then sinilip ko sya, he’s no longer breathing.
The sad news doesn’t stop there, we lost his brother, his kakambal, earlier today. And our battle vs distemper continues, three of our other dogs is still fighting against this dreadful disease.
Hi Maica, vets usually test for distemper if they newly-bought puppies. sila ang may highest incidence of distemper.
If your dog is not a puppy and is an inside dog, vets will suspect its something diff. Like with Bailey. We were going back and forth for two weeks sa VIP before they said baka Distemper. And after testing, ayun, Distemper nga.
Anyway I am so sorry that u and your dogs have to go thru this nightmare. i cant imagine going thru it with 5 or 6 dogs.
I do appreciate the updates….im praying for your other dogs…
good evening again ma’am joyce, will do your advice to check doc’s schedule, i’m trying to get better now and here’s what i have found, i like to share it her in your blog so that other pet parents who lost their beloved babies can read this:
Just this side of heaven
is a place called Rainbow Bridge.
When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here,
that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.
There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together.
There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.
All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor;
those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again,
just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.
The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing;
they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.
They all run and play together,
but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance.
His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers.
Suddenly he begins to run from the group,
flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.
You have been spotted,
and when you and your special friend finally meet,
you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again.
The happy kisses rain upon your face;
your hands again caress the beloved head,
and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet,
so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.
Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together…..
alam mo ma’am i cried again after i have read this, and now im starting to get OK n po,
thank you again ma’am and goodnight
Thanks so much for this beautiful description of where our pets go. I hope to God I see all my beloved furkids in heaven. Sa age kong ito, marami na akong na-out-live na dogs and cats and even hamsters, hehehe… but I miss them all so much and remember them always. While I’m not rushing to get to heaven (aahaha) I am looking forward to that day that we are all reunited, our pets, our loved ones and our good Lord!
I am glad to hear that you are starting to get OK… the journey will be long but at least it will bet better day after day…
Sad, sad news…prayers for you and your dogs, Maica and francia maria mante.
Ma’am joyce, pinabody shot ko naman po c chuchu, wala po cye seizure pero nag mumuta n cya, wala n appetite and may lagnat po, saka iba n din ng pag hinga nya, kaya we decided n ipa body shot n cya agad nung gabe right after nbody shot ni prada, kaya talagang nagulat kame bkt ambilis n namatay ni chuchu, wala p naman cya seizure or twitching kase talagang binabantayan namen cla kung kung mag seizure, c prada lang po ang may seizure n, shaking ung mouth po nya lage, kaya po nagulat ako n bkt right after n nabody shot cila, halos hnd p umabot ng 24 hours after the body shot, kung bkt namatay cila agad, i have no doubt regarding the informations n nalaman ko from you and from the email that my son recieved from ed bond, and hnd ako maka move-on is kame lang yata ung right after ng body shot, in a matter of hours, kung bkt namatay agad cila prada and chuchu, i really can’t understand po bkt ganun nangyari, knowing that the NDV body shot can somehow do something with the virus, and if the body shot won’t work to the within two days, there’s another option w/c is the serum or the spinal tap n pinahadaan naman po namen, nakakabigla n namatay agad cila, Hnd n cila umabot dun s two-days waiting period, pag wala effect s kanila then we do the other procedure, until now ma’am iniicip ko p din po, kase lahat ng nagpbody shot, may nag effect, and kung may hnd man nag effect, hnd naman ung kagaya ng nagngyari kila chuchu and prada ma’am, alam mo ma’am, the next day po sana after the body shot, i was already planning to ask VIP for dr. Donato’s schedule as per your advice to me to ask doctor donato to do the tap, kaya lang po hnd n inabutan ng kinabukasan c Prada, 230 am palang namantay n cya, then chuchu at 730 pm naman, magkasunod cila body shot, magkasunod din po cila namatay,
i don’t know ma’am how can i get in touch with dr. Donato about this ma’am, i think its best that the senior vets would do the procedure for distemper cases, kase macicira ung name ng reputable hospital and of course dr. Donato’s name, i really do believe he performs well and he is really an advocate, he is really a professional vet, unlike other’s that are commercial vets, i have nothing against dr. Donato coz i know he is a very reputable vet as well as his hospital, and gusto ko po ipaabot s kanya ay tungkol s mga vet that is working for him, Kase ma’am ngaun lang cinabi s akin ng husband ko, n nung pinabody shot namen c chuchu, hnd nila kinuha ung exact weight nya, w/c is i think is not proper kase po diba the amount of vaccine would be according to the body weight, ngaun lang kame n naguusap kame ng husband ko nasabe nya,
Kaya nga po dinala natin s kanila mga pets natin because we still want them to live p, kaya nakakalungkot ung pangyayari n yon ma’am, sana ma’am tulungan nyo po ako mapaabot kay dr. Donato this matter, tama po kayo n kailangan icorrect nya ung mga vets nya, Iniinsist n namen cila to do the tap kita naman nila n may seizure n c prada, ayaw p nila, and kung may waiver naman pala gaya ng sabe mo ma’am, and i believe it would work kase andami n po living proof ngaun, and one of them is your dear bailey ma’am, you really did gave us hope and encouragement for our dear prada and chuchu, i don’t know what seem to be the problem with the other vets talaga ma’am,
This would be a lesson for us to look for a senior vet.
First time lang kase talaga namen naka encounter n may nagkasakit s mga dogs namen ma’am, ung mga naging dogs namen previously, namatay ng katandaan n po, they even get blind p po ma’am i remember our dear Jackie, c Jackie dog n namen nung high school palang ako in 1991, namatay cya 2003, ang natira n s amin dogs ay ung mga anak nya c negro and negra kase they are both black, and mostly po when we go to visit vet is for their annual vaccine lang po,
Hi Francia, I saw Doc Neilsen yesterday then ill be seeing him again a month from now. It turns out that my Schnoodle is epileptic and Doc is trying to see if we can control Broyles’ seizures thru diet this month.
Anyway, I can ask him about it when I see him but I know he will ask questions that only you as dog owner can answer. Its best that you talk to him yourself. Just call VIP and find out his sched and them drop by to talk to him.
You should write down all the facts too, like dates and symptoms. Write down the story of your dogs. So that you don’t forget the details. Like what I did with Bailey.
If you have it documented then it will be easier for Doc Neilsen to study what went wrong (kung meron man) with the shots of Prada and Chuchu.
I encourage you to talk to him yourself because you will have questions that I wouldn’t think of asking. He’s a great guy and loves animals sincerely so I believe he’ll be ok to review the cases of your two babies kasi valid naman talaga ang mga concern at tanong mo.
Im so so sorry for your loss and cannot imagine the pain you are going thru now plus the torment of unanswered questions. But I am praying that you will get your answers and find closure.
God bless u…
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Our puppy Boknoy, a 3 month old mix of Golden Ret and Lab was diagnosed with Distemper last Saturday, we went to VIP in Mandaluyong and he was given body shot, doc said we will wait for 7 days coz wala daw sila available na serum. He’s eating his food but now he’s having difficulty standing up, his eyes are now twitching and he didn’t poo the entire day yesterday probably because his legs are too weak, he cries on his sleep it is heartbreaking 😦 we will do whatever we can to save him. We are now looking for donor dog and we have a candidate. Please help us pray for him.
Grace, im sorry I just saw this now. Am travelling back home and currently im at a stopover in Dubai. Anyway, the NDV doesnt need a Donor dog. Let me explain.
From what I know VIP offers 3 treatments for Distemper:
1) Body Shot – the cheapest option but only for early stages. You did this na.
2) Serum Shots – the most expensive but also most effective. Only for early stage distemper. The hardest part is looking for a big dog with complete shots and optimum health to donate blood.
3) The NDV Spinal Tap – this is the option if the previous two did not work. Its for advanced stage Distemper when the dog is showing signs of twitching and head bob and seems as if he’s chewing gum. NO NEED FOR DONOR DOG. But you will need to buy the NDV (Newcastle Disease Virus) LaSota Strain from a poultry supply. They will inject the virus into the dog’s spinal column. This is going to cost 4k more or less.
The question is, is your dog twitching na? To see how a Distemper dog twitches, visit the website Kind Hearts in Action and watch videos there. If he is twitching my personal opinion as a pet owner and Distemper warrior would be to go na for NDV Spinal Tap.
For a second opinion, email Ed Bond, the guy who runs Kind Hearts in Action. His contact is on the website. He responds fast.
Please move on this quickly. Puppies are weaker than adult dogs when it comes to fighting distemper. Every minute counts.
Thank you for the clarification Miss Joyce! I did sent an email to Ed bond and got a reponse in few mins!
So yesterday when I came home from work our Boknoy came to me wagging his tail,he also followed me around to my room, kitchen and terrace, I was so happy but few hours later he had an attacked of what they called “Chewing Gum” seizure. We didn’t waste time and rushed him to VIP to have spinal tap, I hope we are not too late though 😦
Ma’am ung shih tzu ko distemper di ngaun sabe ng vet, pleasehelp me what to do, dtopo kame s manila ngaun in stA.mesa, gusto ko p mabuhay dog namen, pls help po, ayoko po cya mamatay kase wala p cya 1 year, please help me po
Bring your dog to VIP asap. THey will do another distemper on your dog. If positive, they have three different treatments and they will explain it to you. The most important thing is to bring your dog there asap. Search mo ang Vets in Practice online to get their phone number. You can call them for advice now. Wishing you the best, keep me updated….
Ma’am tumawag po kame ng anak ko dun s sinasabe nyo, kaya lang po ang mahal po nung cinasabe nila, hnd ko tuloy alam gawin namen, naaawa tuloy ako s dog namen, bigay lang po kase cya s amen, gusto p namen cya mabuhay kase sobrang lambing at bait po, katabi nga po namen yan matulog, gusto ko cya dalhin dun s cnasabe nyo pero anlaki po ng kailangan bayaran dun, meron po b cila social service dun para maliit lang po babayaran namen…..
Ma’am tulungan nyo po kame para masave p namen cya, salamat po
Im sorry, the only help I can give you is my wisdon, experience and information. Unfortunately, wala din akong alam na social services for dogs. But visit this site – kindheartsinaction.com US-based group ito, and i think they help dog owners with costs. Di ako sure pero try mo lang…
Hello po, I am from iloilo and my pet Zoe is a shih tzu/maltese(Male). Dumating po sya dito sa amin sa iloilo via cargo plane Jan 4 2014 9pm, nung unang araw po okay naman po sya, then the next day Jan 5. nilagnat po sya mga around 1pm akala po ng mga nagbabantay sa kanya pagod lang sya, pagkauwi ko po sa bahay tinry ko po na dalhin sa vet sya but then hindi ko po kabisado kung saan makakakita dito kasi gabi na po at new pet owner palang po ako, that time kumakain parin naman po sya and medyo bumaba yung lagnat nya, the next day Jan 6. dinala ko po sya dito sa vet dito sa amin and pinaturukan ko po ng shot na kailangan nya and pinainom po ng deworming, Jan.7 morning nagtaka po ako kasi suka sya ng suka tapos pinarush ko na po sya sa vet para sa emergency at doon po na laman na may CDV po sya and binigyan po ng 48 hours na life span. I’m still hoping na gagaling pa po sya 3month old palang po and he was born on sept 2013. Naka dextrose po sya ngayon sa vet, ano pa po bag alternatives ang pwede ko pong gawin? are there any Body shots, serum available din po ba dito sa iloilo, NVP spinal tap practitioner? Pa help naman po. salamat!…
First of all, im sorry that your dog is going thru this. But thank God you want to fight for your dog. I doubt therr is a vet in your area who does the NDV etc. If you can convince your vet to give it a try, contact Ed Bond from the Kind Hearts in Action dot com website and he can help your vet learn the protocols of the tap etc. Ed might also know of a vet in your area who does those procedures. Ed responds fast to email fyi. He has a worldwide campaign vs Distemper. Visit his site, lots of info therr for u…
Hi how are you. my dog is having distemper.he is just less than 3 months old.i dont know to wat to do.I am looking for a donor dog and NDV.but dificult to find.please help us to save one life.pls..i will really appreciate your help.
my number is 09057762657. we need an advise were we can get NDV and donor dog. our dog got body shot one only and antibiotics and vitamins. we are preparing for the worse in case he needs NDV. we went to VIP to get all this done.we really need your advise
Hi! I have two dogs meron din clang distemper nung nabasa ko tong blog na to agad agad ko sila dinala sa VETS IN PRACTICE , akala ko spinal tap ang gagawin skanila pero nung chineck sila nung vet binigyan lang sila ng body shot baka sakali daw n hnd n cla i spinal tap ,after 3 days may pagbabago n skanila, kumakain at tumigil n din ung pag hingal nila ng mabilis ng mabilis, salamat kay GOD at sa Vets in practice at nka survive sila ..
the Body Shot is a new treatment na hindi available during Bailey’s illness but i have heard a few success stories with the Body Shot. Keep us updated please, the information you give might save the life of another dog!!!
Hi! How much for that body shots? Nag-positive sa distemper aso ko. Though active pa but she wont eat and medyo may respiratory problem. Im thinking baka pwede sa kanya. Need estimate para mahanda ko budget. Thanks!
Hi Rina, i dont know how much the body shot is since it was not available during Bailey’s illness which was almost thrree years ago. Please contact Vets in Practice. They will also most likely require a Distemper test so ask them what that will cost. Expect to spend as well during recovery for medicine, etc… please keep me updated… thanks!!!!
Hi! Just got home from vip katipunan. Had my dog tested again for distemper and still positive. They asked me to try immunoglob something, serum, body shot. The vet recommended to try the body shots first, i think because no twitching or seizures as of the moment, and if she did not improve in 2 days, that’s the time to try other options. From the receipt, i think she as given body shot and ncd vaccine. Hopefully she’ll get better.
Hi Miss Joyce! third day after the body shot and ncd vaccine. This morning, for the first time in almost two weeks, she happily and voluntarily ate eggs and corned beef so I mixed it with softened kibbles and hand feed her. konti lang din nakain niya e, around 5 teaspoonful. But i guess that’s good kaysa ayaw niya talagang kumain or wala. Yun nga lang, ngayong lunch, ayaw na niya ulit. siguro we just have to figure out kung anong flavor of the hour. Hopefully, may improvements pa sa mga susunod na araw.
Rina to encourage you, ganyan din ang nangyari kay Bailey after the Tap. Sometimes eats well then suddenly ayaw niya. But you HAVE to force-feed. Ingat lang tho when force-feeding kasi baka pumasok sa lungs ang food/water and cause pneumonia. Dapat nakaupo or nakatayo the dog. Dont force feed when dog is lying down.
Thanks for the update, hoping to hear more good news in the coming days… God bless!!!
Thanks! hindi nanaman kumain ngayon. and yes, fino-force feed ko na lang siya para may laman yung tyan, buti na lang, no problem with drinking naman kasi malakas siya uminom. I forgot to mention, monday after the iv, yung sipon/nasal discharge yung unang naging clear. kahapon wala na, unless di ko lang napapansin. pinaka-problem ko lang is walang appetite and vomiting. kailangan ma-control.
I am also hoping to give you and your followers more good updates.. thank you so much! God Bless.
Another thing Rina, the recovery period is full of ups and downs. Youll have one good day followed by two bad days then a good day again etc. etc. Mabagal ang recovery for many dogs. Your baby is not yet out of the woods but be thankful bec your dog is drinking. Si Bailey would often refuse to drink. Naku, i became her nursemaid for a month!!! But worth it naman! Thanks for the update, you are both in my prayers!
Thank you! As of today, though our other vet said na yung paggaling ng sipon is sign na somehow, na-o-overcome yung virus, grabe naman yung pagsusuka niya. Seems that she developed stomach/peptic ulcer ba. so, our concern now is on how to control her vomiting. Kaya yun ang mas ginagamot namin ngayon. Hay… Hopefully things will get better soon. Thank you again for the prayers.
Oh wow, i hope you can somehow stop the vomiting! That is a concern indeed. Distemper is indeed a battle even during recovery. Thanks for the constant updates, i look forward to them and pray for good news ahead…
Hi Miss Joyce! three weeks since she started vomiting and two weeks from distemper diagnosis. Had my dog confined again. I sort of panicked because of fever and she cant stand! Anyway, the good news is, she’s still drinking, she can walk again, she pees, she’s fairly active, no runny nose, she eats on her own kahit tikim lang (kaya support pa din ng force feeding), no vomiting since sunday and she pooped already! but, the problem now is bloody stools. The vet said na baka may gastro intestinal bleeding because of vomiting and eating almost nothing for weeks. The vets now are working on how to treat her gastro intestinal problems and bring her appetite back. So lucky that she’s doing fairly okay with supportive treatments. aside from meds, constant din yung vitamins to boost her immune system and continue fighting the virus.
As of the moment, no plans of trying the serum shots because as i said, she’s fairly okay with supportive treatments and i guess the body shot somehow helped her fighting the virus in the early stage. By the way, those within or near Q.C., there’s Pendragon Vet in kalayaan. they offer serum shots and distemper confinement. They recently accepted daw a 5kg dog and they charged Php 1, 200. 00 per shot. Not so sure if they also perform the spinal tap. those interested, you can google their website their contact numbers and email address are there.
hay…emotionally and financially tiring pero kelangan ilaban. =)
Rina, that is crazy! I hope you are coping well in the midst of this emotional and financial stress. Thanks to for the information on Pendragon Vet on Kalayaan. That is helpful. Thanks too for the update. Hoping to God that your dog’s poopies will become normal again…. kalurky naman yan!
Hi Miss Joyce! my dog’s discharged today. she’s still weak and poops a little runny but at least, no blood, no vomiting. She’s more active and looks happy, her appetite is back though we have to regulate to allow her stomach to adjust and properly heal. Break daw muna sa antibiotics since we finished baytril last week but she’s still on cimetidine and some supplements. Hope that she’ll slowly and surely recover and that the virus is not somewhere hiding in her body. thank you for the prayers and all the info!
Give her yogurt to replenish the good bacteria killed by the antibiotics. But don’t give her sweetened yogurt, dapat plain with no sugar. Let us pray indeed that that virus is dead and gone. When do you return for the test to see if wala na ang distemper?
Our vets here sort of doesn’t believe that the virus will be gone. Kapag nag test daw, mag positive pa rin. More of nalalabanan lang yung virus but it will just be there, waiting for another opportunity to attack again. Though in vip, they advised us to test again after 30 days from the body shot. Maybe will do that when she’s stronger. At least, will be a little bit easier to support her immune system and give her supplements since her appetite is back.
Well Bailey tested negative after a month. I cant stand medical practitioners who closed-minded. And Bailey is not the only dog who made it thru via NDV treatment under VIP. There are many success stories, stats dont lie.
Anyway, Im rooting for your dog, to overcome Distemper!
And yes, bring your dog back for testing after a month to be sure…
Thank you! my dog’s still a little week na noticeable kapag naglalakad siya minsan parang madadapa and when she barks, hindi full force. but her appetite’s very good. actually parang na-doble, bumabawi yata. I already started giving her softened kibbles with rice and fish or chicken, slowly increasing her food in take as well though three to five times a day pa rin or depende sa appetite or sleeping schedule. poop’s very good. soft but firm (or formed) without visible blood traces. She’s also done with cimetidine and so far, she’s really good. almost normal.
thank you for the online support, prayers and all. yes, i’ll bring her to VIP very soon to check! =)
Rina, it sounds like your dog will pull through. But be vigilant now more than ever because it is when we relax that trouble strikes. The enemy that may attack is secondary infection. Because your dog is weakened by the battle, another illness may attempt to pounce on your baby. The anti-biotics are so important and if you can give Colloidal Silver to your dog please do so. C Silver is my friend against all viruses, bacteria and fungi. I drink it myself. You can get it at VIP or at the SAturday Market in Salcedo Makati or the Sunday market in Legaspi Makati.
haha! week pala nalagay ko…correction “my dog’s still a little WEAK.”
Yes, our vet here told me as well to still keep an eye on our dog and we are constantly communicating din. Just checked my calendar, will bring my dog back to VIP in two weeks. will most probably buy Colloidal silver. nabasa ko nga benefits niya. I believe we’ll be back to anti-biotics in a few weeks. My vet here just deemed it proper to take a break from the meds for a while para makapag-pahinga yung liver and kidney. She’s taking some supplements muna.
by the way, obviously, i’ve been consulting two doctors for my dog but i keep everything transparent. pinapakita ko mga reseta and kunukwento ko sa kanila pareho yung mga findings and all. so far, no problem since they would generally agree naman sa mga gamot.
Our puppy just got diagnosed with distemper, we went to VIP and he was given body shot, price depends on the weight of the dog, our puppy is 3 months old and almost 3 kilos, we paid 850 for one shot. Doc said we will observe for 7 days, our puppy is eating but he is getting weaker 😦 we pray that he will make it
Body shot depends on the weight of the dog, our puppy Boknoy was diagnosed with Distemper, he is 3 months old and weighed 3 kilos, we paid 850 pesos, we went to VIP and he was given body shot, its been two days but he seems to be getting worse, he cries on his sleep and its breaking our hearts, I am planning to give him NDV if body shot wont work, we are currently looking for donor dog.
My dog just had shots. I wonder hows your dogs doing?
Its been nearly 3 years since her battle with Distemper and Bailey is doing fine. But the nerve damage was extensive so she twitches nonstop even in her sleep and is on daily meds against seizures. But she plays, is frisky, barks fiercely at strangers and runs around the house….
hi ms rina. where did u bring your dog for confinement? they dont confine dogs with distemper sa VIP and my dog has no appetite. weve been forcefeeding her and i fear its not enough. she has a lot of meds kaya we have to feed her every few hrs. btw we live in batangas so di ganon kadali to bring her back and forth.
I think its Pendragon Vet Clinic. Try searching it online and call them up.
Yes, you can try Pendragon Vet in QC. but i had my dog confined in a vet clinic in Marikina since puro distemper kasi yung naka-confine sa kanila, pinayagan na lang nila. anyway, i think VIP vets can put and would teach you kung paano maglagay ng swero for your dog?
Marikina ka pala. Me too. Anyway, which vet is this?
Regarding the swero or subcutaneous fluids, yes VIP taught me how to do it. Scary at first to stick a fat needle in the shoulder blades of my sweet Bailey but I had to do it or else my darling would not have enough hydration so I steeled myself, ignored my fear and did it for love. And I was pretty good. Had a few mistaken pokes which were painful for her but better that than losing her to dehydration…
Ay, Marikina pala tayo pareho! What a privilege! hehe!
Man’s bestfriend vet clinic in tumana. I think they have several branches around marikina Pero ang hinahanap ko lagi and pinaka pinag-aalaga ko sa dog ko ay si Doc Jay. Even before, yung mga skin problem, kapag siya nagreseta, nakakakita ako ng improvement agad. This time, nabigyan din agad ng supportive treatments yung dog ko within the first week na nagpositive siya with distemper which i believe, helped her fight the virus.
The vet just dont believe in using NDV as of the moment that i had to pull my dog out to bring her to VIP to try the body shot, but they would do what they can to help the dog survive.
Well at least u believed. When your baby fully recovers, he’ll be living proof that the NDV treatments are worth a try. People who limit their imagination and dont study new things will never go as far as those who dream and try new things!
Hi. My dog go to the vet in practice and they injected him with ncd vaccine and they gave us a baytril and other vitamins. They told me to come back after 7days because my dog is not twitching and no seizure but he is positive to distemper. Is he on early stage? Can he survive? Please give me advice..thank you.
Hi
You’re lucky that distemper was detected in your dog at such an early stage. Twitching usually indicates that the virus has already gone to the dog’s brain/nervous system, and from there the chances are really slim.
Please. Do what the doctors have told you, if you have other dogs in the house, keep your sick dog isolated. That was our mistake last year(Miss Joyce, you still remember when I wrote about Peanut last May-June 2013? All of our dogs got infected because of him, thankfully we were able to save all others – at a price, literally – except for Peanut). Keep the sick dog isolated and as far away from other dogs as possible. I hope your dog makes it. Be vigilant.
Hi Oliver! Yes twitching is bad. That was the stage Bailey was in when we did the Spinal Tap. She was at the doorstep of death. Or I should say that death was at our doorstep ready to claim her but somehow she pulled thru and gained her health back, thank God. Not all dogs pull thru because Distemper is a deadly enemy.
Yes, I remember dear Peanut. And I can’t imagine the cost because I had to put Bailey’s vet fees on my credit card. Tho I hate credit cards and use mine sparingly, this was one time I was so grateful I had one.
Your advice is excellent. Distemper is faster than garapat, jumping from one dog to another in the blink of an eye. THen it sucks away the life of your dog and you literally watch him/her die little by little as the days go by. Terrible disease but thankfully we can fight it now!
Hello po. I just wanna ask if needed pa po yung Serum shot? I plan to get our chow puppy the spinal tap after the holidays. Thank you for posting this blog. It’s really a great help.
please do not wait after the holidays. every second that virus is alive in your dog it is eating away at your pet’s nervous system. the damage is irreversible. the treatment only stops the virus but cannot fix the destroyed nerves. waiting will only bring your dog closer to death. move now before its too late. Distemper is a devastating disease, do not underestimate it…
Hi my dog just have a ncd vaccine yesterday. He is not twitching. But he has a cough and dry nose. The vet said i need to observe him in 7days. The vet also gave us a baytril. Is my dog have a chance to survive? Thanks.
Sorry for my late response Joseph.. im in the US on a trip to be with family… how is your dog doing? Update us please, thanks!
He’s still eating but not like before. His nose is dry, i gave him baytril, and vitamins. He’s still the same. His drinking some of his water also but not like before. Can he survive? 😦 the vet said we will go back on monday for follow up check up. But i dont see some changes on him. Atleast he is not going to worst.
My lhasa apso was diagnosed of having distemper 2 weeks ago. Do you think the spinal tap or ndv will still work for her? She doesn’t want to eat but she can still drink water on her own. Thanks.
have the vet diagnose if its early stage or late stage. early stage is treated with the serum. late stage with the spinal tap. late stage distemper is marked by nonstop twitching. hope it works out well for u and your baby…
Hi Joyce, thank you so much for this blog. I have a pup with distemper now and managed to get the NDV injection for him before the neurological side effects set in. It was a miracle there was a vet in my area with the serum. I’m in Los Angeles. It’s been only five days after the injection and he twitches in his sleep and cries out like he’s having nightmares. It breaks my heart. He also has conjunctivitis. You blog has brought me peace so thanks doll.
Hi Jana, which treatment did your dog get? Was it the NDV Spinal Tap or the Serum? The serum involves a donor dog donating blood. its different fron the Spinal Tap which is a procedure involving the Newcastle Disease Virus being injected into your dog’s nape. Bailey had the serum first but it didnt work bec she was already in the neurological phase with twitching. So we had to do the Spinal Tap. Please make sure you got the right treatment. You may have to do the spinal tap. Visit the website “Kind Hearts in Action” for more information…. wishing for the best for your dog…
Good afternoon Joyce,
First I want to say God bless you for not giving up on Bailey.
I have been rescuing dogs my entire life and just this year a good friend of mine and I we form a rescue group in the name Angels Four Paws in hoping we can save more life.
Three months ago we rescue a blue pit from being kick and rock throwing at him on the street and come to find out he have distemper. Well I should say he has distemper. When he was brought in to my vet and I was inform by my vet he believe bluemoon is his name have distemper. My vet started his treatment by the way. According to my vet bluemoon is no longer contagious and he is free of the disease. OMG I was so happy Joyce.
Now the questions is will I be able to find a wonderful forever home for bluemoon. Last week I thought I did find him a wonderful home but he was return to us after two days. I explain to the family about bluemoon with his condition and why he have the twitch. I did not hide anything from this family. Ever since we rescue bluemoon after his treatment he have never has diarrhea but for whatever reasons he start to have diarrhea. When the family contacted me I offer for them to take him to the vet and I will paid for it.
While they were at the vet more information was giving out to them about distemper which drove the family to the conclusion that they don’t want to deal with his special need any more.
It break my heart when he was return to me.
I am trying to learn as much as I can what to expect from a dog who survive distemper and what all need to be done to prepare the family who is willing to give bluemoon a home.
I myself don’t have much money and whatever I can save up go to my rescue trying to save as many dogs as I can.
Any information any guidance you can give me please help me. Thank you God bless you
Celestine
Hi Joyce, I was just wondering how Bailey is doing right now. I also have a puppy who is battling distemper right now and has just manifested the “Chewing Gum Fit” last night. I am contemplating about the NDV Spinal Tap procedure. I just want to make sure that I am doing the best for my puppy. I don’t want him to go thru life suffering….
Thanks,
Ram
Bailey is doing fine… i am so happy i chose to do the spinal tap. She twitches still but can do everything normal dogs do… it was risk but if i didnt treat her she would have most likely died… hoping you choose to do the ndv tap…
We just lost our Kobe this morning.. We were to schedule the spinal tap for Dec 26 after the Holidays but Kobe didn’t make it.. If only I knew more about distemper and the treatments earlier.. if only NDV treatments were made standard protocols for vets…
Thank you for posting and providing the information to all dog owners out there..
I have been doing a lot of research too on distemper and CPV and I found your post this morning. Am hoping my Rufo isn’t too late for the NDV spinal tap. Thank you very much for sharing this info. Namaste. ❤
Hi! 🙂 I just got my 2 month old toy poodle puppy last monday and ok naman siya, healthy, eating well and energetic. But nung third night niya sa amin bigla siyang nag sneeze paulit ulit, pinabayaan ko lang kasi akala ko colds lang and harmless naman. But kanina napansin namin na super tam lay niya and hindi siya masyado kumakain. Palagi nalang siya tulog ng tulog. Akala ko since puppy pa, ok lang tulog ng tulog pero medyo nagtaka ako kaya nag vet ako kanina sa Animal House (Aurora branch) and sabi nila ipablood test daw. 2 hours later tumawag yung vet at sabi sa akin na positive daw si Mochi (toy poodle) sa Distemper and also Parvo..:((( Tapos Anemia pa siya. So nagprescribed siya ng mga vitamins like Ceelin and etc..Then super sad ko and nag search ako for possible cure (kahit impossible daw) then I saw your website and nagka hope ako!! Pls. help me on what to do! Thanks! 🙂 Super sad din kasi next saturday magJapan ako with family so walang nakakatutok kay Mochi and I know super critical siya..Thanks again! 🙂
Hi Rlane, please read my post. All info is there. You can also call Vets in Practice and ask about the Spinal Tap. But someone has to care for your puppy while u are away. Vets in Practice’s number is online. Distemper is deadly so move fast and call VIP asap. Praying for your dog…
Thank you! Will be calling Vets in Practice first thing in the morning! 😀
Hi! Went to VIP yesterday and asked for a double check on my dog if he really has distemper and parvovirus. But the test result came out negative for both. I felt very happy and relieved. But I can’t help but wonder which should I believe, the result of Animal House or VIP?? Should I do another test in a different vet? Thanks a lot! 🙂
its possible to get a false reading. you should get your dog retested…
Thank you for sharing your experience about your dog with distemper..actually we have the same kinda looking dog and sad to say my summer was diagnosed with distemper just ryt now by our vet..i am living here in bohol, and sad to say i cant really afford the best treatment for my dog, and all i can do is do my best in helping to ease my dogs suffering..i recently treated her in antibiotics and meds that increases her immune system as prescribed by my vet..though i wont be able to provide her the expensive ways in treating her sickness, but im hoping and praying that she will survive distemper..i just cant bare seeing her this way.. I even cried just staring at her eyes, it like shes talking to me to help her..i just keep telling summer to fight for her to survive..i even told her sorry, if im not able to provide her the complete vaccinations due to financial problems, but i will do my best to help her out, through gods guidance and my vets help.thanks much !!!
Okay, you can try convincing a vet in your area to try the spinal tap. Pwede sin kasi ang NDV treatment thru dextrose. You can write ed.bond.new.york@gmail.com for the protocols to send to the vet. I encourage you to fight for your Summer… because I know that she would do the same for you in the best way a dog can… will be praying. Be brave and forceful…
I would just like to thank you so much for giving us a spark of hope and enlight us about distemper and everything that we did not know.
Me and my boyfriend were proud owners of a puppy who suffered canine distemper, although when we finished reading your post about this, it wad already too late, our precious Cinna (our puppy) had expired hours after we talked with our vet regarding this cure and hope for our Cinna.
We were really desperate to get a puppy, we got cinna from sulit.com and we’re very much happy and lucky to be her owners, she was really smart, some tricks we really didnt have to teach her, she’s always happy to see us everytime we get home and always looking forward to that exciting car ride she truly enjoys, we take her to our vet, the vet beside white plains near saranggaya exit, once a week to have her checked up, so we were reslly confident that she wouldnt get any disease or whatsoever
2 weeks ago, Cinna had colds and we’re suspecting kennel cough and that being said by our vet, we followed their perscription and everything that comes with that. A week after she had a fever, 40 degrees high fever. Another week passed by and they said the fever was gone. One night that i got home, my boyfriend said that Cinna had been twitching so the mornibg after that night we took her to our vet, they said she has a fever again, 3 days after that last visit we took her back to the vet because she looked very ill already, ears down, crying everytime she walks and is twitching like whenever. Yesterday morning the vet daid they susoect that its distemper, they said there was nk more chance and their prognosis was poor and leaving her with very little chance of survival, they asked us if we’re gonna continue the treatment or put her to sleep, I said no, we continue. Upon our research we stumbled upon your blog and we had this spark of hope! We called VIP and they said they have a spot for Cinna in the morning! I begged our vet to do everything they can to keep Cinna in a stable condition just til the next day and we’ll transfer her to VIP! I was so happy to read here that there was a cure!!!! Our Cinna could be happy and be herself again!… Then we got this call, minutes after I texted our vet that Cinna had already passed away….
I can’t believe that just when we had this fighting chance for Cinna, everything would go fade away just like that, all they had in mind was money money money, prescribing us medicine that cinna doesnt even need! I mean cinna was okay, she was stable, she was stabke until i told them we were to move her to VIP, as much as i dont want to think wrong things about our vet, i couldnt get the idea that they helped cinna’s distemper get the very wee healthy part of her just because they’re not gonna get the extra money coming from executing euthanasia.
Now our little brother’s dog is in VIP and has caught distemper aswell but thanks to you there’s a big chance of saving him.
Thank you so much, you gave us hope and we learned alot from you, I know if Cinna could talk and preach, she would be preaching aswell about you and your story. I will be forever thankful.
Hi there… golly what a story. But I am so heartbroken that Cinna didn’t make it. Thank you for sharing all that. I encourage you to spread the word on your Facebook or if you have a blog that there is a treatment (not a cure) for Distemper. The treatment doesn’t cure the illness but it gives the dog a better chance at fighting the virus and eventually surviving. The survival rate for the Serum (for early stage) is much higher than the Spinal Tap (for late stage) but the tap gives 40-70% chance of survival which is better than 1 to 2% without intervention or just using antibiotics. Those figures are from the website Kind Heart in Action which has more information on the treatments against Distemper. please search it on goolge and share it on your FB. More dog moms and dads need to know about Distemper, that early discovery is the best and that there is a veterinary group that offers some hope.
speaking of hope, I hope you keep me updated on your little brother’s dog. I’m praying for good news…
Hi there! Thanks for your sharing your story.. My 3months old chow has distemper.. We went to VIP yesterday, they did spinal tap for my baby.. How will i know if ok na sya or if nkasurvive na sya from distemper? Today ngttwitch pa din sya pero kumakaen naman po at uminom sya.. We’re giving him vitamins and supplements.. Thanks in advance!
Thanks for sharing**
Well, they say that if your dog survives two weeks after the Spinal Tap and has no complications then he or she should be out of the woods. But the only sure way to know is to have a distemper test taken again one month after the Spinal Tap.
The good thing is your dog is eating and drinking. Aside from vitamins and supplements you might want to give him Colloidal Silver which you can also purchase at VIP or at the SAturday Salcedo market and Sunday Legaspi market in Makati. I gave Bailey a teaspoon with every meal. I would feed her 5 to 6 times a day because we often had to force-feed her and konti konti lang siyang kumain. So with every meal, one tsp Colloidal Silver. Are you also giving antibiotics and Neuro medicines?
Thanks for your reply. As advised by the vet, we’re giving him immunol, polynerv, chloramphenicol, LC vit and ascorbic/ vitamin C.. i’ll check if there’s colloidal silver in any pet clinic here in Pampanga if none, try ko pumunta ulit sa VIP on monday.. I know my baby is a fighter, we are praying na magsurvive sya.. Thanks a lot for your advise.. God bless po..
I am blessed that I have read your blog. Thanks for sharing your experiences because my dog is now currently confined in the hospital and diagnoses with distemper. If no progress after a day from now i will try the hospital in Mandaluyong. Thanks so much for this it was a big help..
Hi Jenacun, don’t wait too long… Distemper is a deadly disease… will be praying.
I am thankful that I’ve read your blog…My dog is currently confined in the hospital. They put a dextrose on her leg which contain the antibiotic, vitamin C. If no progress at all, I’ll try on the the Hospital you gave in Mandaluyong. Thank you so much for this!!!!! I am bless that you have put your experience in blog and made everyone aware that there is hope for CANINE DISTEMPER….
My dog has a distemper too. she ate, she poo, sometimes she barks but she can`t walk and she had wounds in her body. ( GALIS in tagalog) I know my dog fighting .. May pag-asa pa kayang maka survive yung dog ko? I from PANGASINAN,
Hi Christine, I’m not a vet but from what I’ve researched only one to two dogs out of 100 survive distemper. But with the spinal tap or serum etc. that figure goes up to 40 to 70% depending on certain factors. Search Kind Hearts in Action online and you can get all the information there. I hope your dogs makes it…
Hey, my dog has Distemper too. We took him to the vet and he had fever yesterday, pero wala na siyang fever today. But he still gets seizures and he still isn’t really that cheerful, he’s still confined though.. Since his fever is gone, there’s a greater chance for him to survive, right?? 😦 I don’t want him to die… 😥
Hi there! Im not a vet so I cant give u medical advice but what i can say is nowhere in my research have i seen that no fever in distemper dogs equals better survival. Please contact Vets in Practice asap and do NOT wait and see. That would be the surest way to lose your dog. I hope and pray you move without delay and consider the serum or body shot or spinal tap. God bless…
Aww but we live in Lucena. 😦 When we took him to the vet she only gave us medication for his cough, and said he could already be taken home… Arghhh, I’m so pissed! My dog’s been having seizures for like idk 5 times already today and she’s saying she’s ready to be taken home?! UGH. What a vet… :'((
he’s ready to be taken home*
hi there,i’m Janet from Penang Malaysia.I’m fostering of 18 stray distempered dogs.Eventually 6 died on my hand.The others survived when we injected the newcastle vaccine except for one.She is now extremely sick.She can’t do anything except just lying down on the bed.no twitching very skinny and have to feed her.Hard she can eat or drink.My collegue tends to put her down but i strongly believe there is still hope.Our organisation doesn’t have much money to pay her medical bill and overall vets in Malaysia doesn’t have cure for distemper.I know i’m almost there but i can’t seem to find it.I can’t just sit here and see her suffer!PLease help beauty queen…
Hi Joyce 🙂 as per Rex’s doctor, Acupuncture will not help lessen the twitching of dogs with distemper as it only cures dogs with physical trauma like accidents. We have another problem right now, Rex’s right front arm is broken. its either they amputate it or have it operated (bone pinning or bone plating). it will cost us around Php20,000 (operation and anesthesia) excluding the titanium crews or plates, confinement, antibiotics, PF, etc. Do you happen to know if we can ask financial help to PAWS just like PSCO to sick people? we cannot afford to lose him now but we also cannot afford the operation. We already asked help to our family but they said that our priority is to pay for our son’s tuition fee instead of paying too much for a dog. we cannot blame them because its true but we are saddened because Rex really need the operation. The bone plating/bone pinning will be repeated over and over again for adjustments until he reached adulthood. Thanks.. hope you can give us info regarding PAWS..
Hi Jules, I don’t think PAWS gives financial help because they are already having a difficult time as it is. What I did with Bailey is put most of her medical expenses on my credit card and pay it off in several months. If that’s not an option, then amputation would be it. Or, you can go to Kind Hearts In Action, the website, because I think they share ideas on how you can raise funds for your dog. That’s really a big amount and I can see what a difficult choice you have before you. But at least Rex will live right? I’ll be praying for you all…
Thanks! will check Kind Hearts in Action asap! Funny as it may sound, we dont have credit cards, my husband and I live on what we have lang. But thanks alot for the info, i will check the website! I will also take a picture of rex and send it to you and your followers! 🙂 do you have an FB account? is it okay If I add you? 🙂
my fb acct is full na! but u can follow it and message me the photos or tag me. No, i dont think its weird that u dont have a ccard. God did not create us to live in debt. i have one mostly for tuition of the kids, hosp bills, and online purchases when i buy bday gifts for family abroad. But thats abt it… will wait for photos. email is jaedeelight@yahoo.com
Hi Jules, I don’t think PAWS gives financial help because they are already having a difficult time as it is. What I did with Bailey is put most of her medical expenses on my credit card and pay it off in several months. If that’s not an option, then amputation would be it. Or, you can go to Kind Hearts In Action, the website, because I think they share ideas on how you can raise funds for your dog. That’s really a big amount and I can see what a difficult choice you have before you. But at least Rex will live right? I’ll be praying for you all…
Hi Joyce!
Rex is at home na! Although he lost his right eye, left front arm casted-fractured bone and on the 2nd wk of november he is scheduled for bone pinning or plating- for his right front arm. By the way, have you watched the other nights’ episode of born to be wild? Their topic is dogs with distemper. I want to show you and your followers the pictures of rex 🙂 where can i post it? Joyce, thanks for your warm accommodation and advice! And thank you so much for the support! Although this site is for dogs with distemper, you still manage to accommodate me specially during iur tough times! More power to you and to your followers! Hi bailey!!!!
Hi. I just want to know how mich will the spunal tap cost? I want my dog to undergo that treatment. But we are not that fortunate in terms of money but i will do my best to have him treated. 😦
The tap is around 4k I think. I hope and pray you find a way to raise the funds… 😦
Pingback: Lucky’s good fortune against distemper
Was overjoyed to see Lucky so bouncy and playful, as if she never had Distemper! It’s always a joy to see a dog survive the dreaded disease… The video made my day!
my dog is very ill now :(( its his 2nd week having this illness, we brought him to vet clinic but the people there told us that we have no other options, its a dead end. the virus is fatal. too much twitching and head bob*ng. Nothing can save my dog now, the vet stated. Reading your story gave me a glimpse of hope, how I wish I have the money to have my dog undergo the spinal tap procedure.. sad to say, I dont.. thanks for sharing the story, im happy that you got Bailey girl cured. God bless :))
Well cured is not quite the right word becasue there is no cure for distemper. The procedure she went thru helped her ride out the virus and fight it until it died in her body and got flushed out. Your best option would be to put your dog to sleep. I know it’s a terrible thing to have to do that but if your dog has reached a point where it’s hopeless then putting him or her down would be the humane thing to do. I’ve done it before, had to put down a very ill dog and it was one of the saddest days of my life but at least Andy wasn’t suffering anymore. My prayers and sympathies go to you…
my dog is very ill now :(( its his 2nd week having this illness, we brought him to vet clinic but the people there told us that we have no other options, its a dead end. the virus is fatal. too much twitching and head bob*ng. Nothing can save my dog now, the vet stated. Reading your story gave me a glimpse of hope, how I wish I have enough money to have my dog undergo the spinal tap procedure.. sad to say
Hi! your story is very inspiring and it gives us hope that maybe our dog has a chance of surviving . Rex is a 4mos old puppy and had a car accident last oct8,we brought him to a hospital in Makati and we are planning to transfer him in VIP in Mandaluyong. I would like to ask how much are they charging for the confinement per day and the doctors’ PF? We love our dog so much and we are hoping for him to survive,but we are also concerned about the expenses since we do not have that much money. Thank you so much in advance! –jules
Not quite sure how much confinement is now but i had cat who was at the threshold of death and i was ready to put her down. it was a bad cold. anyway Doc Raymond asked one or two more days and he will try to save her and i said okay. Whisk survived and returned to health. It wad around 7 or 8 days in confinement. I think I spent around 10k. That was maybe 6 or 7 years ago. You should bring your puppy asap. I know it is expensive but i believe that money can be earned but a life that is lost cannot be bought back again. it is a risk for sure since confinement does not always assure survival but better to try and fail than not to try at all…
Hi there! Thank you for inspiring all of us through that beautiful story. Our dog is fast recovering and we are all happy because he is such a fighter! We are all excited to bring him home! He underwent Acupuncture today and the doctors said that he responds well. Again, thank you so much and kudos to all the pet lovers out there!
Hey, did VIP do the acupuncture? Maybe I should take Bailey for acupunture perhaps it may lessen her twitching… Hmmmmm… please share info on this!!
Hi again! Actually we weren’t able to transfer “Rex” (a 4mos old boston terrier puppy) to VIP because he is still in critical condition when I first email you 2 days ago. Things happened so fast- you see I am not a believer of miracle until this situation happened. (last oct8, he had a major car accident, a pick up rolled over his body twice!my husband and I rushed him to our vet in Paranaque. Our vet has no complete facilities so they just put an IV and we brought him to the nearest hospital in Makati which is the Animal House in 108 Jupiter St., Doctors informed us that he has a slight chance of surviving because: his left eye popped out, 2 front legs fractured, spinal column dislocated, stomach and intestines are dislocated too, pulse rate low and the way we see it talagang mamamatay na anytime soon). On the 2nd and 3rd day, there are still no improvement and as per his doctor, Rex is only alive because of the pain relievers and his food intake thru IV. They told us that if he STILL makes it, its useless because he will not be able to stand kasi affected ang spinal column nya and bedridden na lang sya (they showed us the XRAY). My husband and I were devastated and we dont know how to explain it to our son. My husband talk to the doctor and said: Doc, isa pang Xray ulit before natin patulugin si Rex, Ayoko magkamali ng desisyon. We will just come back tomorrow and bring our son here to say goodbye to Rex. (That is when we decided to transfer him to VIP for the 2nd opinion and we are hoping that if we bring him to VIP, the doctors can still do something about his situation).The next morning, I called the Hospital to ask the result of the 2nd Xray and I cant believe what the doctor said! Ma’am, he can move his head and he is already eating! Omy! good thing my husband requested for another Xray, If not wala na si Rex! I dont know if its a miracle but the moment we decided to put him to sleep is the moment he started to move his neck and body! This is his 5th night in Animal House and he is now fast recovering. He can move his 2 hind legs and right arm. His left arm is fractured and they are putting antibiotics to his left eye. He is still in pain but we know he can make it. This afternoon, they performed ultrasound to relax his muscle(neck) and Acupuncture to treat the nerves. As per his doctor, he responds well daw. We will visit him tomorrow afternoon and I am not sure if how many sessions of acupuncture are needed (sabi baka mga 6sessions daw hopefully okay na). I’ll ask the doctor tomorrow if how much is the cost per session then ill inform you. I will also ask them if Acupuncture can minimize twitching of those dogs with distemper 🙂 Thanks guys!!
oh my WHAT A STORY!!!! i had to read it aloud to my hubby, couldnt believe it! praying for complete recovry. Make sure to take photos, before and after of the Rezzilient Rexzz…
Yup Ms. Joyce, I will!! Thanks!
Hi,
My pup diagnosed with distemper. It has seizures and convulsions. Doctor said there is 10 %chances of its survival.I am running “Canine Hunger Raid” https://www.facebook.com/CanineHungerRaid?ref=hl Page on facebook and would be great if you can share your experience to motivate others.I am really motivated and will try my best to save Puzo’s life..
Thank u so much for your information we bought a puppy n two weeks later sezures went to vet distimper!! So after ten days at the vet we bought it from thay will send him home to die thanks to your post i now am not as scared about my other dogs if thay get it god i pray thay dont but as soon as i get my puppy back i will go to Mandaluyong rent a hotel room n get my puppy treated i already called thanks to giveing the number he is so small he will get the serum but chances of suevivel are low Well thay are better than his chances are right now
Thank u hope ur baily is doing well
Rob
keep me updated. ill be praying for u and your dog. miracles do happen and your sweety may yet survive…
hi po,
we just rescued a puppy. she is less than one year old and she is positive of distemper. when we got her, she already have the twitching and the head bob. i thank God that I have read your blog. is the VIP in alabang also as good as the their branch in mandaluyong? because alabang is the one accessible for me.
how is bailey now? does she still have the twitching and the head bob?
thank u so much!!! 🙂
Find out which vet in Alabang has the best reputation for doing the Spinal Tap. It’s a very quick but delicate procedure so you need a vet who is used to it. Mandaluyong is the very first clinic of VIP.
Bailey is fine! But still twitches and yes, the head bob is there but she runs around, plays like a puppy and still tries to jump high but she’ll never ever jump as high as she used to. But that’s okay, she seems to be very happy. She has the run of the house and sleeps on her own comforter in my bedroom…
Hello, our golden retriever died a month ago probably from distemper (I’m not really sure) as well because she had colds, and some mucus dropping of her nose and mouth but she never had those twitching symptoms. All she had was that cold like symptoms.
Right now my other dog is currently sick, lethargic, lost of appetite, lost a lot of weight, and some cold like symptoms as well. I’m worried that this may be Distemper. The thing is I had her vaccinated the day my golden died so we decided to let her be confined in an animal hospital just to be sure but not in VIP but I’m planning to go there tomorrow. The vet took a screening test to check if it is bacteria or a virus that hit her. As the result went out its likely parasites. For the past few months she’s been eating her poo so maybe that is expected already.
Can my Dog survive this if this is Distemper?
Yes your dog CAN survive it if it is Distemper. But it’s not 100% certain. I sincerely doubt that your first dog had it. Twitching is the hallmark of distemper as well as the thickening of the skin on the nose and footpads. But I am not a vet so please take my comments appropriately.
First you need to have your dog tested for Distemper.
Once you’re sure i’ts Distemper you’ll have 3 choices:
The Body Shot
THe Serum
The Spinal Tap.
The shot and serum are for early stages. The serum is normally more effective but more expensive and complicated bec you will need a donor dog (they usually ask for a dog thats at least 19kg) to donate blood to make the serum. The Body Shot is a lot cheaper, but i hear it’s less effective but still much better than just letting your dog ride out the virus. If you do that, survival rate is 1 to 2% The Shot or the serum will increase your dog’s chances of survival to 40-70%.
The tap is for the late stages when the dog is twitching na. You will need to buy the NDV virus Lasota strain from a poultry supply (they are not open on Sundays, fyi). The vet will remove fluid from the upper spine of your dog and replace that fluid with the virus. This will kickstart your dog’s fighting system and if successful, the virus will be stopped in its tracks and progress no longer. Unfortunately, once twitching has set in, it’s there for life. Bailey twitches nonstop, even in her sleep. But she can do everything else other dogs do so she is quite happy inspite of the the twitching.
I hope this helps you. Best thing to do is to discuss things with the vets at VIP. God bless and keep us all updated here… your story might help someone else’s doggy…
Hi again, I had some good news this morning from the vet, if my dog stays fine the vet said she could go home tomorrow. But just to be sure I’ll be bringing her to VIP tomorrow to check for distemper and parvo.
The poultry shop is near Araneta ave. underpass right?
Thanks for your blog it’s really helpful.
Hi miss joyce, my siberian pup has a distemper.. The problem is walang vet dito sa Lipa City Batangas na gumagawa ng spinal tap vaccine procedure.. They told me na hindi pa proven un, and my dog has only 25% of survival.. Im so desperate kc kakaawa na ang pup ko.. Every 20 mins nag seizure sya..
im sorry about your baby but the best chance you have is to bring your dog to Vets in Practice or look for a more sympathetic vet. if u want proof about the spinal tap, the statistics of dogs who survived after spinal tap is on the website Kind Hearts in Action. the tap is not a cure but an experimental treatment that increases the chances of your dogs survival. im really worried because of the seizures. i hope you can at least call vets in practice. they have a clinic in alabang which is closer to Lipa.
pardon for butting in, but your best choice is to find a vet who is kind and understanding enough to do the tap regardless if its proven or not by the medical authorities. your last option would be to take your pet to Vets in Practice, which will stress the pet even further due to travel… nevertheless…
Our Shih Tzu puppy died last June due to the same disease, we went for a spinal tap even though it has been a month since our puppy displayed the neurological symptoms of distemper. Yes, my pup fought a losing battle for that one month – all due to procrastination on my part I guess.
We thought it wasn’t distemper. We just can’t believe it. We thought he’d survive after the first wave of symptoms. But when we finally decided to do it, it was just simply too late.
The best time to do the tap is to do it as soon as the neurological signs set it. Waiting further to do it will only worsen the situation.
by the way, here’s the link for the information on the tap. if you do find a vet willing to do the tap, show him/her the steps found on this page:
http://www.kindheartsinaction.com/archives/88
Oliver you are SO right!!!! Its our indecisiveness and procrastination that hurts our pets more than any illness. we delay vaccines and visits to the vet, we are in denial when they are obviously ill… i am equally guilty. but after our distemper battle i have changed! all my dogs get shots and the second they look sick I deal with it at once without waiting another day to see if theyll get better… thank u for that reminder Oliver. and yes, i agree, look for a vet who wont just close the door on possible treatments.
Hi, sad news.. My Max didnt make it, he passed away kanina madaling araw.. Sad to say, pero wala tlga vet na willing gumawa ng NDV spinal tap dito sa lugar namen.. Immunoglobulins lang daw ang vaccine na pde nila ibigay.. Sept 5 nung binili ko c Max, sa maiksing panahon na nakasama ko sya sobra nya ako napasaya.. 7weeks pa lng sya, so young pra maranasan ang ganun sakit.. A very sad day for me..=(
Hi, my dog has distemper and I’m thankful for your blog. I read your story and I felt the same way. I was considering putting my dog, Muymuy, a miniature Schnauzer to sleep when one night I came across the same article of Dr. Sears. I sent an email to Ed Bond, and he referred me to VIP & other vets. Question, how will the NDV Spinal Tap work? And how long? Muymuy is in the neurologic phase, and the local vet says that the tap will be the only option if his seizure’s occur more frequently.
Ally, the Spinal Tap itself takes but a minute or so. They first anaesthesize the dog. Then they inject a needle into his/her spine at the nape area. They removeva little fluid then replace it with the NDV Lasota strain. It looks easy but is actually a very delicate procedure and not all the vets in VIP can perform it. If u have more questions email me jaedeelight@yahoo.com
Ally, you have to move fast. therr isnt much time left if neuro stage na. kawawa your baby. I haveva poodle schnauzer mix named Broyles and I thought of him when i read your letter. i pray you find a way to fight for ur baby…
I sent an email already. 🙂 yes, I’m thinking of finishing his shots and having the tap. Kung hindi na niya kaya, well at least I tried everything. Thank you very much, we need prayers.
Ate my dog is also diagnosed with distemper today. I dont know what to do the vet just said Oreo has only 3 days to live so I should just put him to sleep but I dont want to give up on him easily. Parang wala namang paki yung vet na napuntahan ko pinaiyak lang ako. Di ko alam kung nakatulong ba yung mga ininject sa aso ko. Everytime may seizure si Oreo naiiyak ako pero kinakausap ko siya na kaya niya yun. Kahit ako may sakit din pero mas importante magawa ko lahat ng kaya ko sa tulong narin ng parents ko para kay Oreo. Yung aso nga lumalaban mismo bakit puro euthanasia agad sinasabi ng vet! Di ako makatulog sa sama ng loob. Sana po tulungan niyo rin ako sa mga dapat ko gawin its really painful to hear and see my dog aching. 😥
Carla, i will assume your dog has advanced stage distemper. here is what to do:
1) call Vets in Practice (look for the number online) and ask if they have NDV lasota strain available. They are in Alabang, Mandaluyong and White Plains.
2) if no, buy NDV lasota strain from a poultry supply. its not so expensive, abt P200
3) bring your dog and the ndv to VIP. They will test your dog for distemper even if u had him tested elsewhere. its their policy.
4) if positive for distemper have them do a Spinal Tap with the NDV u brought. It will cost maybe 4.5 k
5) post tap care is CRUCIAL. you must make sure u give all the medicines prescribed esp antibiotics and colloidal silver.
please move fast. time is of the essence. God bless!
Carla,
When my dog was diagnosed with distemper, the vet also gave me the same spiel about “putting the dog to sleep” (I don’t know why they don’t even go out of their way to find out if there’s a treatment!).
BUT DON’T GIVE UP HOPE. NOT JUST YET.
I was in the same boat a couple of weeks ago. My puppy was just in the early stages but he was so young (barely 12 weeks) that I really thought he won’t make it.
Today, he’s eating very well, playing and running about. All because of the treatment options that VIP gave him. We’re still medicating, but I want to believe we’re over the worst.
Read and research. Ask around. I joined different dog owners and lovers’ groups to ask for help and advice. There are lots of people who will help you.
Good luck and I pray for your dog.
Lilet
Hello,
My sister sent me the link to your story and I was glad she found it. My 10-week old Havanese was tested positive for distemper last night. At first the vet thought it was kennel cough but after a day of being absolutely lethargic, not eating/drinking, feverish, labored breathing, just getting up to pee, crusty/watery eyes, I brought him back again and they suggested to run the test. It was devastating for me because I just got him eight days ago. The vet sent us home with a prescription for antibiotics for the bronchitis and vitamins but that was that.
So after crying my eyes out, I went online to research on the disease and came across Newcastle virus, but I didn’t think it would be available here or any vet clinic would do it. Today, after my sisters found out about Wally’s condition, they also went online and found Dr. Bond’s link and yours.
We are going to VIP tomorrow so that they can start on Wally. He hasn’t shown any neuro symptoms yet for which I am thankful but I don’t want to get to that stage before doing anything. He has also been pretty responsive today, eating and drinking pet milk formula – although I have been bracing myself for good and bad days with this disease.
I have angels everywhere and one led me to you.
Thank you for sharing your story.
Lilet
yes Distemper is a traitorous disease giving u good days so u think your dog is getting better when the virus is actually getting deeper. im glad u caught it early. please keep me updated…. i shhared baileys story precisely to help… God bless…
Hi,
I just came from VIP this morning and was told they do not have any leftover serum anymore. So I would need to find a donor dog for Wally. Please, if you can refer me to anyone, I would take it as a lifetime favor.
Here is the note I also posted on Facebook:
———————————
Dear Friends,
This is not a plea for money but rather for something that may require more from fellow dog owners like me.
Let me tell you about my new family, Wally.
Wally is a 12-week old Havanese which I got from the breeder two weeks ago. He was a little bundle of joy (as you can see from earlier pics that I posted) and was an instant “hit” with my family.
However, I noticed that he had a slight cough which I took as just a sign of stress from travelling so far (he came from Bulacan). I didn’t give it any further thought until it started getting more frequent. That’s when we went for our first visit to the vet. He was diagnosed with kennel cough and was given antibiotics, a mucolytic, and vitamin C.
This was Thursday. Friday he was good, even ate a lot.
Saturday he was lethargic and wouldn’t touch anything, not his food nor his drink. He would only get up to pee and then even fall back to sleep in his plastic tray (which I have trained him to use for peeing inside the house). His breathing was also very labored and he had crusty discharge from his eyes.
That evening I was driving crazily around San Juan and Quezon City trying to look for a vet clinic that’s open for 24 hours and can admit him. We found one and the moment the vet saw him, he already said it looked like symptoms of distemper. I had them test Wally for it – and he was positive. In fact, he had two clear lines which was solid indication of the virus.
For those who do not know what distemper is, it is one of the deadliest diseases that a dog can ever have in its lifetime. There is no cure as of yet for distemper. Being told that your dog – your 12-week old puppy has distemper is like a human being told that he has terminal cancer. The most that the vet can recommend at that point was for supportive care at home, to continue the antibiotics to fight the bacterial bronchitis and hope he surpasses it. But it doesn’t mean that he’s on the clear. He will carry the virus for a lifetime and it can rear up its ugly head anytime with symptoms such as muscle twitches, epileptic seizures, and other nervous system disorders.
They also couldn’t admit Wally because distemper is highly contagious and no vet clinic ever takes any dog with that disease.
We were sent home with a new prescription and the barest of hope.
To say that my world was crushing down was an understatement. Here I was on the brink of starting over and finally finding another source of happiness only to be told that it was going to be short-lived. I did not know whether I should simply give up or fight on if survival rate for puppies with distemper is a mere 20%.
As I cried my heart out that night, Wally in his fogged state heard me. And I knew it was something that took a lot of his strength but it’s a dog’s instinct – HE SIMPLY HAD TO DO IT. He came right over and lay on my feet as I was crying.
I knew we had to fight. I knew I cannot give up.
So I stayed up all night reading about distemper, treatment, cases of those which have recovered from it. But all of the articles were US-based. I came across Dr. Sears and a virus strain which he discovered called Newcastle Virus. It’s from the same family of the CDV (distemper virus) – imagine Newcastle (NCV) as the good virus, and CDV is the bad virus. What’s needed is for a serum that contains NCV to be injected into the dog with distemper and it increases his survival rate. Again, no guarantees here. But having a higher fighting chance is better than slim to none.
Yesterday my sisters found out about Wally’s condition, and as always rallied behind me for support. One found links to blogs and Youtube posts that said NCV can be accessed here in the Philippines!!!! And there were links to which vet clinics and doctors were doing them. One of them is Vets in Practice in Mandaluyong. I called them up and asked for an appointment first thing in the morning. They said they only accept walk-ins.
Wally and I were at the clinic 7:30 a.m., even before the clinic opened. We were promptly entertained and were shown the treatment protocols for distemper (SO GLAD TO KNOW WE HAVE THEM HERE!!!)
As was explained in Dr. Sears’ and Ed Bond’s websites (two proponents of distemper treatments), the NCV serum can be made, but the process is quite laborious.
I will type them out in caps as this is what I am writing about:
1. A DONOR DOG IS NEEDED TO MAKE THE NCV SERUM.
THE DOG HAS TO BE MEDIUM TO LARGE-SIZED, MINIMUM WEIGHT OF 19 KGS, OVER 1 YR OLD, HEALTHY, COMPLETE AND UPDATED WITH VACCINATIONS, NO HISTORY OF ANY INFECTIOUS DISEASE.
2. DONOR DOG WILL HAVE TO CLEAR VET CHECK UP (AT VETS IN PRACTICE) BEFORE THEY CAN MAKE THE SERUM. THIS IS MADE USING 100 ML OF DONOR DOG’S BLOOD MIXED WITH THE LA SOTA STRAIN. THIS WILL THEN BE INJECTED INTO THE DONOR DOG THEN HARVESTED AGAIN BEFORE INJECTING INTO PATIENT DOG.
3. WALLY WILL BE GIVEN THREE SHOTS OF THE SERUM WITHIN A SPACE OF 2-3 DAYS. THEY WILL THEN HAVE TO MONITOR IF ANY OF THE SYMPTOMS STILL SHOW UP. IF IT REACHES THE NEURO STAGE (WHICH IS STAGE 3), WE WILL BE DOING ANOTHER OPTION. BUT HOPEFULLY WE WON’T GET TO THAT.
If my Chubby were alive today that wouldn’t have been a problem. Alas, my sisters only have small dogs (and even as overweight Shih Tzus, the heaviest is at 18 lbs :)).
Needless to say, I am in a race against time to find a donor dog. I have about seven days to find a donor dog.
The vet gave him a “body shot” this morning, which is another form of antibody solution that will (hopefully) challenge the CDV strain in his body. This along with more medicines so he can get over the respiratory problems (which is stage 1 of the Distemper).
But the NCV serum is by far the one with the most success stories to tell and I would want to have it done for Wally as soon as I can.
Are they expensive? Yes. But if it is your kid’s life you don’t ask, you don’t think. You just do what you can to save him. One of my biggest heartaches when I left the US was not being able to bring my other dog with me. I still think about that and I still cry about it. So it seems even pointless to think that I will give up on this one. Not just yet. Not when he is also fighting.
I will take care of the costs of the donor dog’s check up and everything else that will be done (gas/transpo included!).
SAFETY AND HEALTH OF THE DONOR DOG IS NOT COMPROMISED AND WILL NEVER BE. This the vet made clear to me. THINK OF IT AS YOUR DOG GOING FOR ANOTHER VACCINE SHOT.
WHAT WILL PROBABLY BE AN INCONVENIENCE IS THE TIME TO GO TO THE CLINIC AND HAVE ALL THE PROCEDURES DONE TO MAKE THE SERUM. AND OF COURSE THE DOG’S STRESS OF BEING AT THE VET CLINIC (I KNOW HOW DOGS HATE THEM!)
And that is what I am asking right now. If you know of anyone who has a dog that fits the requirements, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY WOULD BE WILLING TO VOLUNTEER THEIR DOG AND TAKE THE TIME TO GO WITH ME TO V.I.P IN MANDALUYONG TO DO THIS, it would be a favor I would owe for a lifetime. It would be Wally’s and mine to remember all our lives.
If you know anyone who is willing to do so, please PM me and I will give my number so we can coordinate it. I am praying that an angel will be seeing this plea for help. I know it is something to consider but I hope there is someone with a big heart who can hear my plea.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
PS. Yesterday and today, Wally has been eating and showing signs of response to the medicines (HURRAH!). He had the body shot this morning which I will have to observe for 24 hours while continuing the other medications. There’ll be good days and bad days for us. But I’m prepared for that.
lilet please email your letter to me. i cant seem to copy it sa app sa phone ko. i want to repost it
Hi,
Sent it. I really would appreciate any lead for a donor dog.
Thanks!
Lilet
Hi,
Just thought I’d let you know that we MAY have found a donor dog. We’ll know after the tests if it’s a green light. 🙂
Hi again,
It’s a no-go :(. Vaccines aren’t updated.
Our search continues.
Hi lilet..wat happened to ur search for a donor dog?
Hi cynthia, Lilet replied to my email, she was able to get extra leftover serum from VIP and the serum shots are already done. Her baby is starting to eat like a doberman and is frisky again daw. Here’s her email to me:
Hi Joyce,
So sorry! I’m just catching up on writing everyone and you’re among them, of course.
It’s all been pretty good, actually :). Last Wednesday night we went to VIP with my friend and his dog for the screening, but it turns out that his Whippet was slightly underweight. The vet who saw us (different from the one who gave Wally his body shot) said that he thought they do have some leftover serum from a new distemper case they just treated. The good thing is that Wally’s a toy breed and still a pup…so yes, the serum they had was enough for him!!!!. We did the shots until Thursday night.
Since Friday, Wally’s been eating for a dog thrice his size 🙂 :). He’s also running about and playing. The only thing we’re still treating right now is the bacterial bronchitis (he still has the stubborn honking cough) so we’re still doing round-the-clock antibiotics, vits, mucolytic and nebulizer. Vet says it will take some time for it to go away but so far, he looks like he’s on his road to recovery.
Thank you again for posting your story and for also trying to help us find a donor dog. God works in mysterious ways and I am just grateful for all the angels that He sent our way to see us through all this. We’re not out of the woods yet but each day that he is showing signs of recovering is a reason to be grateful.
Lilet
Hi Joyce,
Thanks for posting my email reply. I have been meaning to come back to this site and post my personal “thank you” message but have been caught up in the whirlwind of activities since this happened (of course my personal life and work came to a standstill for a while so I had to do some catching up with that, too!)
My little rascal (Wally) is up and about now, being “makulit” and following me around like the “Velcro” dog their breed is known to be (he’s a Havanese). He eats so much I even have to ration out his meals just so he doesn’t get indigestion! The medicines that VIP prescribed to fight the infection and to strengthen his immune system are helping a lot, I should say.
So thanks everyone, for your prayers and well wishes. And to those who feel that distemper is a death sentence – there is hope! Just don’t give up on your dog.
love it! i want to meet your baby!!! bailey too 🙂 !!! Distemper Dogs UNITE!
We would love to meet you and Bailey too! Here’s to Paws-itivity! 🙂
Hi my 4 month old baby chow chow has distemper…pls pls tell me where to go and whom to look for
cynthia, i suggest Vets in Practice. They have a clinic in Alabang, in Mandaluyong and the newest in White Plains. Search them online and call. Look for a vet who knows about the serum, body shot and tap. they have many vets (they are like the makati med for animals) and not all know about the aforementioned. wishing u and your dog the best!
It’s been 3 days after the Tap and my baby’s barking a lot now, pee & poop on his own, can walk on his own, drinks water tons of water…i hope these are very very good signs that he’s on his way to recovery…i love my baby so much and i’ll do anything to save him
Cynthia, these are all excellent signs but a big part of you must keep thinking and acting like it’s still an ICU kind of situation. Hold the vigil until we are ABSOLUTELY sure. You’re biggest concern is secondary infection might set in. So keep your baby warm, away from other dogs and pumped up with antibiotics and colloidal silver. But from what you have described, I have super high hopes that your baby will be fine. THanks MUCH for the update. It not only helps me but so many other people who find this blog post. God bless you…
Yes i always keep that in mind -the ICU situation…im really hoping against hope eventually he’ll survive…again, thank you for having blog and i’ll keep on praying not just for my baby but for all babies out there suffering from distemper…you and Bailey made me go for the Tap…thanks again so much
hi,our baby princess have distemper too. me and my sister saw your article and are willing the same to our baby but we are afraid about the cost of the serum and spinal tap, can you please tell how much?thanks.
There are four diff choices for treatment now.
The Serum is most expensive and needs a donor dog to donate blood. Very complicated. Will cost like maybe 12k. But this is only for early stage Distemper.
The Tap will cost around 5k. Its less complicated than the Serum but can only be done during late stage pag advanced na ang virus.
Then there’s something called the body shot which is cheaper than the Tap but its for early stage. I dont know how much exactly since wala pa to during Bailey’s illness two years ago.
There’s a fourth option daw but I dont know anything about it.
Your best option is to go to VIP and discuss which treatment is best. You can find their numbers online.
I hope you move fast and dont delay your decision because Distemper is very very painful, kawawa your dog. He cant tell you how much it hurts. Praying for you and your dog…
I just had a body shot done to my Wally this morning. We had to go for it for now bec we don’t have a donor dog for the serum yet. I paid P1,350 (including doctor’s fees) for the body shot. This is in Vets in Practice in Mandaluyong.
thanks for info and for the price. im asking around for a donor dog. id offer bailey but vip doesnt want to take chances kasi distemper survivor siya and there is no precedent case
lilet, email me the cutest photo of your puppy… ty
will do. =)
thank you for the very inspiring story you’ve just shared, last may 2013 i thought my dear spitz buchokoy (one and a half year old) had a distemper, he suddenly stopped eating, became lethargic and there was clear discharge in his nose and eyes, i immediately brought him to vet clinic here in fairview, quezon city, unfortunately buchokoy is very wild so they couldn’t do regular check up on him because he will easily snap on the vets, so they just prescribed paracetamol and assumed that it was a common cold , at that time iv’e read articles on distemper and got myself worried because buchokoy is manifesting the same symptoms of the virus. I returned to the vet the following day and insisted that a test be done to rule out distemper. my wife and i are anxiously waiting for the result when one of the young vets pronounced that my dear buchokoy was highly positive for distemper and parvo virus, it was devastating for me and my wife and i cried the whole time because the vets pronounced death sentence on my beloved dog. fortunately my sister suggested a second opinion, this time he was a seasoned vet in our subdivision, as i was talking to my second vet in the phone and explained to him what procedures was done to my dog he told me that he has doubts on the blood test for distemper, he explained to me that there is only one test kit for one virus so it is impossible to detect both distemper and parvo on a single test kit alone. so a few days later i brought him to my second vet and performed another test, this time it was a negative and i was so happy and relieved because prior to the 2nd test i became so depressed i thought i would loose by best friend buchokoy. the 2nd vet told me it was blood parasite and he did shots for buchokoy including anti-rabbies and a 5 in 1 shot, a couple of days later my dog’s appetite returned to normal and he was the same energetic and sometimes naughty dog again, i’m very thankful to our lord and saviour JESUS CHRIST for another miracle and a second chance to be with my beloved dog, but at the end of the day the greatest lesson i’ve learned is to be responsible for our pets, his immunization shots should always be on time as much as possible ill give buchokoy his 5 in 1 shots in feb next year to overlap the 1 year expiration of his immunization. again thanks so much for sharing your story
Reblogged this on Isturyador and commented:
I found this today because I was looking for answers and cure for my dog Blaire, 1 year & 1 month spitz.. She was infected by a virus (i dunno what it is but puking and discharges with blood) a week after our new baby Chuck, a 2 month old spitz was brought home by my Dad, but sadly Chuck passed away early today at 1:45am. They both were given pappi scour, powdered dextrose & an anti enemic something medicine.. I did disinfect the their quarters with bleach & still monitoring on Blaire as she is quite having some symptoms. I really pray that she’d survive this one. No I can’t bare to see another dog die before my eyes as Chuck was fighting for his life earlier, I cried & cried.. He tried to fight, was in agony.. Really devastated me up until now.. I’m really sad with what has transpired.
My Aqui (an Akita) just got diagnosed at VIP in White Plains today with Distemper and its heart-breaking when the doctor said of a 50/50 chance of survival. He is only 5 months old and barely a month in my care yet it seems like a family bond made in heaven. Just reading all the post and particularly your story is very encouraging and inspiring to know that Aqui still has a chance to live a full life. I’m decided to get that Serum and Spinal Tap if its to save Aqui’s life. I didn’t quite understand the vet when she was explaining the procedure this afternoon but this site makes it all very clear. Thank you for doing this. I am actually amazed at the tons of responses already. God bless you and Bailey and all the other canine and feline friends affected with this dreaded diseases. Hoping and praying for the best!
– Allan Dale
Hi Allan… sorry to hear about your Aqui… If you’re doing the Serum option that means your dog is still in the early stages. But if you’re doing the Tap, it’s in the late stages. However, the chances of your dog’s survival increases. Without intervention, survival rate is 1-2% but with the serum or tap, the survival rate increases between 40 and 70% I got those figures from the Kind Hearts in Action website. You are making the right decision to fight this disease… i will be raying alongside you for you baby. God bless!
Hi Joyce! I have good news tho I am still not celebrating but it seems we’ve defeated the virus. Aqui seems to be back to normal. His diet is back and is already beginning his usual adorable rowdiness among my Schnauzers. I wanted to post a photo of him on this site but don’t know how. Anyway, i just wanted you to know that because somehow as I said had I not read your blog I would have opted for the worse and will be regretting it for the rest of my life! Thanks again and still hopeful for a full recovery. Have a great weekend!!!
email me Aqui’s photo and i can post it here jaedeelight@yahoo.com every day he lives is a point in favor of survival. will keep praying. this is INDEED good news! but stay vigilant until u r certain that uvr outbof the woods!
Hi Joyce, just wondering if you received the photos i sent in your email? Let me know. Thanks! Btw, Aqui’s doing well. Starting to get rowdy again with the Schnaus. 😉
Hi there! Yes, I got your emails but Ive been chasing deadlines with all the delays at work thanks to the typhoon… and the holidays… I am VERY happy for your Aqui… and for you!! I will post Aqui’s photos as soon as I’m not so hectic… warm hugs.
Gud am,sorry for the late response,Actually po sa vets in practice n kami ngpcheckup pati blood test and xray,ang findings lang is anemic si pohc,kya sya matamlay,so ill try to find p poh other reputable clinic besides vip for a second opinion,ask me khpon bro in law me if may unusual movement p c pohc wla nmn n daw and kagabi super hyper sya and ang lakas n kumain,pang 2days nya n sa mga medicine nya,doxy,canine red cell,and tawatawa kc mababa din platelets ni pohc,pohc pla is a male shihtzu 1yr and 2mnths n sya,thnx again this blog is very impormative maam kudos to you!
Hi just wanna ask if accurate po ba ung test for distemper using spicemen from the eyes??ill suspect kc n may distemper ung dog ko so pinacheckup me sya last aug1 and tnest sya and negative ung result,but kahapon sbi ng bro inlaw ko parang may kkaibang galaw daw un c pohc my dog sa bandang hips nya,nsa work kc ako gabi ko lang sya naaalagaan ,so worried nnaman ako?do you think I need a second opinion from other vets?
Hi Anne, ang test ni Bailey involved getting a blood sample and putting it in a platic stick that looks like a pregnancy test. Two lines is positive, one line negative. Listen to your brother in law and have your dog tested elsewhere. It is possible that your dog has distemper but it did not show up in the test. Possible un. For peace of mind get another test from another vet. My suggestion lang…
hi! this post gave me a chance. My dog BJ has symptoms of distemper. The vet said it’s already malala na, though di nya sinabi kung distemper nga yun. I will go to VIP ALABANG to have a 2nd opinion.
Go asap. Your dog needs to be tested. once proven distemper then ask vip about the spinal tap. do not delay, move fast…
We went in VIP Alabang last Monday, August 5. I am really convinced it is distemper because of the symptoms and what his first vet told me also. We already have the NDV bought in a poultry shop near our area. My mama and I told the attendants that we have a dog who might have a distemper that’s why we only let BJ stayed in the car. Dr. Mariel went with us to see our dog but she told us that the one who is doing the spinal tap was on leave. They got a blood test to check if our baby is really positive of the virus. It took us almost an hour outside the clinic when they finally told us that they repeated the procedure because the result was negative. For the second time, the result was still negative. It was a relief! The only thing that they saw from BJ were EAR MITES! It can cause head bobbing also because the dog can’t balance. Still, they told us to observe him for improvement because they were also curious why is he having twitches of head and jaw (which is a sign of distemper). Right now, he is under medication. He can’t walk and still having head bobs. I’m still praying for God’s healing upon him.
get a third test. maybe at a different but respected vet. False negatives happen. im so worried about that head bob
i remember the day that I’ve been also writing here because of the same problem, this blog really helped me a lot to be inspired and strong, not to lose hope but instead fight for my dogs right to live. dogs are not just animals they are part of the family who also need care and love. don’t give up your dog on this distemper virus knowing there’s a cure now. it’s hard to see a dying dog because i know the feeling. before we had 4 dogs here at home 3 of them got this virus 2 died and while the other 1 is still fighting distemper, i don’t know but i think GOD let me see this blog and if im not mistaken that happened last February 6, 2013 because he knows how much i love my dogs so i rushed to VIP to have my dog ALANIS vaccinated by NDV body shot. after the vaccination i never leave my dog i give her all the care and love also all the things she needs. i never stop praying and have faith to our LORD to make my dog survive i remember that i also seek help from 700 Club Asia, i call their land line and ask a prayer for my dog and after a few weeks i see improvements on her until the day we have to come back to VIP just to have a confirmation test that there’s no existing virus even a single strain on her system. it really made my day when the doctor from VIP told me that my dog is already negative from the virus and that really made me happy. now my baby girl ALANIS a golden retriever is pregnant and about to whelp this August. there’s really a light after the storm. so never give up, just be strong!!!
Paw thank you for confirming that Alanis survived and is doing fine. THey told me nga that female distemper survivors can have pups. My question is if the pups will have a natural immunity to Distemper. But don’t risk it. Make sure your new pups will have all the necessary shots.
Prayer is really very helpful. Sometimes I believe Prayer is more for us than for the dog or person who is sick, hehehe… but God is good and God is gracious. He gives and He takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord.
THanks for sharing I hope your experience will make other Distemper dog parents brave and decisive in fighting the disease.
Hello again! This is Cecile Malangyaon. I have left you a comment on July 22, 2013 at 4:11 pm. May Shih tzu was given an NDV, days after he started to drink on his own but it only happen 2 to 3 days in a row then after that he developed pneumonia. A wk after NDV he started experiencing seizure, his seizure will last for 10 secs and it will stop but it happens every 20 mins. He sleeps in the room where the air condition is on, because when i try to turn off the AC and just leave the fan on it looks like he has hard time breathing. I am so scared of losing him but I’m hoping and praying that he will get better soon and hopefully the pneumonia will go away…I keep reading the blog you made because it gives me hope. Thank you again and I’ll keep you posted about my dog KIRA…
My dog had distemper for 3weeks now…we are residing in Bacolod and I think most clinics here are not yet updated when it comes to spinal tap and ndv serum.We had home service with a vet, and just left a medication like antibiotics and neurobion for her vitamins,anti asthma meds for her breathing and dextrose since she barely eats for 3weeks now.They won’t even accept dogs to be admitted to their clinics to avoid other dogs being infected.She twitches , labored breathing and will not eat despite medication.I hope my dog will survive with oral medications only subscribed by the vet;(
hello Ana, you can always contact VIP and ask they know a vet on ur area who knows the procedure. or if they teach your vet online how to do it. i encourage u to try calling vip for help… look for Dr. Nelson or any senior vet
Hello Ms. Beautiful,your blog about distemper is a great help to everyone who have pets with distemper. My Shitszu is also having the same problem. There is a serum injection available here in Cabanatuan City. so Im going to give my beloved sweet dog to have this serum.. But there’s no one here giving this Tap for her spinal.I want my Hatchie to be Happy again. Your Bailey have 3 stages to cure her the serum,New Castle, and the other 1.Do I have to do the 3 stages you did to Bailey or I can switch to Spinal Tap only. Pls. advice me. I want to save my Hatchie 1 1/2 yr. old Shitszu a very sweet dog. I can’t afford to lose another dog.Thanks.
Mrs Quinto… well, Bailey didn’t go thru 3 stages of treatment. What happened was this: I opted for the Serum treatment first. But apparently it was too late because the twitching had started. The Serum treatment was useless even if we did it already. So I had to try the other treatment – the NDV Spinal Tap. That finally worked.
In your case, I think you caught it early. The Serum treatment is not always effective so if the Distemper proceeds to the Twitching stage (neuro stage) then you will have to do the Spinal Tap. you can ask your vet to talk to the vets at VIP maybe they could learn how to do the Spinal Tap via Skype.
Wishing you the best…
A curious question? how’s bailey? very good and inspiring story.
Hi! Thank you for sharing your stories about Bailey. My Shih tzu was diagnose with Distemper July 17, 2013. I did call VIP in Mandaluyong right away to get some more info. regarding Spinal Tap. Last saturday (July 21) I took my dog to VIP and get his Spinal Tap done. Now I’m just praying and hoping that everything will work out fine. So far he started to drink on his own and he can now walk around the house. Dr. Arthur of VIP did an amazing job. Thank you again to the adventures of a beauty queen, you gave us hope that there are other treatment for Distemper. God Bless you always and more power.
Hi Cecile, those are positive signs! im praying hard that full recovery is days away… Keep us updated!
Hi Cecile,ikaw Siguro na kasabay ko last Saturday sa VIP,Kay Doc Arthur din Kmi,same tayo ng dog shih tzu din,kayo Siguro Yungkatabi namin sa parking,salamat at ok na pla dog mo,Kmi rin very happy at ok na si Sam,ang laki talaga ng tulong ng spinal tap,kumakain na ulit sya,at active na,salamat sa forum na Ito at nalaman ko Yung VIP hospital,thank you Kay miss Joyce sa forum na Ito at napakalaki ng tulong,Godbless!
Hi there, so happy to hear Sam is recovering! Thank God talaga for this experimental treatment. Many dogs have been saved by it…
My dog died today..na diagnose din ng distemper, pumayag kasi ako sa payo ng doc na Euthanasia ..naaawa na ako kay baby Chibi kasi 5months palang sya,sobrang hirap na sya..nakakapang hina ng loob na may halong pagsisisi.. 😦 nakakalungkot talaga.
My condolences…. losing a beloved pet is one of the most painful things a person could thru. My heart goes out to u…
Hi. After I read Bailey’s story it gives me hope to my dog Filo. He was diagnosed Distemper S3 today and I’m planning to transfer him to VIP in Alabang tomorrow. Hopefully they can help him with his condition. I don’t want to lose Filo he’s a bestfriend and a son to me. Thank you for sharing your story.
Hi Alaine, move fast and be decisive. Post Tap care will be intense and a roller coaster ride. I’m here if you need someone to talk to. Send me an email jaedeelight@yahoo.com
hi, just this few days, i noticed my Labrador dog HUSKAH suffering from an involuntary muscle movement, just like the video you have posted on this page, she is also experiencing from sore eyes but not with runny nose. Her appetite is still in good condition, she eat so fast. During the night, she cry out so loud in pain having a sleepless night. Do you think my dog has distemper?
Hi Jennifer sorry for my late response. The only way to make sure your dog has distemper is to have her tested for the virus. Please DO NOT delay bringing your dog to the vet because if it is distemper or another serious disease, early intervention can help your dog deal with the illness better. It is our indecision as pet carers that will hurt our pets more than any disease. Please don’t delay and go to the vet asap.
i would like to say thank you so much to adventuresofabeautyqueen dahil po dito sa blog marami kami natutunan ng wife ko dapat ilaban mo ung dog mo.. my 3months old puppy was suffering(DISTEMPER) ;-> hopefully makarecover na siya.. nag pa body shot na kami on the 3rd day.. on the 6th day serum.. now on 9th day as of now maganda naman ung pinapakita nia..
Anil thanks for sharing your story! Hoping na tuloy tuloy na ang recovery ng puppy mo. Im glad Bailey’s story has helped!
hi! my dog is diagnosed with distemper.. VIP lng tlaga ppntahan namen kaso di namen alam kng mgkno babayaran.. medyo tight dn po ksi kame sa budget.. pa message naman po kng mgkno inabot ung medication ng dog nyo.. thank you po
Hi Ken! Bring 5K with you. The meds cost me 300 a day for a few days (3 or 4 days) then when we took Bailey off Neurontin, it became a bit cheaper. Neurontin is super mahal but important to protect the brain. You can buy generic antibiotics which will be cheaper. I can totally understand the budget thing. I used my credit card to pay for Bailey because I was tight at the time. Praying for you and your dog!
hi po..nag serum shot po c bailey db? tanung ko lng po kung magkano ung serum shot kay bailey? thank’s po..
Hello Sis,
Do you have an idea if they could send the NVD serum thru shipment courier here in Baguio City because veterinarians are not confident of such treatment instead they were advising me to put my dog down. But because of the testimonials from pet owners here in philippines I am willing to save the 2 remaining chowchow puppies who are positive from distemper. The female puppy who is in respiratory phase for about 2 wks with no signs of neurologic signs and symptoms, good appetite and hydration was still observed with her condition. And the male puppy who is very active like a healthy dog only considering from the yellowish secretions covering his left eye when he wakes up which I think is a sign of distemper. Can I please have the contact person who could provide me information regarding the shipment of the NDV serum before they reach the neurologic phase?Because I am positive that the baby biik and pol wil survive with this fight!Thank you very much
April
have your vet call the vets in VIP. Search their number online. They would be able to help u. Doc Nielsen has even flown to other countries to help distemper dogs. your best bet is to contact him and ask him to come up to baguio. or to send one of his vets to you. will be praying for your dogs…
i have a chowchow named chin. i just brought her to the vet this afternoon. the vet said, she’s highly suspicious for distemper. im not suspecting her of distemper anymore. the she twitches shows she positive for distemper. does chin have to undergo diagnostic test under VIP before going to Tap. please reply. im kinda despirate.. thank you..
yes. vip will most likely require testing before anything else. Bring your chow asap tomorrow to vip but dont bring the dog in the clinic. Tell reception its possible distemper. they will do the test in your car. hoping for the best. please keep me updated
Hi rizah gepes…hows ur chow now?
Hi,
I found your web page this May when one of the puppies of a stray dog living here was diagnosed with distemper by the vet. The puppy developed seizures and died and then the other ones developed similiar symptoms and I consulted the vet. for the Newcastle vaccine but than decided to try ribavirin first. All of the symptoms (not in the neurological stage yet) subsided. I read on the internet that it is effective up to 80% in the neurological stage. The proposed dose was 11mg/kg.
That it now approx. 6 weeks ago. They were not vaccinated. I was so sad to see the other one die that I could not watch the other ones dying the same way. The medication is expensive but it is worth a try.
Thank you for the information. Ribavirin at 11mg/kg. Could you tell my how much it cost and how is Ribavarin given? Is it oral or by injection? This is valuable information for pet owners fighting for their Distemper dogs…
Hi,
Ribavirin is not the trade name but the drug itself. The price will change from country to country, you can google it for your own country. I found on a web page that they have to take it in with long chain fatty acids for better absorbtion and protection of the stomach, the drug is given orally, I fed them some canned tuna with the drug (vegetable oils have long chain fatty acids and they were very picky with the food) once a day for 8 days, for one that did not seem to have recovered completely another 7 days. The drug can have serious side effects. It might be better to consult a vet. They started to return to normal within a few days. No side effects that I could distinguish.
good day i hope you can help us on the distemper predicament . my dog was diagnosed positive from the virus last June 26 2013, its a 2 mos old poodle, we bought him from cartimar and its not a good idea to buy dos in that establishment. after 3 day when we bought him he had a cough and diarrhea and blood on his stool, so my partner and i went to our vet for him to be checked so they gave him pneumex antibiotic and cotrimoxazole, after 4day he was getting worse, so brouht hime back to the vet and they change the antibiotic and they gave him some vitamins, but that time the vet suggested that he might be positive fronm distemper so we had him checked his blood, the next day our vet called us and the very bad new came that he was positive from the deadly virus, we our so frustrated, that the feeling is like we have a son and it was diagnose with cancer or non curable illness . so i made some research about the virus, i even called the pet shop we’re we bought teddy, but they’re never been cooperative with us , and i file a case and complaint against the owner we never felt the concern to the client and to teddy specially, clearly after buying dogs from that kind of people their business stops there . i complain it to the Philippine animal welfare society, when i bought teddy he has the virus already but the symptoms manifest after 3 days. i called Vets In Practice at #63 Maysilo Circle corner Boni Avenue, Mandaluyong City i call them at 531.1581. to asked them about the virus and the serum and ndv and he will be needing a donor from a bigger dog , this morning i called again an operator told me that they dont do treatment unless it was diagnose in there hospital. i’am willing to spend just to save teddy. i hope you could help me on this…. its like im a desperate parent that i will do everything to save my son’s life. even to sold my soul to the devil itself, and i’m quite worried cause i have 4 more dogs all cocker spaniels but i have a pregnant baby scarlet , although the vaccines are complete and teddy was quarantined already. i will leave my num 09176045998./ 5560549. this article of yours was big help to us. thanks a lot.
clint brian peck
Hi! I am really inspired and hopeful with what you wrote. Right now, my aspin was also diagnosed with distemper. It pains me a lot to see him hurting 😦 I tried asking the vet, but what she said was this: “Kung gusto nio pong makipag sapalaran, kayo po ang bahala, pero sa ngayon 50/50 na po ang aso niyo”. I cried right then. I really don’t know what to do. According to my vet, it’s really a little too late for my dog, and the vet was unsure with my dog’s chances of survival. I don’t know what to do 😦 I am not yet ready to let him go :”( How much po does the NV Tap costs?
Btw, I have another aspin dog that lives with us. Although by nature, Pochie (my other dog) doesn’t go near or doesn’t bond well with my infected dog. He also doesn’t go near places where my infected dog would sleep. Would he still get infected? Thanks a lot in advance.
Hi Robelyn, im sorry your baby has Distemper. What your vet said is actually wrong. Its not 50-50. Its almost 100% sure a dog will die if it has Distemper. Only 2% survive the virus. With the Tap, survival increases to 40-70% depending on several factors like what stage, dog’s immune system, dog’s age and breed. This is painful for me to tell you but you have to know it if you want to be proactive.
The Tap will cost around 5k with all the fees na yan.
As for your other dog, I would start giving Colloidal Silver asap and getting him tested for Distemper kaagad. Distemper is airborne. And i am not sure about this but i think i read sonewhere that humans can pass it around to other dogs. Get your other babh tested. Its the only way to know for sure.
Do not waste time. Make a decision today. Its indecision that will hurt your pet. You have 3 choices – 1) Spinal Tap 2)Wait and see if he survives 3) Put him to sleep.
Please bear in mind that im not a Vet. So this is just advice from a non-professional.
Praying for u and and your dog…
hi mam joyce. how’s bailey now? the twitches will not disappear after the tap isn’t it? our dog has distemper and we will bring him to VIP this afternoon.
hi norman, im sorryto hear your dog has Distemper but im so glad youre moving on it.
Bailey still twitches like anything. All day and all night even thru her sleep. The only time she stops twitching is when shes trotting or running. She seems to be okay in spite of the twitching and can do everthing normal dogs do. Try researching on the website Kind Hearts in Action regarding your concern. Praying for a successful Tap…
Hi Ms. Joyce! Sorry I wasn’t able to reply soon enough (I’m Robelyn, the same person as the previous post). Just wanted to let you know about my dog’s progress. My dog was diagnosed with distemper last June 2013. The vet advised that we put him to sleep. But I can’t. I just simply can’t. Selfish it may be, but I want to fight for my dog. I know that the virus pains him so much but I just can’t really give up on him. So I medicated him myself. I wouldn’t advise this to ANYONE, but see, I am really desperate.
I isolated him from my other dog and put him on a leash so that he won’t go around the house. I’ve used newspapers and used clothes for his bed. This is so that I can change his bedding on a daily basis. I also make it sure that I would always change his water daily and that I would wash his “plates” each time after it was used. For about one week he stayed there. There would be times that he wouldn’t eat but there are times that he would have second helpings of his food. We gave him antibiotic (over the counter) every day.
He survived, though, like Bailey, he has this 24/7 twitching. He has this mannerism which makes him look like he’s chewing something (like a bubblegum). It never stops, even when sleeping. But at least, he’s okay 🙂 Thank you again Ms. Joyce for replying 🙂
1 to 2% of dogs survive Distemper naturally. Your dog is very special to survive it with only supportive treatment! WHat a blessing 🙂 pareho sila ni Bailey, non-stop twitching and chewing gum action. But she is a happy dog, plays a lot, eats a lot, barks, jumps and runs around. The concern we have now is the chewing gum action might wear down their teeth so you have to have your dog’s teeth checked regularly. I met a nurse online, an AMerican lady whose dog’s teeth were so worn down and the vet said that if it got worse they would have to put her dog to sleep na. But she found a dentist who fixed the dogs’ teeth. Apparently, there is one person here, a people dentist who actually can do dental surgery in dogs. VIP sends dog patients to that dentist. FYI. I had Bailey’s teeth checked last year and they said she had great awesome teeth and I think it’s because I get her raw beef and pork bones often. BUt please do research first on giving raw food to dogs because not everyone likes to do that. BUt it works for my dogs, they have awesome teeth!
This day my dog hachi is positive to canine distemper he more likely on seizures, kicking his feet uncontrolably but this day and yesterday he is fine already he jumps he eats a lot he drink a lot his tool is fine im just nervous that the seizure thing will happen again. Is this a sign that he is okay?
Hi Aira, sorry, it’s very difficult to give you and answer since I can’t see your dog and don’t know his history. Plus, I’m just a pet parent who has experienced Distemper through my dog Bailey. I’m not a vet. I think its best that you take Hachi to your vet again. What treatment are you giving him?
As for Bailey, she never had seizures until after the spinal tap. She had one seizure the day after the tap. Then no seizures for 6 months. Then she started having seizures regularly so I am forced to put her on daily meds to control the seizures. This is really a side-effect of the damage that the virus has done to the nerves of Bailey… Hoping your dog gets better because eating and drinking are excellent signs!
Hi Ms Joyce,
Thank you for your blog I was able to get more insight on the virus. I have been aware of distemper long time ago since my pekingese died from it more than 20 years ago but because of the time gap I was previously told that dogs get it after a hard battle with another disease like the vet during that time told me ‘angel’ got distemper nung nagka-high fever sya. I was around my daughte’s age then (17-18 yo, I’m 46 now) and I’ve been a fond lover of pets ever since I got my 1st pet at the age of 8 and got a lot of stories to tell about them, from a peculiar chicken/rooster that would have been the greatest ‘fighter’ in the arena kung “isinabong’ namin sya but fortunately.. he laid an egg (true story) to a my pekingese who is so camera conscious (miss-doggy photogenic we call her) and a Siamese cat that loves to adopt nursing kittens even if she already has her own.
Anyway. My shi-tzu Minnie who gave birth to 7 pups last Nov. Medyo may edad na siguro sya when she conceived so only 5 of the pups survived.and 2 got slight abnormalities. The youngest of them which my daughter fondly calls ‘panda’ for example was born with no tail at all and a forehead that is so ’rounded’ it looked like a tennis ball but of the remaining 5 she was the matakaw, the happiest, most active and as my daughter put it the CUTEST of them all so my mother who lived next door from us decided to to keep her while panda’s mom stayed with my sister in laguna.
Around mid of may panda got sick with cold from the ice cubes she’d been chewing on that my mother gave her. We brought her to the vet where I used to take her mom and was given meds for her cold.
All was well as we thought coz she seemed to get better. until one day she just stopped being her jumpy active self and showed signs of sickness, matamlay, sleeps all day or just curled up in her “home” most of the times. My mom brought panda to our house thinking that she needs company to get better but her being active only lasted a couple of days, as she went back to being unresponsive and weak. We brought her back to the vet and he told us, ‘nabinat’ daw and should stay in the clinic for at least 24 hours dahil they would medicate her intravenously as she is not eating anymore and lost weight.
After a day we took her home hoping she would be better pero parang walang nangyari. A couple more days she cannot stand anymore or does not want to, Dati kapag nasa hse ako she’d go and hang out beside me while I work/play on my pc pero this time around she just stays under the living room chair which was her favorite place. She had always been picky with her food eversince so we got used to changing her meals every now and then.. sometimes raw dog food pellets, the next meal, its bread, then its dog food softened with water or bread dipped in water or milk.. and it became a cycle. We observed her a couple of days more and after 5 days of no improvement I got suspicious and we brought her back to the vet who gave us the bad news that she has distemper. By this time her head is starting to wobble as my daughter puts it, like those car novelty dog figurines you see in some car dashboards.
She was given only a calcium supplement, vit c and something for her liver and suggested we let the dog stay in his clinic. My mom objected since she cannot afford another 24 hours “confinement” and decided we would bring the dog back home and administer the meds and manage panda ourselves. before they left the clinic we got a text from my sister asking why panda got the distemper.. “Didn’t she get her all her shots” ??? was her commanding question (she’s a true blue dog lover and breeder). The vet told us that there is a slim chance a distemper would hit a dog even if has never missed her shots and unfortunately, si panda yung tinamaan.
My past experience with angel brought back sad memories, how we dealt and tried to combat her distemper and we decided we will do more for panda and not leave her without a fight Together with my daughter we took turns to be with panda.esp when I am not at work.. Good thing it was still summer vacation and my 17 yo girl was up for the challenge, First, it was the very weak, wobbly head.. then it the twitching started. then she started to whine, cry and bark… I told myself OMG it’s angel all over again.. I got worried but I told myself baka this time around there would be better chances for panda.than when I was younger then and just by myself.
We took her to another Vet which seemed to know better of panda’s condition than the previous one. He was surprised the other vet wanted to confine panda dahil nakakahawa nga daw yung distemper and explained to my mom a lot of other things.. Before kasi she was blaming every one in the house for panda’s condition pero sabi nga ni Doc,It’s plain and simple, ‘natiyempuhan lang yung aso nyo misis”
Aside from the 20% survival rate panda was given something different for distemper, its Isoprinosine [methisoprinol]. I was at work then so it was my daughter who was given the instructions. Also other than the usual dog food. the doctor told us to feed panda boiled and mashed chicken liver. According to him it contains a lot of vitamins or nutrients and panda would sure love eating it. Told us to stop the calcium supplement but continue with vit c. Its been a habit of us to give my pets past and present Tiki-tiki so we still give her that. Another reassuring thing is that the Vet also had a dog that is a distemper survivor which made him a credible person in my opinion.
Methisoprinol is to be given every 4 hours for the next 6 days then adjusted to every 8hrs afterwards for another 6 days. If she survives the first 6days we’ll be on our way out of the woods.
Before we took her to the last Vet she was already as limp as a veggy, not moving, not uttering any sound, eyes full of gunk …she won’t even stand up to pee or poop.
After the last vet, there were signs, she started to whine and cry and bark again but for a reason, like going to pee or poop. (when she was normal, she hates pee and poop around her hence reklamadora) the gunk around her eyes got lessend and does not show the sign of death (glassy and you know… basta yung parang wala ng buhay) .. the head still wobbles but it is becoming less and less. She still cries I guess if she can’t bear the pain pero we’re there for her cuddling her (which she used to love) and baby-talking to her.. She now moves slightly again.. tho she still can’t stand yet she now lifts her head to look at us.. ang hirap wala syang tail… so hard to know how a dog feels without a tail pero we always talk to her and assure her we’re there for her.
Thank you for sharing this blog coz it gave hope to me and others like us. My angel didn’t survive distemper 20+ years ago but I pray and hope Panda will fare better this time around.
I apologize for the long letter, Makwento lang po ako.
Thanks again and best regards to you and Bailey
Abel
Today is the 7tth day since my shih tzu was brought to the 2nd vet and so far, I think she’s on the way to recovery. She sleeps longer now. Also, I found that classical music calms her down. during her 3rd and 4th day she was crying all through the night which kept me and my daughter awake. I kept my patience cause I know she is in pain and she seem to respond positively when I placed an mp3 player beside her and played classical music.
When I got home from work.. she raised her head and tried to stand up. Natuwa ako coz that was a first after many days of just lying there limp. Also, we notice that she can now curl while sleeping.. and her appetite is better. mapili pa rin, pero she eats more boiled mashed chicken liver mixed with dog food than before.
There’s still the ‘twitch’ but there are times you don’t see it while she’s sleeping. Her head is a bit more steady now. It still wobbles pero she can hold her head still for a couple of seconds, she can now reach her legs and lick her fur.
Vet says 5 more days, and we’ll bring her back to him for another check up and hopefully mas maayos na sya.
Hi Abel, sorry to hear that your dog is dealing with Distemper. What kind of treatment did the 2nd vet prescribe? Hope the recovery is fast!
She was given Isoprinosine [Methisoprinol] that started with 1.5 ml every 4 hours for the 1st 6 days. Afterwards it was reduced to every 6 hours or for the next 6 days. She is in 9th day of medication.She is fighting and we’re there for her.
Thank you so much for your concern. I really hope and pray she gets well soon..
Hi Abel, i hope so too! How is she doing now?
she gained a bit of weight, just a bit. eating boiled mashed chicken liver mixed dogfood.(she likes the chicken liver) which the vet suggested but she’s almost awake all night crying and so are we, trying to calm her and cuddle her to sleep. We’re going to take her to the vet later,
Have u considered the NDV Spinal Tap?
We told the doctor about it and as it was still in “testing’ stage he didn’t bring it up. They’ve also done NDV before but was not successful. Judy seemed to have responded to his meds, He told us to give her vit B complex for her nerves.. Her distemper medication ended yday and we’re now going to take it one day at a time. I noticed she now can sleep curled up and can rustle her fur a bit once in a while which I pray is a good sign that she is on her way to recovery.
How is she now? HOping for the best…
Hi abel, where did u get isoprinosine?
our dog is now suffering from distemper too, we brought her to vet this day unfortunately we don’t have enough money for the treatment but still i wont give up, i will find ways as soon a possible 😦
hi bhel… hoping for the best…
Hi ! It’s good to know that Bailey survived from distemper !
I had 2 puppies few years ago and they died from distemper.
I didn’t know much about distemper at that time.
I brought them to vet, but i thought it was too late 😦
I was so sad, and I still cry whenever i remember my puppies 😥
Btw, thanks a lot for sharing and i hope more dogs/puppies will survive from distemper like Bailey !
Hi there! Yes, Distemper is really a killer. EVen Dogs who go thru the treatments mentioned in this blog still die. It doesn’t assure survival but it gives your dog a fighting chance. They say the survival rate of dogs who have the Spinal Tap is 40-70% depending on the dog’s constitution and how far the disease has gone. I am so sorry to hear that you lost two puppies because of Distemper. I am hoping that you will still find it in your heart to adopt new furry friends (if you haven’t) because so many dogs out there need kind and good-hearted people like you.
Bailey is doing well apart from the constant twitching, even in her sleep. She loves to play and loves to take walks. In fact, when we take her for a walk, the twitching lessens. When she runs, the twitching completely goes away. Hoping that there will be more survivors like her!!!
I have labrado suffering from distemper right now, she have seizure is NDV Spinal Tap can help her. how much cost is Spinal Tap. sometimes I lost hope when I see her siezure.
Hi Grace. The Tap would be your option nga. Be prepared with around 5K for the whole procedure. I am not sure if it is too late but the vets at VIP can help you. I suggest that you bring your dog there asap. Im so sorry that you and your dog are going through this. Please move fast… God bless, keep me updated!
We just found out yesterday that my Puppy had this virus. My other 4 puppies died before the knew that they had distemper They took like more than a week to figure it out. My last pup is very active you can see that he’s fighting. he’s the oldest and the strongest among the others. He is also taking the serum shot. He’s second Serum Shot was given just today 9:30am, also at Vet in Practice Mandaluyong. Our consultant is Dr. Nielsen Donato =) Thank you for sharing you experience it made me stronger and i have my spirit boost up 😀 How’s Bailey doing?Is she better now?
Click there to see Bailey. Took a short video of her a couple months ago 🙂 She twitches non-stop but its not obvious when she’s running around.
SAd to hear your 4 pups passed on. Hoping the last one survives with the Serum. How is he doing now? Doc Neilsen is amazing! You have one of the best vets in the country taking care of your baby…
He twitches just today and suckling a little bit. we have to rush him at the vet. they have to check on him along with he’s mommy luna. I’m really worried right now, i hope he can finish he’s 7days shot. after that i think he has more chance. He’s still active and so eating well. You can see that he’s fighting. he’ll force himself to stand up and walk. very proud of my baby. :”)
was he positive for distemper?
opo. need a blood donor po for my pup. baka po willing po kayo kung meron po kayo dog :(( were willing to pay naman po. need na po ng pup ko he’s staring to twitch just yesterday.
hndi po sya pde mag spinal tap. kasi 1month old plang po sya.
Rish, sorry, late response. Bailey can’t be a donor. I tried with her but Doc Neilsen doesn’t want to take any chances because she had distemper. One would think that this might give her blood extra power but Doc Neilsen says its not worth the risk. My Schnoodle and my Chihuahua naman are too small. I think you need a medium to large dog because a lot of blood is needed for the Serum.
Anyway, how is your dog doing?
Hi Ms. Joyce, Please allow me to post my letter to my Prada Baby… My way of coping up for my loss
To you my Baby Prada
I may not see you everyday; but knowing that you are in heaven I am now more at peace.
Thank you for bringing so much joy in our home especially in my life. Thank you for patiently waiting for me to come home from the office (I’m sorry for leaving you every morning). I will miss our weekend bonding, our trip to your groomer and our playtime before we sleep. Thank you for making Tatay and Nanay happy – you always put smile in their face; they love you too very, very much. I may not be your real mommy but adopting you and Cartier is one of the best decisions that I’ve ever made.
Thank you Baby for fighting and holding on with me during those horrible hours of your life (in the hospital) when I don’t want to give you up. I know you are already in great pain but you manage to hold on when I whispered to you not to leave me; I will never forget you opened your round and beautiful eyes to me as if you are saying “I will mommy”. I know you still want to hold on but your weak body can no longer bear the pain. My only consolation is that you had your last breath beside me in our home, in our bedroom. No more twitching and seizure my baby you are now Distemper Free.
You will be forever in our hearts no matter what my love. Please guide your partner – Cartier; your step brother and sisters Princess, Penny, Mimi and your Lola Not Not everyday, they miss you too. I hope you could find Melo there he’s very much like you energetic, lovable and very friendly, you two can be best of friends there in heaven.
I will miss you and I will never forget you…
I Love You Prada Baby, My Guardian Angel…
Until we meet again…..
Mommy
Maricel, this is a beautiful letter, it made me cry and it softened my heart. Thank you for choosing this blog to post it on. I’d like to put it up on my Facebook too, if you don’t mind?
God bless your loving heart, I can feel your pain even if we are miles apart. Here is a Poem I found for you… I hope it gives you comfort… I’m still crying as I type this and I think I’ll be crying for many minutes more…
THE LITTLE DOG ANGEL
High up in the courts of Heaven today
A little dog angel waits;
With the other angels she will not play,
But sits alone at the gates;
“For I know that my mistress will come, ” says she,
“And when she comes she will call for me.”
She sees the Spirits that pass her by
As they hurry to the Throne,
And she watches them with a wistful eye
As she sits at the gates alone.
“For I know my mistress will come for me
If only I just wait patiently.”
And her mistress, far on the earth below,
As she sits in her easy chair,
Forgets sometimes, and she whistles low
For the dog that is not there.
And the little dog angel cocks her ears
And dreams that her mistress’ call she hears.
And I know, when at last her mistress waits,
Outside in the dark and cold,
For the hand of Death to open the gates
That lead to these courts of gold,
The little dog angel’s eager bark
Will comfort her soul in the shivering dark.
– Nora M. Holland
Read Ecclesiastes Chapter 3: Verses 18-19-20
Just a poem to comfort… please don’t take it literally! If your pet is not in heaven when you get there, don’t worry, God is more than enough for your happiness. And who knows? Paul’s vision in Revelation involved Jesus on a white horse in the heavens… one can never tell…
Thank you for the poem. Yes you may post my letter.
BTW, thank you for your blog and for sharing your experience and creating awareness about distemper. I hope one day you can organize a get together (if your schedule permits) among us who have encountered the virus. I found your FB profile but unfortunately i could no longer add you. I want to send you pics of Prada.
Add me sa 2nd acct ko- Joyce Ann Burton Titular… i saw your comment sa post ko
hi,Ms.Beautiful.My 1/12 yr old Hatchie a Shitszu is experiencing same problem. I am giving her all vitamins she needs.Im going to take her Tomorrow in Manila to have this Spinal Tap.A very sweet and loving dog.She starts to twitched beside her forehead.I knew she is in pain I gave her Mefenamic and sleeps well.When I rub her head she is a good girl she eats and take her medicines.She is more intelligent than my Chowchow. My other Chowchow named Russel a 11/2 yr. old died of heat stroke, so sudden death. I can’t afford to lose another dog,she slept with me. So Im not giving up on her coz of Distemper. I have 7 dogs at home. They are with me when they ate only 2 months old.My son told me its too much and give it away.But I can’t .
Hi Mrs. Quinto… I know the feeling of being so attached to your dogs. They are the reason why I love to come home and hate to go to work. I just want to spend my whole day with them.
Anyway, has your dog taken a Distemper test? And I’m worried that your other dogs could be in trouble. Distemper is highly contagious. Please keep me update on what happens to Hatchie.
Your son does have a valid point. We can only have so many pets at home. I used to pick cats and dogs off the streets but I know it doesn’t make my poor husband happy to have too many pets at home so I had to stop adopting strays. Overpopulation at home is also bad. 7 dogs should be enough… I’ll be praying for your beautiful Hatchie, keep me update please?
Hi Maricel,
We met at the clinic last Saturday for my Dojo’s spinal tap. I am so sad that our babies both passed away. I read your letter and it was very touching that it made me cry. I am pretty sure they are both in heaven, distemper-free and happy. Dojo slept peacefully on BJ’s lap last Tuesday morning. I will include Prada in my prayers. – Cat and BJ
Hi Cat and BJ
Sad News 😦 Prada died last Sunday morning. Its been 6 days but I’m still overwhelmed by sadness. I was thinking that your Dojo will survive Distemper. My thoughts are with you always. I might lost Prada but through this journey I gain new friends. I hope to stay in touch with you.
I am reading a number of dogs dying of distemper already. Although I do not have the exact statistics in PH alone, I wonder what the Philippine Veterinary Medical Association is doing about it…
Hi Dory, this summer is a bad one i believe. The number of people who commented on my post on distemper jumped up. Unfortunately, im seeing more dogs dying than surviving EVEN with the intervention of the Tap.
As for the phil vet society or org. I dont hear much from them but PAWS and CARA are very active with Pet rescues and adoptions. Unfortunately, they dont have much funds. Ed Bond’s website does have some stats on the survival rate of dogs who arevtreated wth the Serum and the Tap. Theres a new thing called the body shot too which is cheaper.
I heard that VIP is going to try to collate information on Distemper dogs that they treat. I hope they can do that so we can have a clearer picture…
BTW, how have u been? Are your other dogs okay?
Hello Ms. Joyce, I noticed the number of comments. I was also getting a few messages in my FB account, learning that there are some other distemper-stricken dogs currently.
I can say I could be better, thanks for asking. I miss my best friend. I was mourning (still am) and could not focus at work for 2 days. Like I said, some people will not understand. Thankfully, my boss does.
My other dogs are doing good, thankfully they didn’t catch the virus. When distemper was detected from Sam, their vet told me to observe the other dogs for a week. If they did not show any symptoms then I will need to get them vaccinated, which I did. I swear I will never miss their vaccination schedules again. They seem to be feeling my pain, especially Maximo (Sam’s dad) who comes and stays beside me all day when I sleep (I work at nights).
I agree that body shot is cheaper but I read that it can only work during early detection of the virus. Unfortunately, that lot too is tricky.
Oh by the way, I don’t know if I mentioned – Sam’s antibiotic (Norfloxaxin) did not help either due to the side effects it can cause. 😦 Soo now when they prescribe me something for my dogs, i research first before buying.
Hope Bailey is doing great… did she stop having seizures?
Glad u have a boss like that and that your other babies are fine. I get misty-eyed thinking of your loss… sigh… Maximo is so sweet. Dogs really are. after Ondoy, when we were still in shock over the devastation, Bailey would follow me around (i was on and off crying and staring) as if telling me that everything will be fine and that she’ll never leave my side. it was odd behavior bec she is a high energy, bouncy dog. It was a hear and a half after ondoy when did battle with distemper. Unfortunately, she’s on lifetime medications to control seizures. But its a low dosage and not so expensive. But no complaints. im happy she made it thru and just like you, i will be (and have been) vigilant with my dogs’ shots….
our Shih Tzu puppy has been confirmed with distemper just yesterday(with the aid of a test), though my vet suspected the disease since May 14. he’s still alive, a bit energetic if he suspects you’ll get him for cleaning his face up and stuff like that. I’ll talk to his vet later this morning regarding the spinal tap – I hope he agrees into doing it so that at least our puppy will recover… my question is, after did the vet tell you that it’s ok for Bailey to mingle along with the other dogs(if ever there are other dogs there) or not once she has recovered? Also, how much is the NCD vaccine?
Hi Oliver, I doubt your vet knows how to do the Tap. Even at VIP only certain vets know how to do the procedure. And its considered experimental. Many vets have not heard if it.
Anyway, if u decide to have it done at VIP, bring around 5k with you. Call VIP (search the number online, Vets In Practice) and ask if they have NDV Lasota Strain Virus in stock. If they dont, buy the Virus at any poultry supply store in your area. Search online.
The Tap will cost around 5k but its not an assurance your dog will make it. But survival rate with the tap jumps up to 40-70% compared to 1-2% without the tap.
The distemper will continue to remain communicable after the Tap and u must keep your dog away from your other canines.
In Bailey’s case, we had her retested for Distemper a month after the Tap and she was Distemper free.
If u are willing to spend, please dont wait another day. Make your decision now because time is of the essence…
thanks for replying, really appreciate it. am currently convincing my vet to do it, I’m fully aware that it’s experimental, hopefully he agrees. it’s better than not having a chance at increasing his survivability 😦
A spinal tap involves removing fluid from the spine at the nape area near the brain and replacing it with the NDV. It is a very delicate procedure and one tiny mistake can kill your dog. If u want to increase your dog’s survival, go to vets with experience, unless of course u are far from Metro Manila. …
we’re located here in Pangasinan, so travelling to Manila/NCR for the treatment would be the last of our options… the vet’s willing to do the tap, and I’ve already contacted Ed Bond regarding the procedure and protocol… hoping for the best…
oliver, what can i say except, ‘you da man’!!! Im praying like a maniac for your vet.. and believing he can do it. If he succeeds, please inform me so we can tell people with distemper dogs in ur region that they can go to your vet for intervention. praying too that your baby will makebit through!
I told myself that I won’t be replying to your last comment until there’s concrete evidence on what will our puppy’s outcome will be. Sadly, he passed away hours ago.
We did the tap, there had been lots of delays before we finally did it – but the vet and I weren’t so sure on what the outcome would be since it has been weeks since the neurologic symptoms were noticed. We did it still, hoping for the best(and myself bracing for the worse). I can’t thank my vet enough for everything that he did regarding my sick pup’s welfare – he even did the tap even though he never did something like it before.
May I just share something I wrote earlier – I really need to put something in writing with regards to this incident. OA as it may seem to some, but hey, I treat our pets as family members:
——————————————————————————————————————
It has been about three hours since I last saw him alive, and it has been a little over three hours since I checked on him, only to find him lifeless.
The past month was a month of pondering and reflection for me as I struggled with our pet puppy on his battle against distemper. During that one month, I carefully pondered on my actions regarding the fateful day that Peanut (allegedly) got infected with the canine distemper virus. The drama’s more like the ‘butterfly effect’ thing, where I analyzed on what action I did and what could have been if I acted differently. Turns out, there were indeed a lot of bad turns and bad choices, all which, I believe, have ultimately contributed to Peanut’s death.
During that one month, I’ve thought of life and death, why do something like viruses exist, and my imagination has put a figurative perspective on how things turn out when Peanut’s time comes. It goes something like this:
– Life’s a journey, every one of us keeps moving forward
– Hence I, with everyone else that I love, keeps moving forward. Same goes for our pets, same goes for Peanut, until that fateful day that he gets infected with the virus.
– Peanut’s being slowed down by the virus, I try to help him keep up with life, try to aid him whenever I can, all while trying to keep up with everyone else as they move forward in this journey called life
– The inevitable end. How I wish Peanut’s end would be like this: Peanut just suddenly decided to stop, gestures some gratitude for everything and/or shows me that he simply can’t go on and wants to rest. And then I move along with a heavy feeling in my chest, leaving him behind while I move forward, continuing the journey…
Even before he got sick with distemper, I mentioned to my wife that he needed (more) love. He was the bully among the pack, often picking fights with the others, and hence we often scolded him instead of showing him more TLC. I didn’t think I’d be that one to give him the love and attention that he needed. During that one month that he dealt with and endured the pains of the disease, he still had that fighting spirit in him. He never gave up. And I didn’t give up on him either – up to the last time that I saw him alive. It’s just that the virus didn’t let him go either.
Know that you will be missed, ‘lil Peanut, born January 28, 2013, died June 13, 2013. Till then.
——————————————————————————————————————
Hi Oliver… I’m sorry to hear this. Yes, I agree, our pets are part of our family, and need love just like we do. I thank God for people like you who love dogs so much, for people like your vet who is not closed-minded to new ways of doing things and for all dogs who bring so much joy to their human companions and love them no matter what.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and final memory of Peanut. It made me cry but it also blessed my heart. EVen if we lose our pets, I believe the human heart is big enough to love more creatures big and small. Keep on loving your pets with abandon! God bless…
My dog, Dojo, has distemper too. We brought him to VIP last May 6 and got him shot with NCD vaccine body shot. He was not getting any better apart from his nasal discharge which was gone in a couple of days but not getting worse either. Then, on May 14, I went to VIP again for some checkup. He was more active but still doesnt eat on his own. Unfortunately, on May 24, the twitching started. I brought him last Saturday and did the spinal tap. Sunday was pretty smooth apart from him sleeping all day because of the gabapentin meds. Sadly though, Monday was not better. He is lying flat right now and breathing really heavily. He barks every so often suggesting that he’s really in pain. We were able to force feed him a can of dog food but he really doesnt have any energy right now. Hopefully it’s just a phase he’s going through right now and the succeeding days would be better. Has anyone experienced the heavy breathing and crying/barking?
BJ i have had a few comments describing that kind of occassional barking. But Bailey was generally quiet.
Im really sorry that the body shot didnt work. But you had the Tap done last Saturday, lets hope that does it. Recovery after the Tap is usually not smooth and takes time. Good days and bad days alternate. It lasts for about 2weeks before you start to get clear signs of recovery. Does your dog still get up on his own to pee and poo?
Be careful about force-feeding when the dog is lying down. The food and water can go down his lungs and cause complications. An upright seated position is okay.
Lets hope today will be a better day for your dog. Keep in touch…
thank you for the kind comments. Unfortunately, Dojo has passed away this morning at my lap. It’s like he’s waiting for me to come home. It’s a really sad sad day. I am pretty sure he’s happy right now in heaven. The only one who needs recovery now is me. He fought a good fight though.
awww…. 😦 BJ, I don’t understand why the body shot didn’t work in the first place. Must have really been too strong for Dojo. This is terribly sad news. You both fought a good fight and I just want to tell you that even if it didn’t work out the way we hoped, I am thankful that you went all the way for your dog. I wish there were more people like you. My deepest condolences…
my baby prada (yorkie) passed away yesterday due to distemper. I brought her also to VIP kaya lang advance stage na siya ng distemper. Never siyang nag manifest ng signs ng distemper twitching agad. I am so heart broken i lost my baby
Hi Maricel, I’m so sorry for your loss and I share in your heartbreak. Just thinking of it makes me teary-eyed. Nevertheless, I am thankful for people like you who love their pets so much and do what they can to fight for them. I hope that you can find comfort in the good memories you had with Prada. God bless you…
The night after Sam’s NDV spinal tap, he looked restless, his eyes wide open, head turning left and right as if looking for something. Later I realised that he might be losing his vision. His eyes were staring so blankly. It was painful to see. Last night, I thought I would lose him – he looked like death. You raise his snout it falls right back to the mat.
Early morning I think Sam’s vision is back as he is already looking straight at me again. Prayers are appreciated for Sam and all dogs in TX and Thailand who are suffering from distemper.
Sam is a 2yo Male Shihtzu. He is my bunso.
I put his story online at https://maximosjourney.wordpress.com/. Maximo is his father, who, together with Dimples (his mom) are staying at 3rd floor while Sam is fighting this terrible, terrible illness.
Hi dory, I checked out your wordpress blog post. Be brave, the days after the tap are really difficult. The Gabapentin is very impt too. You need to give that to Sam. Are you also giving Subcutaneous Fluids? Be careful force-feeding him if he can’t sit up. The food and water may enter his lungs and cause complications. I’m so sorry this had to happen to Sam; please stay brave for him. I am just so glad you can stay home. He will need you around. I will monitor your blog… wishing you the best…
How much yung serum na binigay sa kanya?
The Serum is very expensive, 4 or 5k per shot, you nedd 3 shots. And a donor dog to donate blood to make the serum.
There’s a new thing called the Body Shot which is much much cheaper. Mga 1k siguro. But it works only during the very early stage of distemper. you will need to buy the New Castle Virus from any poultry store, it costs around P200 i think. they will inject that in the dog
Both Serum and Body Shot are only good during super early phase.
pag Neuro phase na, your hope lies in the spinal tap which will cost 4-5k. you need to buy the virus as well. Buy the Lasota strain.
was your dog diagnosed with distemper?
Yes . And i think she’s at the neuro stage already.
😦 hoping a way can be found…
the vet recommends us to do euthanasia because we still have other dogs in the house and she’s afraid that they might also get distemper.
Last Friday, i took Chuchai (my pup’s name) to the vet for her 2nd shot of her 6in1 vaccine, then sunday she my sister texted me telling me that chuchai was vommiting yellow foam, my uncle says maybe nalipasan lang ng gutom so they decided to give her food and she ate it. when i came home i checked her and she has a tight abdomen, i concluded it might be an acute pancreatitis or something related to that. Then monday still she has a tight abdomen but she was twitching her hind leg so i decided to takke her to the vet the next day. the next day the vet said that maybe it was only kabag i asked her maybe it’s bloat and she says no. because her abdomen wasn’t that huge. Then she gave me probiotic for the proper digestion. i was still worried. so my bf and I decided to take her again to the vet she said that I was OA naman daw yung gamot daw di nama effect un ng agad agad so umalis na lang kame.
then yesterday she had a seizure unluckily i was not at the house at that moment so the people were freaking out. i came home late that’s why the vet were closed. so Early this morning i took her to the vet. she said that maybe it was a distemper she run a test and after 5 minutes she was positive. she asked me why i didnt tell her the twitching but i answer her that i already tell that to her but she was not paying attention. so she suggests euthanasia i was shocked and a bit emotional. i took home my pup sanitize the house and lock her in one of our empty rooms. she was twitching and do the licking attack (that’s what i name it because she was licking the air)
last two weeks ago my 2 pups were diagnosed for eczema, the vet told me that maybe we didn’t notice the symptoms of distemper because they were under medication. she gave broad spectrum.
i am finding a way right now trying to find that newcastle virus in the poultry store and asked the vet to body shot it to her. im just a student and i dunno where to find money for her distemper cure.
Well, the body shot would be good if it’s given early. In the first 4 days of the illness. When they are twitching that’s advanced stage na and the Spinal Tap is your last hope.
If your other pups were exposed to her, even for a few seconds, it would be smart to assume that they have the virus too because it’s an air-borne disease and highly communicable. It is so dangerous that VIP doesn’t allow distemper dogs inside it’s clinic and performs the spinal tap outside in the parking lot.
Anyway, if I were in your shoes, I’d find a way to test the other pups for distemper and get body shots if they need it. Get a Spinal Tap for your little ill one. I am sorry to hear that your budget is tight. I wish I could help in that area but I’ve got budgetary challenges as well. I wish you the best… please update me on your puppies when you can…
Just to remind you, I’m not a vet, but I am an anti-distemper warrior…
I tried the body shot to my pup and looking forward for good result,even after the twitching. i will try to body shot my other dog and puppy, too. i’ll update you if she’s getting betting better 🙂
thank you for your blog at least I can find way of preventing it. Coz we have a lot of dogs, luckily they don’t stay in the same roof.
Okay Yani, I appreciate your updates. Your experiences will surely help other dogs going thru distemper. God bless your kind heart, sana mas maramming tao na tulad mo!
wait. is it okay if i body shot them even though i didnt see any signs and they look healthy?
Well, first step is to test them for distemper. Sayang naman if they are negative tapos you give body shot. But the best ones to ask would be the Vets. It might be wise to give them the body shots (kahit walang distemper test) but only the vet can give you advice on that since Bailey had the Tap and wala kamaing experience sa Body Shot. But I spoke to one vet sa VIP two nights ago and he told me about the new Body Shot treatment which is much cheaper but must be administered early in the game.
what if i gave them body shots? wala naman sigurong side effects un di ba?
bettrr to ask the vets at vip. theyd know better. but my guess is, youre right…
is colloidal silver good for dogs? i’ve read some articles that it is not recommended because the user might developed argyria.
better argyria than death. i take colloidal silver myself but only two to three days in a row when i feel like im going to catch the flu. from what what i read, you develop argyria if u drink colloidal silver daily for a long time. ive tried it on my dogs and myself and it works wonders. Even topically, when my yaya’s baby got buni, we appled c.silver topically and the buni disappeared fast.
oh okay. so for short term only? maybe i’ll buy one where can i buy one?
she died this morning :((( luckily i didnt see it :(( i was breaking down last night seeing her having the seizure and i know she’s fighting, she really is fighting when she hears my voice she’ll try to stand up but she can’t i know she’s fighting. Good thing i will not be able to see her Euthanize. i know she’s in a safer place right now.
i love dogs and other animals. I’ll share your blog in every Animal lover page that I know so they will see there’s a cure for this killer. My Pup is a victim but I won’t let that happen to other dogs. i will also print this out and gave this to our vet, para di nya solusyon lage ung euthanasia.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHP7AMI79QI btw, she’s in this video the brown one.
hi yani, im so sad over the news. i hate losing pets, its the worst.
but i am glad you will share bailey’s experience but remember not to call it a cure. its a treatment that tries to stop the virus. even with the treatment, the dogvstill has a chance of dying. Gos bless u andvi hope your other dogs are safe
she’s now having a seizure last 30minutes till now. sobrang iyak na ako ng iyak :(( lahat ng tao dito sinasabi na paEuthanize ko na daw mas better yun kesa sa nahihirapan ko syang nasasaktan.
😦 im so sorry this is happening… the decision is really yours. but seizures that long are not a good sign… be brave and be wise. And whatever u decide, panindigan mo with no regrets…
THANK U so much. :*
hi so inspiring too bad my dog died because of distemper 😦
hello, thank you so much for sharing your story..my puppy (Uling, because her coat is as black as coal) was diagnosed with distemper 5days ago..i didn’t know anything about distemper until i saw her front paws twitching and i was afraid it might be a little too late for her..the vet in our area just gave her cangclob shots to slow down the virus and other meds (marbofloxacin, b-complex, and ascorbic acid) but nothing to address the pain and i can’t stand seeing uling in pain anymore..i’m already considering putting her to sleep but i don’t think i can do it..it just feels so wrong..but your post gave me hope which is why i’m going to give the spinal tap a try and see if that would work on uling..
Sorry to hear that Uling is having a tough time. Move fast on the tap, call vip to ask if they have the Newcastle Virus, if not, youll have to buy from a Poultry Supply. Wishing u the best…
we will be going to VIP mandaluyong tomorrow from bulacan to have Uling’s spinal tap treatment (i sure hope that distance will not be a problem because i don’t know of any other vet clinic that performs the treatment). they told me it will costs about 5-6k. i also bought the new castle virus from the poultry store you mentioned (worth Php190). i hope everything goes well and again, thank you for sharing your experience. i forgot to mention how happy i am for you that bailey is doing well. dogs are absolutely lovely creatures and they love so unconditionally. it’s always nice to hear stories, like yours, where the dog gets love and not abuse. thank you.
I hope your vehicle has ac. Bring water, cotton balls to wet Uling’s lips, Gatorade to hydrate, soft bedding too. Blanket in case ac gets chilly. Drive slow, no jerky moves. Do not bring Uling into VIP. Distemler is so contagious that they do the tap in the parking lot. The Tap is a fast procedure. It will be done in minutes so you can go home right after. Dog will be anaesthesized btw. Make sure to ask for Colloidal Silver if they dont prescribe it. Subcutaneous fluids too. Please tell me how it went. Will be waiting for your update…
hello again..sorry it took me a while to update you..had no access to the net in the passed few days..we went to VIP last wednesday (15 may) but i opted for the body shot (of the new castle virus) instead of the spinal tap, which costs 900 (500 for the actual shot and 400 for consultation)..the vet said they have yet to determine which is more effective..they said that if uling’s case gets worse after 3 days we can always go back to get the spinal tap done..today’s the 3rd day and i think i can safely say that uling is somehow doing fine (not really better but thankfully she’s not getting worse)..she’s still twitching all over but i know there’s nothing i can do about that anymore..but her appetite is okay, it just takes a while to know what she would like to eat..she religiously drinks water on her own..she poops and pees just like a regular dog even if her legs are wobbly..she cries occasionally probably because of the discomfort of twitching (this is what the vet also said)..she hasn’t had any seizures yet but i asked the vet to prescribe something that would somehow help uling with her twitching and get some decent sleep..
that’s all i can share for now..i’ll keep you posted if anything comes up..thank you for your help..
by the way, i also sent messages to my friends and fellow dog lovers to warn them about distemper so that they could immediately take precautions..prevention is really better than cure..
So happy to hear from you! My first time to hear about the body shot, i hope it works because the tap is costly. This is a well-detailed report, thanks much, it will help others fighting distemper. Will wait for anothet update and will be praying that it’ll be good news. will do research on that body shot when i visit vip next week to buy bailey’s daily anti-seizure meds. If she doesnt take her pills, she gets seizures. ugh. But she’s worth it!
hello sorry ive been out and about again..and yes, definitely bailey, uling, and all other dogs (and other pets) are worth it 🙂
ive read some of the comments and i felt bad for the people who have lost their dogs to distemper 😦 my heart goes out to them but i hope they find some comfort in the knowledge that their dogs are no longer suffering..and cherish the memories they shared with their dogs..
we should also spread the word to other people so that we could prevent this terrible disease..
just to update you regarding uling’s condition, she is still pretty much doing okay and it has been more than a week since the body shot..but she doesn’t seem to be drinking water voluntarily anymore so i have been helping her with that..but she is still eating on her own and my aunt also noticed that the twitching of her mouth somehow lessen..
she developed an itch though and i’m not quite sure if that is a result of the meds, distemper, or what..i already told the vet about this and he just recommended histamen..have you heard of any instances of itching related to distemper?
Mam wer from la union.na diagnose husky ko my distemper.she’s 3 months old.para akong nasakluban ng langit at lupa.
im sorry to hear that 😦 will you try to bring your dog to vip in manila? theres a new treatment called the body shot that might work and is cheaper than the spinal tap…
VIP recommends he gets a serum but the problem is, I can’t find a donor. On top of that, I heard it’s very expensive. I notice some changes in my puppy after his body shot (5 days ago). He coughs less now but his nose is still runny. No sore eyes either. Although I noticed the light brown discoloration in his paws (use to be black). I’m hoping it’s not an early sign of hard pad. Also, I notice him twitching when he sleeps (I thought maybe he is dreaming) and he sometimes grinds his teeth.
Not sure what to do now except take care of him and make sure he gets enough food in his system (have to force feed him most of the time). Sometimes, I think he is getting better after the body shot but then he starts acting in a way that makes me think otherwise.
The serum is the first option if the virus is caught early. There is a second option, the Spinal Tap but that is viable only when the dog reaches the neurological stage – when twitching starts. I suggest you call VIP back and ask if you can do the tap now since he’s already twitching. It’s cheaper (much more) than the serum and doesn’t need a donor. But you will need the Newcastle Disease Virus for the tap. Call and ask if they have some in stock. If they have none, then you need to purchase it from a Poultry Supply store. Such stores are closed on Sundays, FYI.
Yes, that is really the trouble with Distemper. You have good days alternating with bad ones but the dog just never really returns to his playful, ravenous self. The cold goes away and sometimes the sore eyes too but only 1 to 2% of dogs survive Distemper when allowed to go thru the course of the illness. With the Tap, that increases to 40-70% survival depending on how early you catch the disease.
Search Kind Hearts in Action online. They have complete information on the Spinal Tap (as well as the Serum treatment). Wishing you the best!
My 2 month old puppy also has distemper. I just have a question, dogs are lactose intolerant right? I want to also give him Ensure but won’t it just worsen his diarrhea? Please let me know how your dog responded to the supplement. Thanks
Actually, you may be right! I am not a vet so it’s always best for you to check with your own vet or do your own research regarding dogs being lactose intolerant. Altho i do give my dogs a little milk sometimes and even yogurt which they seem to like. But I don’t give them a whole lot and not everyday.
As for Diarrhea, in humans it is worsened by milk products so it might be a bad idea to give it to anyone or any mammal suffering from diarrhea (I would suppose).
As for my dog’s survival, she made it because of the Spinal Tap and stringent medications after the tap. Are you planning to do the same for your puppy? You need to move fast because puppies have a harder time with the virus than older dogs. Hoping it turns out well for you and your dog!
My Bruno is on his 3rd day with the illness. 😦
hi Rolly, im sorry to hear that 😦 do u have a plan of action?
6 days after the spinal tap, 5 out of my 7 puppies are doing great! The one with head twitching seemed to lessen, thank you lord! One cant get up since the tap and no appetite so I force feed her. The other one has a high fever but is eating. Still, I believe that the one who cant get up will surprise me one of these days.
looks like you caught it early, thank God! if the twitching lessened that is excellent news. im believing with you that all of them will be fine and back to playing in no time! Thanks too for the update, many ppl visit this post and shared experiences (both good and bad) are invaluable to the pet owner who is dealing with distemper!
thanks for this blog…it gives me hope that my mandy can make it as well. she was diagnosed with distemper last april 29. its been a week after and just last monday her hindlimb was affected. she cannot stand anymore..continuing her meds to avoid secondary bacterial infection, i have to go to her vet later and ask about the spinal tap. if she doesnt have it then i’ll go to vip for it. it really breaks my heart to see her wanting to get up but can’t…my hope on high again when i read about bailey!! regards
hi Monica move fast. specially since hind legs are affected. if i were you i would just take my dog directly to vip. there are no other vets that i know who do the tap (altho one ccommeneter said her vet does the tap) if u want just call your vet and ask. dont waste another day…
hello ask ko lng if you can suggest where can i buy the newcastle for spinal tap? my puppy has distemper and so depressing..everytime she got seizure i cant look at her and im glad i found someone like you has same situation..regards
you can call vip and ask kung meron silang stock. kung wala, u can buy from any poultry supply. hoping your puppy makes it!
Hello!
I found your post and gave some hope. We have 6 dogs and they were just diagnosed with distemper (I’m writting from CR by the way). We can’t expressed how sad we are.
Did you little Bailey survived? Is she ok now?
In the Vet they told us that they could keep them alive for a year, but they said there was nothing we could do.
Any advice? 😦
Bailey is fine, its been 2 or 3 years since her spinal tap. She twitches non-stop but can run, play and do normal dog things.
please read my post, all the information is there. if you read the comments, youll find valuable info as well. Where/what is CR?
Hoping you can get your dogs to all have spinal taps. its what saved Bailey. keep me updated!
I mentioned the spinal tap to my Vet and he was literally shocked! He said i could read about miracle procedures in the internet but that they would not work :(I will push this option one more time knowing that it worked for you!
My babies are doing alright i guess… They are getting penicillin shots and an experimental medicine for distemper (don’t remember the name but I’ll ask on sunday on their next appointment).
CR= Costa Rica in Central America.
Hugs to Bailey!
your vet is not aware of all the miracles that have happened because of these experimental treatments. go to the website – kind hearts in action – tell your vet to check it out and contact ed bond on the contact tab. ed might even know of a vet in costa rica who can do the spinal tap. keep fighting for your dog’s life!
Hello again! I just wanted to say that thanks to the fast diagnosis and the experimental drug that mi vet used, after 1 year my dogs are doing great! No more fever or anything. Apparently, this treatment saved them.
Thanks for the support 🙂
Hi, Joyce! Thanks to you for sharing your story and thanks to my cousin, Faith, for giving me the link to your blog. Our dog, Pocholo, has Distemper which started last week. He already has some symptoms, like fever, eye gunk, and weakness. He coughs and pants. He hardly has appetite and he walks with slight wobble. The hardest part was when he’s hardly moving, he’s avoiding touch, and he’s refusing to be looked in the eye. He was checked by his vet and had 3 vaccines (antiobiotic and health booster) for 3 consecutive days (just this week, April 22-24). We were also informed that there’s no cure for distemper and he really just needs to boost his immune system. We’re giving him vitamins and antibiotics now. And his water has dextrose powder in it. We’re also trying to discover what food he likes to eat everyday (just like Bailey, he has unpredictable food preference). The intake is also very little (2-3 bites). We are continuously praying for healing because my family believes that God is our Divine Healer. And I’ve already cried about him while praying. There are slight improvements because his energy improved – at times, he can walk further, he can wag his tail a bit faster, and he was able to climb up the stairs yesterday. We are constantly observing how he is and continuously praying and believing. We have other dogs aside from Pocholo that are already developing eye gunk (suspected distemper already) but they are still very energetic. I’ll have my parents read your blog so that we can talk about options for our dogs. Thanks again and all the best (hugs) for Bailey. God bless you.
So sorry to hear that youre fighting Distemper in your home. I hope your parents will be ok to do the Tap on Pocholo. If you can get some Colloidal Silver today, start giving that to all your dogs. It might save your other dogs who picked up the virus from Pocholo. Praying for the best…
Thank you! I shared your blog and videos to my parents. I asked my cousin to check on her dog’s vet if they do Spinal Tap and, if yes, what the requirements are. So far, my dad prefers herbal/natural supplements over Colloidal Silver since all other dogs are healthy (no other symptoms except the unusual eye gunk). Today, Pocholo ate eggplant omelette. =)
i dont believe herbal supplements can fight something as insidiously evil as distemper. herbal supplements are okay for health maintenance but not for fighting disease when youre already sick. i take colloidal silver when i feel a cold coming on and the cold is arrested, it doesnt progress. do research on it. i dont recommend long term use but short-term for dogs should be ok. please researcj and corroborate this with your vet ha, im not a vet kasi. this is just my opinion.. praying for your dogs…
Hi Andrei, regarding your comment that the other dogs are ‘healthy’ and only have eye gunk – well, they may look healthy on the outside but if the virus is incubating inside of them then it’s a scary situation. Distemper is a killer. It first attacks the internal organs then enters the spinal column and ends up in the brain. Please do more research and ask several vets if herbal supplements can fight something as strong as Distemper. You don’t use a flyswatter to kill a tiger. Just my thoughts. Please check with your vet and other vets since I am not a medical expert on dogs.
By the way, my mom says thank you for sharing. You have the courage and faith to fight for Bailey’s life against all odds. And it’s inspiring because it gives hope.
Hey Andrei, say Hi to your Mom! Yeah, it really was a battle and I had to stay BRAVE. One of the hardest things to do is be brave when you see your sweet furry baby suffering so badly. There were times when I was tempted to put Bailey to sleep just so she would not have to go thru all that pain and hardship. While putting down your dog is not a sign of cowardice (I’ve had to put down a dog once) I decided against it and said that Bailey and I would fight this one together. Bahala na si Batman. It was the right choice, thank God. Praying for your dog to get better and your other dogs to also be safe…
Sadly, we had to put Kimpy to sleep last April 23 as per vet’s advice. He cannot use his four legs anymore, he looked sad and unhealthy. He showed improvement on the 1st week after the spinal tap but on his 2nd week, he got worse. No more wagging of tail. It was a tough decision but we know it was for the better. He’s in pet heaven now without any pain 🙂
o my, this is sad news. im sorry to hear this. but thank you for informing me. the tap is not a perfect remedy and readers need to know the risks.
but i am thankful for people like u who fight for their pets and give them lots of tlc. how i wish more people were like u… my condolences…. 😦 😦 😦
Thanks a lot Joyce for your immediate reply. Yes, I thought so, I wouldnt wait two weeks. Jovit is the pet dog of my close friend who passed away november of 2011. He is so lovable. A friend of mine describes him as the “pinakamabait” na dog she ever encountered. She herself has 3 shitsus, but it was so nice to hear her speak of Jovit that way…and truly Jovit is…
We are from Baguio. And medical treatment for dogs here are limited. I pray I can get colloidal silver in one of the pet shops here. My vet said that distemper testing is not readily available, she has to inquire where, and so I know that the procedure Bailey went through might not be available too. I thought of strengthening Jovits immune system might help. Jovit is on multivitamins, I give him yakult and oral rehydration 3-4 times daily. And of course, I pray over him unceasingly. Its just too difficult to see him the way he is today, so far from the cheerful, lovable, malambing dog he once used to be…
God bless you more in your endeavor of helping dog owners handle distemper cases…btw, hows Bailey?
Is it possible for you to bring your dog down to Manila? There is time. It seems like your vet caught it early. You can try emailing Ed Bond and asking him if he knows of any Filipino vet in BAguio or near there who is able to do the Tap. Search his website – Kind Hearts in Action and click on the Contact tab and his email will show up.
REgarding Bailey she is in this video which I took a couple days ago:
Bailey twitches non-stop and has occasional seizures and is slightly awkward when she moved but otherwise, she can run, play, jump and enjoy a normal life. She is on daily medication tho for the seizures, thank God the meds are not so expensive… HOping that you can find a way to bring your dog to Manila…
hello our cocker spaniel has symptoms of distemper; however, the vet said he is still under observation for another two weeks. We cannot wait that long and do nothing. We saw your post and we thought of asking you if you can suggest any multi vitamins that can strengthen the immune system of our dog, Jovit. Thanks and Godbless
i wouldnt wait two weeks. the sooner you know its distemper, thw better. distemper is a terrible disease. Your c. spaniel will slowly waste away before your very eyes.
First things u can do, start giving your dog colloidal silver and get him/her tested for distemper (if u havent yet).
When Bailey was showing signs of lethargy, id take her to the vet every 2 or 3 days until they finally figured out it was Distemper. When we found out, i made the decision to have VIP do the spinal tap and she survived.
keep me posted and if u have more questions my email is jaedeelight@yahoo.com
I Also Had A Dog who’s diagnosed with distemper last feb 6, 2013. His Name Was LUCKY. he dont Rec’d any Vaccine b4 he was Diagnosed with Distemper. the Clinic give lucky Canglovd a treatment Fof Distemper. After A month Of Giving Lucky B Complex and maxgxl, I consult To Other Clinic, the Clinic Increase The Dosage of B Complex. after Ward I Read U Blog, i went To VIP animal Hospital Last April 15, the Hospital Suggest To test Lucky With Distemper virus, i Was Supprised When distemper Test Got A Negative Result. The Doctor Said Lucky Is Just To Lucky To Survive With Distemper. Maybe Maxgxl Help Lucky To Survive With Distemper
His eye Is Clear, is Nose dont Have Nassal Discharge, his Pad bcome Soft. Thank To God, thank To you, thanks To All The Doktor, hope Thr TIC that Lucky Have Now Will Gone Soon,
Hi Jocelyn! Dogs who survive Distemper are very rare… congrats! is your dog twtching?
maybe now is the time to get your dog vaccinated if you havent already! very happy for you and your dog!!!
Un Dog Nio Po B Alive P til Now? Nagpavaccine N Po Ako Sa VIP hospital. Tanx
That is a video of Bailey that I took a couple days ago 🙂 she is fine but twitches non-stop bec of permanent nerve damage but she can still play and run and have fun. She is also fatter now, but it took us more than a year to help her get fat. Problem talaga niya, skinny dog siya even before the distemper… 🙂
please keep me updated on your dog…
Un Video Po Ganun Din Po Un Lagay ni Lucky Ngayon, canglovd Lng Po Inject Ng 1st Clinic N pinuntahan Nmin, i Working P rin Dun sa Permanent Nerve Damage Nia, pinapa InomInom q Cya Maxgxl Supplement Capsule, naniniwawala Po Ako Mwwla Un Nerve Damage Nia, mttgalan Nga Lng Siguro Pero Kya Un Maxgxl. Hehehe. Kpg Po Nwla N nerve Damage Nia Mgpost Po Ako Video Ng Before N After Ni Lucky. Salamat. nothing Is Impossible with God.
Maxgxl is a glutathione are you sure it’s okay for dogs?
i never used that on Bailey. have no idea about that. youll have to research and or ask a vet 🙂
my bambam succumb to distemper just now…di nya na kaya and too late na ng malaman ko na mayroon sya…tama ka ms. joyce, kung hindi ko sana na delay dati ang mga vaccines nya hindi sana nagkaganito. pero im sure tumatakbo na sya ng malaya ngayon ng walang nararamdaman na sakit. Anyway gusto ko magpasalamat sa’yo ms. joyce sa mga advice mo at sana dumami pa mga tao na kagaya mo na may gintong puso.Good night and salamat ulit! God bless!
Enzo
hi enzo 😦 so sorry to hear this news… but yes, to be a good companion to your pet is to get him or her vaccinated regularly. lets pray that those who read this will learn from us….
hey i want ur serious help…similar to you, i too delayed my pups shots…now she is showing signs of distemper, but it is not yet confirmed….her syptoms are
1. she acts like she is chewing gum.
2. she gives jerks while sleeping…although they are veryyy rare.
3.discharge from her eyes.
4. she has turned moody while eating, and thus has lost her appetite….she only eats chicken nothing else..
please help me what to do…the vet said now i should not vaccinate her becoz if she really has distemper, then vaccination will make the disease more serious.
how can i confirm that she has distemper? i live in india and the vet said in india there are no tests to confirm this disease..
i’ll be really thankful..
my mail id is :- anirocks.1395@gmail.com
Hi Aniket please email
ed.bond.new.york@gmail.com
he knows some Indian Vets who can help you. He is based in New York and runs a worldwide campaign vs distemper. His website is Kind Hearts in Action, please search it on google, u will get lots of information on distemper therr.
i wish u the best, keep me updated…
but by looking at her symptoms, can you make out if she has a chance of having distemper,,?? she is very active and plays a lot.
the best is to take a distemper test. if u guess based on symptoms you might misdiagnose your dog…
what are tests for confirming distemper?
i’ll do her tests….but plzzzzz tell me one thing..my dog jerks a little while sleeping, only his forearms jerk and that too very rarely…he doesnt have a runny nose at all, but yes, there is some discharge from his eyes but not much….the greatest thing is that he eats nicely and is super-active…do you think he might have distemper? does this case looks like a distemper case….or does his symptoms and habits match with that of bailey?
i’ll do her tests….but plzzzzz tell me one thing..my dog jerks a little while sleeping, only his forearms jerk and that too very rarely…he doesnt have a runny nose at all, but yes, there is some discharge from his eyes but not much….the greatest thing is that he eats nicely and is super-active…do you think he might have distemper? does this case looks like a distemper case….or does his symptoms and habits match with that of bailey?
i’ll be very greatful.
aniket, i just met someone who thought his dog had distemper because of the same symptoms u mentioned but it wasnt distemper. it was something else.
the best thing u csn do for yoyr dog is to go to a reputable vet and get him tested for distemper. it looks like a pregnancy kit except the vet uses blood taken from your dog.
keep me updated…
It has been 2 weeks since Kimpy’s spinal tap. He is getting weaker and weaker everyday. One vet told me that he might not responded to the spinal tap.
Week 1 – he got yellowish nasal discharge
more teeth clenching
Week 2 – cough and normal colds, he cant stand anymore
less teeth clenching pero sinisinok (i just it is also a sign of twitching)
I am giving him Baytril, Nerontin, Vit C with corn syrup, Vit B, and Colloidal everyday. I feed him with Lactol, Recovery Diet, and Cerelac. What else did I miss?
I hope our dog could recovery pa. He doesn’t cry naman and as long as he eats, we will do everything to fight against this terrible disease.
get him off neurontin. that just makes him drowsy. im not a vet but when bailey was not showing signs of improvement sa first week, one vet sa vip suggested stop muna neurontin. it should only be used for a few days after the tap. when i took her off neurontin sumigla siya paunti-unti. since im not a vet, just talking from experience, ask ur vet what he thinks abt my suggestion.
My Nanie has distemper for almost a week and half. The vet suggested euthanasia. Pero di ako pumayag. I know our baby is a fighter. She was convulsions and seizures. What will I do? It is heartbreaking to see her that way. Hindi ako makatulog sa gabi kasi naririnig namin siya umiyak kaya binabantayan namin siya. I don’t know what to do now. I feel sad kasi seems the vet doesn’t know the spinal tap. Is there a way to lessen the seizure? We feed her through syringe. Malakas naman siya kumain. Normal pee and poop too. Can we do the spinal tap at home?
Hi Joys, you can’t do the spinal tap because it involves anesthesizing the dog, sticking a needle into the spinal column at the neck, removing some spinal fluid and replacing it with the Newcastle Virus. If you are willing to spend, then I suggest that you take your dog to Vets In Practice and have them perform the spinal tap. It is not an assurance that your dog will survive but it will increase the chances of survival from 1-2% up to 40-70%. The procedure is not without it’s risks,some dogs don’t wake up anymore after the anaesthetic. But then if your dog is going to die then the risk is well worth it.
I am so sorry that you have to go through this. It is a slow and painful disease and it’s so hard to see your furry babe suffering so badly. I would opt for euthanasia if you decide not to do the tap… be brave and make the right choice… God bless you…
magka hawig si bailey and my bambam. 🙂 white and brown naman si bambam
awwww… i hope you can move fast on the spinal tap. the longer u wait the worse amd more painful it will be…
Sobrang lungkot ko hindi ko alam gagawin ko pag umiiyak sya,(when twitching).si bailey po ba may twitching pa din? i mean kung maka survive ba ang mga dogs na may distemper talagang may twitching na talaga? pano ginagawa yung spinal tap?
the twitching is permanent. but bailey can run, play and still jump but not as high. you can do physical therapy to help the dog but the twitching is forever.
the tap – they take out a drop of spinal fluid from the backbone sa may nape then they replace that fluid with a drop of the Newcastle Lasota strain virus. you have to buy the virus from a poultry store. are you planning to do the tap?
Hindi pala ako nag iisa…my dog Bambam diagnosed with distemper kanina lang. the vet gave him antibiotics and vaccine knina. sana maka recover pero sa case ng bestfriend ko kumakain sya tsaka masigla naman yun nga lang may twitching yung head nya at dun sa left leg nya. gagawin ko talaga lahat para maisalba sya ayokong mawala sya sakin…
hi Enzo sorry to hear about that but im glad your bff (best furry friend) is eating. are you going to do the spinal tap?
Hi maam!
My dog, Tabbie was diagnosed with distemper a while ago and we were given supplements and stuff. I think the stage is still at an early stage but I don’t want to risk it. I haven’t checked the twitching though. I’m still a student and I don’t have much fund for the treatment. Is there any other way to prevent the virus from progressing? 😦 Tabbie is almost 3 years old. And I love her so much, I don’t want to lose her.
The vet gave me a list of tablets for her to regain appetite since she doesn’t eat anymore. What should I do? Waah. Sorry. I’m in panic. 😦 and another problem is the other dog, Shamcey got the virus, too, I think. She’s lost appetite and has runny nose already. 😦
EJ, you NEED to get Colloidal Silver as fast as possible to give to Shamcey. That is how I protected my 2nd dog Woolsey who got exposed to BAiley when she was sick. You can get Colloidal Silver at Vets in Practice, or at the Saturday Market in Salcedo Makati and the Sunday Market in Legaspi Makati.
There is something called Transfer FActor that fights distemper. I know nothing about it but have heard about it. The one thing I know is that it’s also expensive… like almost 4K for the pills. Not sure. You will have to do research online and look for a vet.
Regarding the cost, it is expensive but you sound like a smart kid to me, I encourage you to think of ways to raise the funds for your dogs…
Distemper is a slow killer. It will take a month or more of illness before the worst happens. I hope you can move on this fast…
Hi! It’s been almost a month since Tabbie was diagnosed. And after a week of giving both dogs (Tabbie and Shamcey) supplements and antibiotic, they’ve regained their eating habits and are bouncing everytime I go out. Tabbie doesn’t cough anymore. However, her nose still looks cracked. I’m still not sure if they’ve survived the virus although they don’t show any signs of it anymore. I just hope it wouldn’t come back anymore.
By the way, a friend of mine suggested a vet clinic along Kalayaan, in QC wherein they give shots for dogs with distemper. The clinic’s name is Pendragon (I think, or something like that). She brought her shih tzu there during the neuro stage and after giving shots (I am not sure if it’s serum, though), the dog recovered. I think it’s 600/shot. They’re also open 24 hours but charges at night are higher. Hope that helps. 🙂
thanks for this! the serum shots need a donor dog to donate blood and costs much more so i dont think its the same.
it is interesting that your friend would buy a dog in the neuro stage when they are obviously ill and twitching…
btw, did your two dogs have distemper tests?
It’s probably different. Oh, she brought it there, not bought. Hehe. I had Tabbie tested with that thing that’s like a pregnancy test before but I haven’t brought them back there yet to be tested again.
im just happy ur dogs are getting better! take them in for another distemper test to make sure they are clear but ask your vey first if the timing is right. when the virus is defeated, dogs shed the virus over several days… wishing u the best!
Hi Ms. Joyce, this is Carizza, the one texting you last night. Kimpy was diagnosed with Distemper last yesterday.
We thought his skin allergy was something that was not so serious. I thought the redness was just an allergic reaction from his new shampoo. After a week, the redness faded but it turned into flakes. He had dandruff before so it wasn’t alarming for us either. He lost his appetite, but he was still eating. I’ve noticed he was flaking out severely so my sister bought an anti fungal soap for him. Then last Friday, he didn’t eat the whole day so we decided to bring him to UP Vet for a checkup.
His vet said is was scabies, nothing too serious, but after his CBC, the vet said it can possibly be canine distemper. He stopped for a while and checked for some involuntary movements – he saw something pumping on his head! He said Kimpy was already on a neurological stage and it was already on his system. :c He said there was no cure for distemper but we can do something to prevent secondary illnesses.
At this point, I was already force-feeding him with syringed recovery diet.
After learning about his illness, I researched on the internet, emailed Ed Bond, until I reached this page. It was 3am, Monday morning, getting infos on what to do. At 8am, I rushed at Farmbreed to get the vial but we didn’t rush him to the vet right away. I texted you first and emailed Ed if we should proceed with the spinal tap cause it could be dangerous.
Ed said it is much better than doing nothing at all as dogs often die in this stage.
NDV SPINAL TAP PRODECURE
So last night, we took him to Vets in Practice in Mandaluyong for his NDV Spinal Tap. Dr. Gina was the one who did the spinal tap to Kimpy. After the tap, we just waited for him to move and stand up. Little by little he’s trying to move his tongue, arms, and wagged his tail! After 1 hour, he got up and the vet said he was ready to go. 🙂 I think Kimpy enjoyed the travel as he was looking out the window when he were in the cab. When he arrived home, he walked around the house for a while and then took a nap.
DAY 1
At 3am we gave him food and his antibiotics but he was not very cooperative. My sister syringed his med little by little. This morning, I force-fed him and gave his Gabantin. He was very cooperative and was eating everything I put inside his mouth.
(He stood up, wagging his tail as I am typing this!)
I’m trying to give him different kinds of wet food, offering him cold water, and always ask if he wants to go out to pee.
So far, he’s doing well. We will update you about his condition from time to time. Thanks for putting up this blog! This is really helpful!
The signs are very good. I believe your dog will recover as long as naka-antibiotics to keep away secondary infection. Dont feel bad if a bad day comes along. Most dogs recovering from the Tap have up and down days. but there have been a few cases of fast recovery. I am so glad you chose to do the Tap. Our sweet dogs who are so loyal deserve such love…
Hi Ms. Joyce, thank you for sharing your experience with Bailey. This gave us more hope for our dog Kimpy. He’s now at stage 3 with distemper and we only discovered after my sister brought him to vet last Sat. The vet told there’s no cure for distemper so we were very sad but through your site, we discovered about VIP and spinal tap. We are bringing him to VIP tonight for the spinal tap. I just hope magising pa sya ‘coz he’s like a family member to us. Please pray for his recovery. Thanks so much.
I got your text and was overjoyed to hear that Kimpy woke up and seems to be chipper! Now its the long road to recovery… but it is a good road to be on. I know yoo’ll be giving him lots of TLC… Im believing he will survive!
hello! about my dog OJ, ok na siya.. i hope magtuloy tuloy na.. march 23, we and Dr. Love from VIP opted for the immunoglobulin shot (Cabglob-D) for 7 days plus antibiotics,vitamins. During 1st days ng shot may minimal na “twitch” siya pero not sure kung dahil sa distemper yun or ganun lang siya during natutulog, magana din kumain and playful padin. may runny nose padin siya that time. and after 7 days kinabahan din ako kasi bka may mangyare pag wala na siyang shots but thank God, wala naman. I called VIP din and sabi nila balik daw after 3 weeks, as of now tumaba and bumigat na siya at sobrang playful padin.continue padin yung vitamins niya and babalik kame sa VIP this april 13.. sana wala na talaga siyang distemper.. thanks po.. and question..pag sobrang ok na ba siya pwede na ba siyang bigyan ng vaccine na 5in1 and anti rabies? thanks thanks =))
gudam ma’m
xenxa n if now lang me naka pag online….
tama ka parang rolercosster ang distemper minsan ok minsang hindi….
but still kiaw kiaw is fighting at nakikita ko yon….kumakain cya khit wala sa oras kung kailan nya mgustuhan…inaantay ko plgi ang signal n like nyang kumain…
kanina paksiw n pata ang kinain nya , madami cyang nkain….
natatawa nga sakin yong mga frend ko buti p daw ang aso ko ang sasarap ng inuulam nitoh eh……:)
mag 2wiks na ang spinal tap nya sa thursday at cross my fingers nah malagpasan nya iyon……. upang mapanatag ako khit papaano…..
nga pla ma di ko nah ma open ang YAHOO ko. papaayos ko s anak ko wala lng cyang time…..
ang FB ko …. imelda mallari gonzales ….. email koh imelda_meldyo4@yahoo.com sana add mo ko sa FB para maging frend kita…..
salamat & GOD always bless u life…….
gudam. ma’m
ahahaaaa… pang no.3 kna sa nagsabi sakin niyan 2 sa FB ko at ikaw….
ang sarap daw sundan ng mga upload kong video at pix ni kiaw kiaw koh sa FB… para nga daw telenovela nah masarap subaybayan…. tuwing morning inaabangan daw nila ang upload ko at kung ano n ang nangyayari ky kiaw kiaw ko…..
by the way ma’m … tungkol ky kiaw kiaw tama k nga minsan my good days at minsan my bad days…..
minsan akala ko wala nah mukang bibigay na ang dog ko then kinabukasan ayon babangon n nman cya at kakain kahit kunti lng…
ang nakakatuwa lng parang alam nya ata na wala n cyang swero at pag di cya kumain eh.! pwede cyang mamatay.. kaya kumakain cya ayaw nya lng ng nag uult ng ulam gusto nya araw araw ibah.. then tatago ko sa ref. yong natira at sa 2nd. day ko n ulit ibibigay sa knya yon…..
ang hirap niyang dalin sa vet gawa ng maga at my sugat p 2 paa nya .. if mahawakan ko cya ng di tama umiiyak cya o kya eh inaangilan nya ko kc cguro nasasaktan cya….. kaya pinag aralan ko ang pag iinject sa knya ….
the truth is i have fear in needle….. but sometimes pala i have to be brave for someone i love most…… kaya mula noong wednesday ako nah nag iinject ky kiaw kiaw d2 lng kami sa house.. ginagamot ko din ang sugat nya ng betadine & terramycin oitment…… binubusalan ko muna cya para if msaktan cya di cya mabibigla……
now medyo nkakatulog n ko ng maayos ayos mula ng tangaling ang swero nya…..
“GOD BLESS u”
i will update u……..
Ay wow, ganyan din si Bailey! Ayaw niya ng pare-parehong food. AAHAHA! So naloka ako, kung anu-ano ang pinapakain ko sa kanya, pati Goat-Milk sinubukan ko. Pero, worth it to see her eating. From people food to dog food, and cat food pati na rin marshmallows, haahaha! Soap Opera talaga pero masaya ang ending, yan ang prayer ko for KiawKiaw. Sana I can see the videos? Ano ba ang fb mo. you can email me sa jaedeelight@yahoo.com they say pag umabot ng 2 weeks ang dog after spinal tap, considered ‘out of the woods’ na yung dog. Then one month after tap, dapat pa test ng distemper just to make sure na wala na talaga ung virus.
BTW, for sugat, you can use colloidal silver! Just spray the sugat with the colloidal silver. Mabilis ang healing. FYI. It might be better than betadine. research mo lang…
Thank you for the update, I eagerly await your next comment…
gudam. ma’m
yappp!! i buy insure……
pero kanina lang nya nainom ito.. ginawa kung ice candy…
tinangal swero nya kahapon,kc nag colapse ang mga ugat nya sa paa.. nag sugat nah itoh at namaga kaya di cya mkalakad….parehong paa nya nah ang may sugat gawa ng swero kaya dapat pagpahingahin muna mga paa nya sa swero….. at mahirap n talaga cyang lagyan nitoh kc super payat na siya…
naisip ko agad kawawa c kiaw kiaw kc di pa cya nakain khit anoh……
but thanks GOD kninang lunch give ko cya ng water nah malamig n my halong “MonDex” water soluble powder energy supplement…. uminom cya madami cguro mga 1 glass of water…. then pagtapos try ko cya give ng food apritadang manok w/ liver…. abah nagulat talaga ako kumain cya , ayaw nya ng rice ulam lng ang gusto nya…. nka 2pcs. chicken cya tinangal ko yong buto… tsaka nka 4pcs. na liver cya noong lunch ….
noong dinner pinabilan ko cya ng barbeque naka 4 sticks cya….. hayyy salamat talaga .. nakakakita ako ng malaking pag asa nah mabubuhay c kiaw kiaw ……
sa toto0 lang sobrang pagod nah ko mag alaga sa kanya, pero now na nakita ko ang pagkain nya ulit.. nawalang bigla ang lahat ng pagod ko……
ang water mayat maya pinaiinom ko siya palitan ang insure at water….. basta gusto nya palaging malamig mga itoh
bukas i cook dinuguan fav. nya yon……
SALAMAT sayo ma’m at kay bailey inspirasyon ko kayo…..
SALAMAT sa prayers ………….
Oh, that is a miracle! Your hard work has paid off. Ganyan din ako when Bailey was sick. 24 hours nakatutok kami sa kanya, parang baby. Be careful tho not to overfeed. It will shock his system. Feed him in small quantities 5 to 6 times a day para tuloy tuloy ang nutrition niya. The Ensure is very good for him. Now just in case he becomes matamlay again, don’t worry. It’s normal. The recovery of Distemper is usually up and down parang rollercoaster – me mga good days, me mga bad. Super excited ako sa news na ito, such good news! Thanks for sharing again… will wait for the next update… (parang telenovela ata to! aahahaha)
gudam ma’m
nagsisimula na siya ng antibiotic nya….
malakas na c kiaw kiaw uminom.. pero sa food medyo ayaw nya pa…
we always pray that GOD give mercy to our dog…
Wow, that is good news. Are you giving Ensure? or milk? I’m praying everyday for Kiaw Kiaw… each day magsurvive siya is a very good sign…!
hello! marisss
yong my baby pamangkin ko yon…
lalapitan sana kita, pero tnawag akoh ni dra. kc pinapirma ko sa gagawin kay kiaw kiaw .. at di ko nah cya naiwanan pa mula ng ginawa siya up to matapos nah…. kaya pag labas ko wala kna nga raw ….
tama yan hangang maaga pa ipagamot mo nah agad ang dog mo……
magiging ok! c OJ mo kung c kiaw kiaw ko nga malala nah pero itoh still inilalaban pa din nmin siya …..
kasama natin si LORD…. sa knya lng tayo kumukuha ng lakas….. 🙂
gudam ulit mam…..
24hours syang di bumangon sa higaan nya…ni hindi siya gumalaw ng pwesto nya…. hinayaan ko lng siya at tinabihan ko siya sa pag tulog.. kc umiiyak cya sa pmamagitan ng pg bark…..massage ko katawan nya at humihinto cya ng pag bark… cguro alam nya asa tabi nya lng ako, didilat siya then muling pipikit…
ng mga 12am. nag simula cyang pumihit ng pwesto at yon tinayo nya ang ulo nya , ask ko cya if he likes water???? at binigyan ko siya ng water natuwa nman ako at uminom siya….. ngayon palipat lipat nah siya ng pwesto….. nakakalaki ng puso….:)
now nag look ulit siya sakin binigyan ko siya ng gatorage kc fav. nya yon, medyo madami dami ang nainom nya kc medyo mlamig ito eh…….
bukas dadalin ko nah siya ng vet. sa pet express kasi kaya nya nah para masaksakan cya ng antibiotic good for 10days…..
hopefully sa mga susunod png mga araw eh!! titikim nah siya ng food…….
medyo maamo na ulit ang face nya di na tulad ng dati na parang laging nka simangot… my kunti p din cyang paubo ubo.. ang sipon nya wala ng natulo…. yong pag tibok tibok ng ulo nya medyo dumadalang nah ….
toto0 still my fear pa rin ako s mga susunod png araw… pero dapat think positive kami…… at isa ka sa nagpapalakas ng loob ko sa araw araw .. at ang dog mong si bailey…. kung nka survived c bailey makaka survived din c kiaw kiaw……
naglagay ang pamangkin ko s youtube ng video ni kiaw2x ang tittle
“kiaw kiaw fight for his life againts canine distemper”
if my time ka watch this mam thank you……..
“GOD is good all the time…..
hello! marisss
ikaw pala yong my dalang mini pin kanina & his name is OJ
andoon ako knina nakita ko kayo………
dalin mo ulit siya tom. at the back lang talaga tayong my mga distemper ang dog ….
…. mababait nman silang lahat na mga dr. doon… hanapin mo c dra. gina …… kanina hangang 9pm. siya…
wag tayong mawawalan ng pag asa tayong my mga distemper ang mga dog….
GOD is good….
hello papin! ahh ikaw yung may baby? good to hear na nagising si kiaw kiaw.. gagaling na yan.. si OJ naman dito namen dinala sa malapit muna, nainjection siya ng antibiotic at B complex.. mamaya dalin ulit namen siya sa VIP.. i hope maging ok na si OJ..
gudam ma’m
ngawa n ang spinal tap ni kiaw kiaw kaninang 9pm. sa VIP
sobrang nag worry ako kc sabi ng vet ang risk daw ay pwedeng hindi na ito magising …kc khpon my dog nah di n ngising after ng spinal tap
nag call ako sa 2 anak ko para magdesisyon kaming 3….. iyakan kami, sabi ng anak ko c jace_18 mami sumugal tayo kasi kung hindi mawawala din satin c kiaw kiaw, wat if magising nman siya malaki pag asa natin diba?? so ayon nagkasundo sundo din kami nah gawin na ang spinal tap…. true na npakaraming pasyente knina sa VIP ….. andoon kmi ng 6pm. nagawa c kiaw2x ni dra.gina ng 9pm. panay ang pray namin at thank GOD ngising siya at etoh naiuwi ko cya sa house ng 1am.
now 1stime ko ulit cyang nrinig nah tumahol….. ang saya saya nming mag iina…alam ko di p tapos ang laban ni kiaw kiaw pero dahil sa love nmin s knya lalaban siya… kinausap siya ng mga anak ko by phone noong di p siya nagagawa at kumakawag ang buntot nya kahit nah hinang hina nah siya…..
nilagyan p din siya ulit ng swero dahil di cya nkakain at di mapilit kung ayaw… at sinabi ko my attitude siya, sa swero nah din inilgay ang vit. nya….
for 10days cyang mag aantibiotic d2 ko nlng siya ppsaksakan sa my pet express sa SM cubao likod lng kc nmin iyon….
“kiaw kiaw is a figther he fight for his life” 🙂
thanks so much ma’m
we still need your prayer……………
is Kiaw2 drinking ensure? worried ako hindi siya kumakain 😦 buti nalang me suwero with vitamins. keep trying to feed him, by hand. does kiaw like marshmallows? bailey loves marshmallows hehehe… how do u give the medicines kung me attitude si kiaw2? im glad nag-bark siya. now u have to protect vs 2ndary infection. importante ang antibiotics. colloidal silver. suwero. massage. tlc. talk to kiaw2. every day that your dog lives is a good sign. pero be ready lang – there will be good days alternating with bad days. if he reaches two weekd, you can be assured that ok na siya… am praying with u
hello po, our mini pin 6months old was diagnosed with a weak positive distemper, very faint lang yung second line but sabi nung vet kung negative as in wala kang makikitang line, kaya considered as positive padin siya. nasa respi stage palang siya and kanina may fever ngayon nawala na.. wala din kame funds if papagawa namen yung serum.. pero punta padin kame sa VIP baka may iba pang treatment options. And dun pala sa test, swab from her eyes yung specimen niya, same lang kaya yun sa blood or urine? and about sa colloidal silver, pwede din kaya namen din to gamitin para lumakas immune system niya? thanks po.
other treatment option – ndv spinal tap. but talk to vet first about timing of when to do the tap. yes, use Colloidal Silver to protect vs 2ndary illness. you can buy at vip. update me. im glad u caught it early…
thanks for the reply, just went sa VIP awhile ago but hindi natingnan si OJ kasi ang dameng patients and dapat daw either una or huli siyang icheck up ng vet para safe yung ibang docs after niya..kaya will go back nalang tom hopefully ok na. I’ll definitely buy this colloidal silver din.. thank you..
tutoo yan si bailey had to stay outside sa ibabaw ng isang plastic bench habang tinitignan ng vet. sa labas din ginawa ang tap. bec kawawa the other dogs, di dapat sila mahawa. risk din ang tap because some dogs dont wake up anymore. haaaaaay… ang hirap magmahal ng ganito ano? but im glad youre going to fight for your dog… i will be praying. actually today is the 2nd (or third) anniv ng Spinal tal ni Bailey. i do not regret fighting for her. even if hindi siya nagsurvive, im glad i tried!
Hi Mariss, how is your dog? HOping for an update…
Hi, my dog Oreo stopped eating and drinking 3 days ago kaya naka dextrose na sya. We’re trying to give him kahit water pero lumalayo sya talaga. He became picky with food last week pa, according sa vet baka distemper nga, nagsstart na din maging red yung mata nya and maga. Sabi ng vet there’s no cure to distemper but I dont want to put him to sleep as much as possible. My worry is that my other dogs might get the sickness din. Oreo did not have the complete 5-in-1, he missed the last shot yata. Wala ako idea how much yung spinal tap. But im glad i read your blog, sana gumaling din my baby. And like you i’m having my bday on sunday, eto lang gusto kong bday gift, for Oreo to feel better.
Cress, there is no cure nga but the Spinal Tap is a treatment that will help your dog survive Distemper (you should really get Oreo tested for Distemper. Guessing isn’t a good idea) go for the tap it if you can afford it. During Bailey’s time it was 4K I think.
It sounds like it’s early stage pa. Contact Vets in Practice kaagad. only 1 to 2% of dogs survive distemper. With the Tap or the Serum (mas mahal ang Serum) the survival rate goes up from 40 to 70%. Kind Hearts in Action has more info, visit their website. Serach mo lang sa google.
Yes, I didn’t do much for my birthday the year Bailey got Distemper and it was well worth it. It was one of the best gifts for myself – to fight for Bailey’s life and thank got, she survived. I’ll be praying for Oreo.
Regarding the other dogs, yes, they are in danger if they have come into contact with Oreo. You need to get Colloidal Silver and give each dog half a tsp in the AM and another half in the evening for the duration of Oreo’s illness. you can get Colloidal Silver at VIP or at the Saturday Market in Salcedo or the Sunday market in Legaspi, Makati. REsearch mo din ang Colloidal Silver. I gave it to my one dog who came into contact with Bailey and the dog never caught Distemper. I also started giving it to Bailey after all this reasearch i did and found out about the healing properties of Colloidal Silver. You should give it also to Oreo. I take it myself when I feel like I’m going to catch a cold.
Keep me updated!
thanks to God coz ur her ma’m
pra makinig ng mga hinain ko at takot nah nraramdaman… pnlalakas mo ang loob ko para ilaban c kiaw2 ……
namaga ang paa nya n my swero kaya hirap cyang lumakad.. bukas kailangang matangal itoh at maibago ng lagay sa ugat nya……
nagsisipon na nman siya at palaging inuubo ….. paano bah malaman kung stage 3 nah??? ano mga signs nitoh??? 😦
at hanngang ilang stage pa bah ang dapat lumabas???? 😦
opo!!! look ko ang “colloidal silver” .saan kaya itoh nabibili???
may nagsabi nga sakin… grabeeee ang laki na ata ng ngagasta nyo diyan. eh! aso lng nman yan….. ngumiti n lng akoh ayaw ko mkipagtalo sa kanila .. baka kasi di ko mapigil ang sarili ko at my masabi ako na hindi maganda, 😦
compound kc ang apartment namin .. kaya di maiwasang my nkakakitah n nka swero ang aso koh…. natatawa cla alam ko pinagtatawanan nila ko kc aso esweswero?????….. 😦
kaya salamat at my isang tulad mo nah nakakausap koh……yong nakakaintindi sa pinagdadaanan nmin ng aking mga anak …
sAlamat sa prayer mo para kay kiaw kiaw….
sana dumami pa ang mga tulad mo…. GOD bless ur life ma’m
kundi thursday baka friday dadalin ko c kiaw2 sa VIP para ma check up siya kung ano dapat gawin. gusto nila makita ng personal s kiaw kiaw
….my kausap na ako doon…..
i will update u ……. thanks
You can get Colloidal Silver at Vets in Practice or at the Saturday market in Salcedo or Sunday Market in Legaspi, Makati.
I’m sorry i just replied now. Been sick kasi and did not go online yesterday.
don’t worry about what other people say. Maraming pet lovers tulad natin, we are not the only ones. I’m sure meron ding pet lovers sa neighborhood mo, di mo lang alam. The people who don’t understand why you love your dog so much, just bless them. They don’t understand because maybe they do not have the same heart of mercy that we have. Or baka they have poverty-mentality. Or their parents raised them to treat animals lowly. I am so thankful you are not like them.
The signs for stage 3 – twitching and parang nag-chew-chewing gum. The head starts to bob. Parang walang muscle control.
i buy ensure vanilla tom…..
thanks so much ma’m….. kahit paano my nakakausap ako at npag tatanungan n ktulad nyo…. npaka laking tulong kayo sa aming may mga distemper ang mga dog……
kaninang lunch…. inalok cya ng bunso ko na kumain…. sabi ng bunso ko mining kikiaw kiaw beh, mining kakain oh!!! itinayo niya ang ulo nya ng bahagya at nging hudyat yon saming mag ina para bigyan siya ng food…..
nilagay ko sa palad ko ang food habang mgkatabi kmi sa sopa … inilahad ko sa kanya ang palad ko at thanks GOD kumain cya khit mga 4 nah himaymay lang ng turbong manok….. at uminom siya ng kunti ng ayaw nah niya …..
noong dinner nagpabili ko ng barbecue try ko ilagay sa palad ko para maamoy niya .. inilayo nya ang ulo nya sa palad koh .. ibig sabihin noon ayaw nya.. hindi ang babecue kasi favorite nya yon.. kundi wala n nmn cguro cyang ganang kumain…..
araw araw hindi ako magsasawang mag try nah alukin siyang kumain…. at kausapin siya nah para kung anak….
pag inuubo si kiaw kiaw ng matindi alam ko nahihirapan siya.. at sasabihin ko lang ehem!! ehem!!!! .. di ko siya hinahawakan pero asa tabi nya akoh…..
kasi nga may atitude siya minsan…. pero kanina habang umuubo siya yong ulo nya pilit nyang ipinaiilalim sa kamay ko , so alam ko nanghihingi siya ng tulong sakin. hinagod ko ng hinagod ang ulo nya ng paulit ulit…..
habang sinasabi ko sa kanya nah love na love ka ni mami papin kaya dapat lalaban ka … kasabay ng di mapigil nah pagtulo ng mga luha koh…..:(
” i STILL BELIEVE IN MIRACLE “
Mommy Papin, that’s exactly how I would feed si Bailey. By hand. Grabe. But then, walang attitude si Bailey so I was able to force feed her. ANyway, try to give some Colloidal Silver (mag-research ka sa internet about it) to protect Kiaw Kiaw from complications. It is hard to fight Distemper but there is a small chance, Kiaw2 may survive it. Colloidal Silver will be a big help. That is how I protected my other puppy si Woolsey who got exposed to Bailey when she was sick. I started giving him Colloidal Silver. I started using it on Bailey nung stage 3 na siya. Now, whenever my dogs get matamlay, I give them Colloidal Silver kaagad. I have this other dog, si Booger, she was matamlay two days ago, the helpers gave her Colloidal Silver, ok na siya today. REsearch mo Colloidal silver. And that is right, give your dog love and attention, it will give him strength. There are a few dogs who survive Distemper without the tap or serum shots. Let’s pray that Kiaw Kiaw is one of them!
i try to feed him .. but my dog have an atitude…..
give ko cya ng vit. nya …..kaso pag ayaw nya ayaw nya tlga …
1st inangilan nya koh then nag ulitin klung ibigay ulit s knya yong vit. na nasa syringe bigla nya kong sinakmal… my kunting tama ang palad ko ng ngipin nya .. nakuha ko toh ng bigla kong hatakin siguro ang kamay ko sa pagkabigla ko….
ang toto0 ang anak ko lng ang nkapagpapakain sa kanya .. kaso asa ibang bansa nah ang anak koh…..
kaya iyong ang fear koh …. pag try ko siya lagyan ng busal sinusubukan ko pa lng nagagalit na siya at lumalabas ang ngipin nya…. siguro nagka phobia nah siya na pag nilalagyan siya ng busal ay iinjectonan cya or drink cya ng med. kaya ayaw nya nah……
pero ganoon pa man mahal n mahal ko pa din si kiaw kiaw …di ko siya tinutulugan at magdamag ko siyang binabantayan .. kasi nga naka swero siya….baka matangal toh pag tayo nya kung wewe or pupu cya…
kaya katabi nya ko matulog sa sopa namin siya nakahiga ako naka upo habang hawak ko ang paa nya para if tumayo siya at naiglip ako malalaman koh…..
my kunting lagnat nah di akoh kasi siguro sa kakaisip sa kalagayan ng aso koh .. stress ako at depress …… haaayyyyyy 😦
pero sabi ko sa sarili koh papin uminom ka ng gamot at bawal kang magkasakit kawawa si kiaw kiaw walang mag aalaga dito……
“kung sana kamuka ni bailey si kiaw kiaw koh nah pwedeng subuan…. at di nagagalit at nanakmal .. gagawin koh madugtungan lang ang buhay nya…..
sabi ng mga vet defence attack daw ang tawag doon sa ugali ni kiaw kiaw koh….
wala naman akong makatulong ako lang mag isa …. 😦
palagi ko pa din try nah bigyan siya ng food …. sa kainan nya nagbabakasakali akong kumain siya kahit kunti…..
ang water mayat maya binibigyan ko siya sa inuminan nya…at salamat kay Lord kasi umiinom naman siya kahit pakunti kunti…..
ma’m kung ganiyan ang ugali ni kaiw kiaw ko … paano ko pa siya masusubuan ng food?????????? 😦 😦 😦
I LOVE MY DOG so much………..
hi there, that makes it more difficult if your dog is growling and biting pa 😦 me mga dog na ganyan talaga. thank God nakaswero siya. if the dog is drinking, try giving him Ensure, the milk for old people, but not the chocolate because chocolate might give your dog a heart attack. or baby milk, pwede din. no force feeding if kiaw2 is biting. maybe you can wet his lips with water or milk. also, if you can get colloidal silver and let him drink it. just half a tsp in the am and pm. its a powerful antiviral and antibacterial.
thanks so much mam……
kanina pag wiwi ng dog koh lumalabas tAlaga cya khit hirap cyang tumayo….
ayaw nyang magwiwi sa loob ng house kasi alam nya magagalit akoh…
then may gripo kami sa labas hinugasan ko siya at hinilamusan….
ayaw nya pang pumasok di ko siya pinilit.. at sabi ko you want to drink water???
at mula sa palad ko binigyan ko siya ng tubig…thank God uminom siya tuwang tuwa ako naiyak ako sa tuwa … nabuhayan ako ng loob….
kasi 4 days ng di kumakain at umiinom ang dog ko.. med. wala din ayaw nya
swero lang ang nagpapalakas sa kanya .. kaya kahit 24hours akong nakatutok sa kanya dahil baka matanggal ang swero nya binabantayan ko talaga siya…
i will call tom. at VIP
Hi Papin, you have to force-feed your dog. Get canned dog food, mash it up with water para malabnaw ng konti then put it in a syringe and then use that to force feed. When Bailey was sick, we did that. And sometime, she would eat out of our hand so we would try to hand feed her first, kung ayaw, then force feed. 5x a day we would force her to eat the dogfood. But be careful, because your dog might choke on the food.
If you will go ahead and do the spinal tap at VIP, you have to buy the bird virus first at a poultry store. But they usually closed on Sundays. Ask VIP if they have stock. If you find a poultry shop that is open, buy the Newcastle Virus, Lasota strain. its mga P200 a vial or less (2 years ago yan) then go to the vet to have the tap done.
Your dog is still getting up to pee. That is a good sign. But please try to force feed because your dog needs food.
Hoping for the best. Please update me, I’m very worried for Kiaw Kiaw…
my dog kiaw kiaw is 7yrs of age… have a distemper….
wala akong alam sa sakit nah ito….. ako lng ng nag aalaga sa kanya di ko nah alam kung anong gagawin ko…. naka swero siya dito sa house namin….
ayaw nyang kumain ni ayaw nyang uminom….. pati med. nya ayaw nya din… pag pinilit ko siya inaangilang nya koh…
sa buong buhay nya ngayon lng siya nagkasakit…..
napakasakit sakin kasi bunsong anak ang turing ko sa kanya katabi ko siyang matulog…
hirap n hirap na ako kung nakikita ko siyang nahihirapan sa araw araw…….di ko mapigil na maiyak….
payo sakin ng vet kung di nah nakain at nainom ang dog ko mas mabuti daw nah patulugin nah daw iyoh. kasi useless daw bigyan pah ito ng NDV kasi di daw ito nakain .. kasi pinahahaba ko lang daw ang agony ng dog koh…. kung nahihirapan daw ako mas nahihirapan ang dog ko…….
haiiiissssttt……
ano pwede mong maipayo sakin??? 😦
did you talk to a vet from VIP? You should call them kung hindi sila ang tinanong mo. im so sad with your letter, i know the feeling. my 3 dogs bailey ramses and broyles are my babies too. i hope na you can still try the ndv. but vip is the best to ask.
My dog was diagnosed today with canine distemper, his first symptoms was diarrhea and vomiting so we thought its just a thing that he ate or something after awhile he doesn’t wanna eat nor drink so his vet put a dextrose on his leg. Yesterday he got some yellowish mucus in his nose thats why I’ve asked my mom to return to the vet and he was tested with a pregnancy like thing and it turned out positive. As I was searching what canine distemper is I saw your blog and told my mom which vet to go too.
hi!! sorry, i just got to this now, how is your dog? hoping for an update!!
we called up the vet in mandaluyong they asked the history of the dog and the vet told us that its better for the dog if we put him to sleep, he said because your dog is not eating nor drinking theres no point in injecting the medicine you’ll just spend money and it might not work on your dog… i dont know what to do as im here in UK my mom and my brother were the only people who look after him. today my dog is still with fluids.
you spoke to vets in practice? in my case, i never stopped force feeding bailey. try asking ed bond if that is true na if the dog isnt eating, its too late. his email is listed in earlier comments. vip has several vets, try looking for doc allison or another vet who does spinal tap. only three or vets at vip can do it. vip is like a makati med for animals, they have many vets. it must be frustrating to be so far from your dog at this time, ifeel for you. 🙂 but keep trying. you have nothing to lose if u exhaust all avenues. email ed bond, he can give good advice
Just brought my 2 month old Labrador to the Vet and was diagnosed with Canine Distemper Virus… I feel really bad since I missed the shots which could have easily prevented this when the puppy was 6 weeks old.
this is terrible news, im so sorry to hear this. what are you planning to do? will you give the serum or tap a try?
Meaning po nun, hindi sya nawalan ng distemper virus but it just stopped the progress??? ibig sabihin po, kung hindi tuloy ang pagtake nya ng vitamin C and medicine, pwedeng bumalik? We are about to send to her to VIP tomorrow for CDV testing, please pray na sana distemper free na sya, kasi we can’t afford to have another heartaches if ever…hayss…thanks po ma’am…
Im not a Vet ha so dont take this as medical info but ito and understanding ko sa NDV treatment. it stops the virus then because na-overpower ung virus, it cant go forward, your dog’s body will shed it. what i rrmember from biology classes is that viruses are not really living things and need a host to survive. and when your body defeats a virus, its builds a natural immunity to that virus. so dapat, your dog cant get distemper again aftrr defeating it. hoeever i have read that it does happen, but verrrrrrrry rarely. the impt thing is to take that distempet test to see kung wala na ung virus and then be vigilant with shots…
Hi there, just wondering po kasi, the last time I wrote on your blog was when my pup died because of distemper, tapos nahawaan po yung isang dog ko nun, but ininjectionan sya ng NDV vaccine once lang sa VIP, tapos nun po, I don’t know pero mukhang nakarecover sya, kasi she eats a lot, tapos she runs fast, naghahabol pa nga po ng pusa eh, then nilalabas sya ng brother ko para maarawan. Sabi kasi sa VIP once lang ang treatmen na inapply sa kanya, pero its been more than a month na nung nag undergo sya ng treatment na yun. Nagtanong ako sa VIP, sabi mukhang positive ang effect kasi nagregain na yung strength nya, yung poops nya solid na hindi na basa, tapos hindi na rin sya inuubo or sinisipon, wala na rin yung muta nya sa mata…kea lang medyo na bothered ako, kasi nung binsa ko yung blog mo, sabi mo walang treatment sa distemper, pero nagstop lang na kumalat ng virus, ibig sabihin me posibilty na umatake ulit yung virus???
hi Ruby Jean, sorry if it sounds confusing. Let me clarify – Distemper has no cure kasi viral siya – pag viral you have to let the virus run its course. However the Serum and NDV Tap are treatments that can stop the virus from progressing. If the virus cannot progress, your dog’s chances of survival increase.
Regarding catching Distemper again, its possible daw. Even dogs who have had vaccination vs Distemper can still get hawa. But its super rare.
My advice – get your dog tested for distemper to make sure he/she is truly distemper-free 🙂 and make sure to vaccinate!
good evening…our dog has Canine Distemper…we are looking for ways to cure our puppy Cody. he is very weak.. can you suggest what we should do? Also, i’m not sure if vets here in our place know NDV spinal tap so I was wondering if Dr. Allison can help us.
yes you should call vets in practice and have them collaborate with your vet. Doc Allison may be able to teach or guide your vet. move fast because Distemper damages nerves permanently and your baby is still a puppy – puppies have a harder time surviving. i wish u the best. please keep me updated… thanks!
Thank you so much, we did everything we could…he’s in heaven now :’) do love and take care of bailey 🙂 God bless you always 🙂
my dog was diagnosed with distemper today, my vet told me to give her a week with antibiotics and if she doesn’t get better put her to sleep. What can I do?
hi william, i just saw your comment… please go thru the comments section here. all the info you need to know i have repeated many times. id repeat it again now but i cant stay long online as im out of town working on a project. please keep me updated. email me jaedeelight@yahoo.com
May I know your email address please. I need your help.
sent u email please check your acct including spam in case it went there
Thank you so much! We are doing our best to save her with our vet. We’re both doing research about this.
Hi,
I just want to thank you for posting this story online. It helped my dog named Sweden to survived distemper. It’s our 7th day now after the NDV IV, we didn’t do the spinal tap because our vet can’t do it, but we’re glad IV worked. Our baby doesn’t have fever anymore, her stool is solid already, her eyes are cleared now, she can stand, walk, run by her own. The only thing that bothers me is that, she doesn’t eat human food anymore, she only eat blended eukanuba dog food. Is it unusual? Or she is still on process of recovering. Anyhow, I believed that a MIRACLE just happened on our dog, me and my family. Thank God! And thank You!
This is excellent news, i am SO happy for you!!!! can i ask for the name and location/addy of your vet for other dog owners fighting distemper… thanks!
Good Day!
Thank you for blogging this story. My dog Sweden a Chinese Crested Dog brought me here. She has symptoms of distemper but doesn’t have twitching yet. But, I am still waiting for her blood results to truly confirm the virus. Anyhow, I understand the NDV procedure but I just want to confirm, NCD (new castle disease) ba yung laman na e-inject sa spinal ng dog? Please respond asap so that we can do it with our vet here in CDO. Thanks!
Hi there, im glad u caught it early. but for the protocol of the NDV Spinal Tap, you will have to call Vets in Practice and talk to a vet. or you can email Ed Bond at the website Kind Hearts in Action. his contact is there. they can give u the right instructions. what i also know is that you need to do the Serum Method if its pre-neuro. The Tap is only when twitching has appeared. i am not a vet so please verify this info with VIP or Mr. Ed Bond. Wishing you the best!
vet suggested to put my 3yr old dog to sleep forever tomorrow due to distemper. I dont know what to do.. i dont have money to provide her treatment. nkakalungkot naman… she already reach the stage 2.. wala akong magawa… 😦
Hello Rachell, im sorry to hear that, it is heartbreaking. but i will pray for a miracle…
i also want to ask how much was the exact amount so i can have an idea if we do that to. please help us :'(.
my four months old pup as well diagnosed with Distemper but i dont know what to do can i asked was it expensive to have that spinal tap in VIP animal Hospital?
Hi Jayne… two years ago it cost me 4K. Around that figure. I don’t know if any other Vet in Manila does the Tap because it is an experimental treatment. My concern is that your dog is still a puppy. Its’ harder for them to survive, even with the tap, because they are still so young. So you have to move fast and get the tap done. But it is risky, there is no assurance your dog will make it but it will hopefully give your puppy a fighting chance. You talk to the VIP vets, they can give you better advice. Please keep me updated… God bless
Thank you for Sharing …
I’m on your shoe now.. 😦 my four month old pup was diagnosed with Distemper .. and a vet giving him 3 days .. now i blaming myself not completing his shots… 😦
im sorry to hear this but can your vet do the spinal tap?
Sir don’t blame yourself, I have 8 alaskan malamute puppies (7 months old), all of them got distemper even when they have completed their shots, 1x 2in1, 2x 5in1 and 2x 8in1. All of them had spinal tap last friday and im hoping they recover.
hi julio thanks for your kind words! it is true that sometimes dogs get distemper anyway even if they have had shots but that shouldnt stop us from getting our pets vaccinated.
so, how are your malamutes now? im sorry they all got affected but i am so glad that you are doing your best to save them all… keep me updated!!!
Hello! My dog here snowy was diagnosed with distemper. Last week he was just coughing badly but just gone for like 2 days. After a week of hyperness he stared this so called chewing gum seizure just last night. But he is still eating and very hyper and plays with his toys. We are going to VIP in alabang. Will he have a big chance to live? He is currently 6 mo shih tzu dachund mix. We are going there later at 9 am.
The good news is your Dachsund (how do you spell these dogs? Grrr…) is still playing. That is always good news. The bad news is Distemper is a killer talaga and only 1 to 2% survive.
Since he has the chewing gum action now, you will most likely have to perform a Spinal Tap on Snowy. They’ll give you the instructions and what needs to be done. Post Tap care is intensive so be prepared for that. But you are doing the right thing for Snowy. Oh, don’t forget to ask for Colloidal Silver – which is a powerful anti-virus anti-bacterial and anti-fungus which will protect your Dog after the Tap is done. He will be prone to picking up infections at that time and if he does, it will be fatal.
I am hoping tho that the vets will tell you that since he is playing, you can hold off on the tap muna. Who knows? Maybe that’s a sign that Snowy belongs to that 1-2% of dogs who can survive? But of course, we don’t want to take chances with the furry ones we love so you’re doing the right thing by bringing him to VIP in Alabang…
Give me feedback if you can after your VIP visit…
Update po… Wala na po si snow :(((( wala na po kaming puppies lahat po ng 3 namatay sa distemper… After po ng spinal tap kanina ni dr. Jess. Di na po sya nag wake up… Wala na po siyang heartbeat 😦 R.I.P my first baby puppies. Bubbles, Venus, And my Baby Snow. 😦 they all survived parvo but d po nila nakayanan ang distemper. 😦 next time na magka puppies po kami sure na po naming lalagayan sila agad ng vaccines :(((((
Hi Andrew, im so sad, you lost all 3. yes, i remember being warned that some dogs dont wake up after the tap. i am so sorry to hear that… when its puppies, its really hard for them to fight distemper. but you tried and youve learned a lesson. Snowy cannot say it but i will – thank you for fighting for your pets. and for loving them even for the short while they were with you…
Hi ,
My tini.. is 2 months old. She was very playful and naughty… But lately, she is lethargic and I did notice eye twitching. I took her to a vet, he told me that she has fever and have her an 4 days antibiotic course. Tomorrow, I am goin to take her for the vaccine, because the vets told me that they cannot give her the vaccine when she has fever. She whines and cries a lot if I carry her. I feel really sad, my ques is what are the chances she will be fine after the vaccine? Please let me know.
Hi Naina, has your dog been diagnosed with Distemper? You should ask your Vet to do tests for all the common Dog illnesses. I am not a vet so I wouldn’t know if your Dog will be fine after the vaccine. But what i do know is that vaccines are not cures. They protect you from certain diseases but they don’t heal you. You need to test your dog for all the common killer diseases, imho. Ask your vet to do it today. Check for Giardia, Distemper, Parvo and Coronovirus. Maybe heartworm too. I am worried that your vet hasn’t done this already. It should have been his first move to test your puppy for illnesses especially for Distemper because its one of the most common illnesses discovered in young pups. And one of the most deadly. You may want to bring him to a different vet. Please stay in touch, leave a comment again to update me. I’ll be glued to my blog all day.
Thanks. I guess my doctor-wanna be self is siding with the tap but my gut is telling me that it may make her worse now that she seems to be having a remission. Our vet said she might be on the clear, that is without the tap (not that he really is against it) if she survives this month. “If she survives this month.” Now that’s very comforting. Cant blame the vet though.
Alright… please keep me updated. Hoping that the Virus is indeed dormant na… God bless you!
Yes, that is the terrible thing, this virus is slow-acting and a dog can waste away for up to a month, in pain, before dying. It took us two and a half weeks (I think) to find out it was distemper. Then it took two weeks after the tap before we saw clear positive signs of improvement. Then two more weeks of waiting to shed the virus and then the test again to determine if BAiley was virus-free and she was. It WAS quite a journey…
Hi! I just want you to know that this blog has been quite helpful. My dog, Keisha, is suffering from distemper . She has entered the neurologic stage. She seemed to have regained her appetite and has a bit of energy to walk around though. I am wondering if she’s in a recovering phase now or if worse is yet to come, i really dont have a clue. Should I do spinal tap on her or do you think she’s soon out of the woods? Btw, she twitches in the head and she shakes it like crazy. Thanks.
hi there, i am not a vet so cant give u advice. but what i can tell u is that my research shows that only 1 – 2 % of dogs survive Distemper. with the Tap, chances of survival are not assured but from the info on the Kind Hearts in Action website, it increases 40-60%. it is your decision really. but if distemper ever visited my household again (God forbid), i would not hesitate for a second; I would move with lightning speed to get the serum or tap done.
I hope that helps you in making a decision… keep me updated!
My 2 weeks old puppy was diagnosed for distemper. At first(first week), vet told me that my pup was crying because the mother’s milk was infected by bacteria. They told me to separate it from the mother, as we did. Pup continue to cry, night and day. So we went back to the vet and said its distemper but never gave me anything to cure it, instead, he said that pup might died and asked me not to stay long in the clinic. I don’t want my pup to die and 2other siblings. They can’t be vaccinated as they are only 2weeks old.
AJ there really is no cure for distemper. The Serum and the Spinal Tap are just treatments that stop the virus from progressing to the spine and the brain. The difficult thing is that your dog is just 2 weeks old. I am not sure if they can perform the Serum shots or the Tap on such a small baby. Please try asking the people at “Kind Hearts in Action” – search that on google and then click on Contacts then you’ll see the email of Ed Bond. He will have better information than me. His mission – global mission actually – is to help dog owners and dogs fight distemper. contact him ASAP. he replies fast. Protect your other pups by giving them colloidal silver – a few drops in the AM and the PM. Protect the Mom too. I can’t assure that it will work but it worked on my 6 month old dog Woolsey – he was exposed to Bailey for a week before we found out she had Distemper. So i gave him Colloidal Silver, separated him from Bailey and he never got sick.
You can purchase Colloidal Silver at the Sunday Market in Legaspi, Makati, on Legaspi Stree corner Herrera. Or go to Vets IN Practice sa Mandaluyong Circle. they also sell there. I wish you the best…
we haven’t do the procedure. it was too late . 😦 . before i discovered about the procedure he was already suffering, the symptoms had already reached neurological stage . i miss him a lot . he was our first dog , im so sad of what happened . thanks… God bless
i love my pets so much too and have lost a few over my lifetime and even thru the pain of losing them i cant imagine going thru life without loving a furry friend. God bless u and keep on loving!
good morning. i just got a message yesterday from the clinic, unfortunately my puppy just past away. so sad that i wasn’t able to help him to survive.anyway thank you so much for all the information you have shared to me.i really appreciate it. more power and God bless…thanks
Cherry, im sad to hear that. 😦 Were u able to do the tap? i have a friend whose two dogs had distemper. They did the Serum and Tap but only the Chow survived. The shepherd did not. Puppies have a harder time surviving than older dogs like the Chow and Shepherd. But at least you did your best given the circumstance … God bless ur heart…
ok thanks a lot. i hope its not too late…pls help me pray for my puppy. thanks again
I hope so too Cherry, email Ed Bond now and tomorrow, talk to your vet. I am praying that he/she will have an open mind about this. He can contact my vet in Manila by phone if he has questions. But the best person to talk to is Mr. Bond… God bless!
hi im cherry from cebu.i have 3 month old japanese spitz who has a distemper but i cant find a vet here who can perform that treatment.i want to save him.pls help.hope to hear from you soon.thanks
Hi Cherry, if your vet is willing to learn how to do the spinal tap then it is possible. An Indian man just contacted me a couple weeks ago and I told him to ask his vet and his vet was willing so they were able to do the tap on his dog. Put your vet in touch with Ed Bond of Kind Hearts In Action (based in NY) – Ed can send the protocols and videos to your vet. Here is the website – http://www.kindheartsinaction.com/ Email Ed Bond asap – ed.bond.new.york@gmail.com and tell him the ff:
Where you are
Whether you have a diagnosis
What symptoms you are seeing
Whether there have been seizures
How old the dog is and what breed
He replies quickly.
Move fast because puppies have a harder time fighting the disease. I wish you the best. But move fast, please…
My sibe pup did’nt make it,we woke up 5am yesterday and she’s not breathing anymore….unexplainable pain but we need to let her go and to move on..atleast we did try our best to help her,but her young body and system was’nt able to fight the pain…thanks for this blog though,for giving hope to everyone who has distemper issue with their beloved furkid…will look for another sibe soon after 4 months i think,need to disinfect the whole house first for the new pup..have a blessed week everyone!
im so sorry to hear this. puppies succumb faster talaga 😦 good idea to disinfect and make sure the house is distemper-free. and when u get a new puppy, no exposure muna outside until may shots. May you find comfort in the time you had with your sibe … 😦
mam, wala na po yung dog ko…hindi ko maexplain yung pain, I just want to sleep para di ko maiisip yun…Naniwala ako na masusurvive sya pero bakit ganon??? sinabi ko na sa kanila yung mga nangyayari ke Rainer, pero di pa rin sya binigyan ng spinal tap…naiiinis ako ma’amnagseizure po sya kagabi, wala po ko nun kasi ngchurch po ako, tapos pagbalik ko, 3 minutes daw ang nakalipas yun wala na sya…I don’t want to see his body kasi it gives me much pain…sana di nalang dumaan yung linggo, naalala ko tuloy kagabi, while everybody is praying, I heard his cry twice, I look everywhere to check if that is just a cry of a kid, but no one is crying, I thought that I’m just hallucination because I miss my pup while I was away, because I was with him 24 hours a day…supposed to be, at this moment, pinapakain namin sya ang be ready for spinal tap…minsan di ko maiwasang sisihin ang doctor na umattend sa kanya kahapon kasi hindi nya kami inispinal tap kahit nakita at sinabi ko na yung mga nangyayari sa kanya…she still gave us canglob D, yun para ang pinaka appropriate kapag nagsisimula palang ang virus pero walang nagsabi samin…naiiinis talaga ako ma’am. I want to blame his first doctor kasi hindi nya sinabi samin yung sakit nya agad…pinaasa kami na ok lang sya…nahawaan na rin yung isa naming dog…pero napainjectionan na namin…sana di magaya ang nangyari sa kanya…I feel the pain hanggang ngayon ma’am…what should I do, ang sakit na hindi sya nakasama sa nagsurvive though nagpromise po ko sa kanya na masusurvive sya…ang sakit ma’am.. :'(((
advice ko lang sa yo, let go of the anger you have. life is never under our full control. God still decides. And i believe that because God loves all his creation, our pets are in heaven. and if i am wrong, im sure His presence will more than make up for it when i get to heaven. i cried long and hard when my Fox Terrier died due to heart problems. it was like darkness descended on me and evrrything was gray. but the good news is that it does not last forever. God will turn your mourning into dancing again…
im also so sorry to hear about your loss. i also wish i could have been better help somehow. but dont feed on the anger, feed on the love that you gave to your dog. there is more love inside of you so use that love to forgive, let go and let God…
I think my 1 month and 2 week old puppy might have distemper. I would live to do anything to save this one. Because not to long ago we had to put our 3 month old pup down because vets told us there was nothing I could or they could do. Please help me and my little pup ( bear) survive. I want him to live his full life.
Hi Anna, from what I understand, it is harder for puppies to survive Distemper. But do not lose hope because the faster you move on this, the bigger the chances are that Bear will survive. How do you know he has Distemper? You need to test him first. I suggest you have it done at VIP where they can do a spinal tap. Do not bring Bear into the clinic however because Distemper is seriously contagious. Tell the vets to come out to see the dog.
Once confirmed for Distemper, you will have to determine if it’s Pre-Neuro or Neuro Stage. Kung Pre-Neuro, do the Serum. Kung Neuro stage na, medyo advanced na, do the tap.
For the Serum, you will need a donor dog to donate blood. You can also try asking VIP if they have leftover serum from previous donors. My friend’s Ovcharka was treated with the Serum Method and he recovered without any twitching. My Bailey twitches up to now and according to the vets and my research, forever na ang twitching niya kasi umabot na sa spine ang virus and damage was done na to her nerves.
For the Tap, you will need to buy the Newcastle LaSota Strain virus from a Poultry Shop. The vets will remove fluid from your dog’s spinal column and replace it with the virus. No one can explain it but the virus somehow reboots your dog’s fighting systems and gives one last battle against the virus.
For more information visit Kind Hearts In Action (search them on Google) and email Ed Bond (his contact in on that site). And also search Dr. Al Sear’s Serum for Distemper. You can get loads of information from those sites.
Please keep me updated on Bear…
He was around our other puppy and we didn’t know she had it at that point. I took her to the emergency vet and they diagnosed her with it and said it would be best to put her down. I have never heard of this disease and didn’t know how to deal with it so they put her down. Some symptoms bear has scares me into thinking he might have caught it. It’s hard to believe it and I want to save him and let him live a full life.
have you decided to do the serum or tap? Will keep praying for healing and wisdom…
We are going to try the serum first and then if it doesn’t seem to help, we will try the spinal tap on “Bear”. Please pray that he is in the early stages an that he will make it through. He deserves to have a happy life.
praying hard that it will work. if the illness is pre- neuro then i believe chances of survival are high. i thank God for people like u who move heaven and earth for their furry babies…
We started the first serum treatment today. He has another one coming up in the morning and later that evening. I pray that this little ball of fury love makes it and fights hard. I am just a foster mom, but I think I already found him a good home to go to. My vets little daughter loves “Bear” and wants him if he makes it through. So please pray that he makes it, so that he can make a new family happy. Just like he makes us happy. “Bear” has a whole life ahead of him. I’m up at 3:00 in the morning just watching him to make sure he is doing okay. What I do for my fury little baby. I love this pup and so does my husband. We both want him to get through. I will keep you posted on how things are going.
I do have a question? How long does it take to notice if he is getting better or the serum is working?? Thanks
Is Bear twitching already or did you catch it before the twitching/neurological phase?
The Serum is effective only if it’s done pre-neurological, before the twitching begins.
REgarding how long it takes to know if the Serum is working – I am not sure because Bailey went thru the Tap and not the Serum. But from what I know, the Serum works faster. You might want to go to the website Kind Hearts in Action (just search it on google) and it will most likely have the info you need. Or you can email ed.bond.new.york@gmail.com – he manages the Kind Hearts in Action page!
Yes, please keep me posted. I am praying for Bear!
We did the serum and now are just waiting. Bear is just struggling but fighting really hard to stay alive. He has got a respitory problem and we are just trying to take it a day at a time to do everything we can for him. He whines while sleeping and he even wakes up whining a little. His breathing is not normal. He just looks like he is trying his best. I just want Bear to survive and I’m almost losing hope, but I find it in myself to help him keep fighting. Just please keep praying for him. I cry when I see my 6 week old pup struggling but I stay strong for him. I am keep my hope of him coming out strong in this battle for life.
alright… is he twitching? When we did the Serum, Bailey was twitching already, very small twitches but she was twitching so we had to do the Tap anyway. Your case is difficult because of the respiratory problem and he is a puppy. But don’t lose hope, be strong because Bear needs you to be strong. He is depending on you to hold it together. Be brave. We cannot be sure of the outcome but we can be sure of our response to the things that happen. Thanks for the update!
No twitching on bear. He is normal but has the respiratory problem.
That is good news…. no twitching means its most likely in the early stage pa. TLC and supportive meds to the max!
Bear isn’t doing so well. I don’t know if he will make it through the night. I’m really worried and the vet is doing her best. Last resort is the spinal tap. I’m hoping this works. Because I don’t think my heart can stand losing a second puppy that I rescued from the pound. Our 3 month and now I am scared for his little life. Please just pray.
Bear didn’t make it. He died in his sleep at the vets. We miss him so much, but I’m glad he had a home before he died. My husband and I loved him so much. We ended up burying him by our house. Thank you for all your help. I am glad to have talked to someone who knows about the disease and given me something’s to try to save his life.
😦 this is sad news indeed. But at least you tried. I have lost my fair share of pets to either old age or illness and it always hurts. I hope this experience will make you (and all of us) better for it. God bless you for not giving up on Bear…
mam, we already found Vets in practice and we took canglob medication, sine blood serun is really expensive we tried the first option. We are on the 4th day of medication but we can’t see any improvement,infact, he got worst as he experience pain often than before. Our vet said (Dra. Gina) we have to give him ointments with hot compress, somehow it work, but my only concern is that is canglob as effective as blood serum/spinal tap??? what’s the sign of seizure??? he’s salivating a lot while he is in pain, is that as sign already? what else should we do if he’s in pain???
When i researched at the time of Bailey’s illness i discovered that the serum is the best for cases found early and the tap is for cases where the disease has progressed to the neurological phase. after researching online what i understood is that those are the only two treatments that try to stop the virus from process and the typical treatment with antibiotics doesnt do anything to stop the virus. But vets give it i think so that youre dog wont catch a 2nd infection bec a dog with distemper will die if it catches a 2nd infection. when i discovered all this thru research, i decided that the Serum and Tap were the only options to save Bailey. The Serum did not work because Neuro Stage na siya. So we did the Tap three days later and the recovery was verrry slow. But she recovered.
The Serum is really THE BEST option. My friend’s Ovcharka caught the disease early, they did the Serum and Mary is fine with no twitching.
A seizure is like an epileptic fit. The are big seizures which last for a minute or more (scary) and therr a mini seizures that last seconds lang (parang jerky uncontrollable movement).
The Tap, which is the 2nd option kapag advanced na ang distemper is a last ditch attempt to reboot the fighting system of your dog. The chances of survival are lower accor to my research but still much better than just taking antibiotics.
Im not a vet so the info im giving you is just what i discovered.
When i was told the cost of the Serum i cried so hard. So i understand how difficult it is to make a choice when it is so expensive. So i put it on my credit card. My hubby told me to stop crying because the money can always be earned back but Bailey’s life cannot be brought back.
thank u mam joyce!oh by the way…is it normal for her to whine and cry til now?for how many days? so sorry for these questions..hehe! earlier today she just walked to pee on her favorite place on our rag in the kitchen..she did it twice..is it a good sign? the last time she stood and walked was 3 days ago.. =),her cold just stopped however she’s still in pain,but no twitching anymore,her nose softens unlike yesterday,but her pads are still hard.her breathing is fast unlike the usual.
Bailey didnt whine or cry but i have readers who shared similar experience as your dog. I believe that getting up to pee is an excellent sign! But your dog is not out of the woods yet until the she/he is frisky again and gets a negative result for distemper. Bailey was always able walk to her spot to pee and poo even during her sickest phase.
Keep me updated!!
i know distemper is not curable.but we’re not losing hope..even if maia’s immune shots are complete,she was still infected by a strong rare strain of this distemper virus…
We’re sad because she’s just like a cheerful,playful super kulit dog last week and now she’s in agony and cant help her to lessen the pain,she cant stand or walk,neither eat,drink on her own….what we can do for now is to force the food/water with a needleless syringe and massage her muscles we’ll just monitor her for 5 more days and if her condition doesn’t improve….sad to say but we will put maia down to a painless sleep forever(euthanasia) rather than seeing her,hearing her moaning,whining with an unexplainable pain… 😥
but thru this blog,you gave us hope mam joyce,we thank you for that. we just brought my sibe to VIP earlier and we we’re assisted personally by dr.allison…she mentioned and explained everything and she chose to do the tap and gave us a heads up that it may not work or chance of survival is there however my furkids condition is in advance already so we need to pray for a succesful comeback of maia .,happy to know that maia is not yet on the seizure stage and her twitching is just minor on her hind leg so our chance is higher than nothing at all…will keep you posted if everything goes well after 7 days..now she’s whining and crying for the 1st time.. maybe because of the vaccine that was injected to her…maybe it’s killing the virus.hopefully! =)
thanks to sir Ed bond, Dr. Sears,kind heart in action and to you miss joyce for giving us hope.may godbless you all,please pray for my furkid’s fast recovery. have a blessed weekend!
your letter is so heartwarming… i want to cry. seeing furbabies hurting is unbearable. but seeing people move heaven and earth to save them blesses my soul.
if the twitching is as u describe then u caught it at the early part of the neuro stage, good news. hoping that that will mean a fast recovery. be vigilant in the aftermath of the tap. next challenge is keeping complications away while your dog’s body gives one last battle vs the virus. tlc to the max. give colloidal silver. and continue the forcefeeding and massage. please keep me updated here or ny email jaedeelight@yahoo.com
praying hard for good news… and soon!
we called the VIP and they said that only 20% is the possible rate for him to survive if we will undergo the treatment and they said that they will not allow him to stay inside the facility but we will just have to wait outside. They said something else aside from serum but I forgot it, and its not spinal tap as far as I can remember. I already contacted Ed Bond and he gave me numbers of vet to contact too… I think my pup already shows seizure…he get salivated while sleeping, he growls as if he was crying while sleeping to, and sometimes his head is shaking and always show “is wondering” action. What should I do???
According to the Kind Hearts in Action website the survival rate is higher than that. The problem is since it is not a recognized treatment, there are only informal statistics available but they are available on the Kind Hearts website. They give the stats according to area or city, I think. some places have a higher survival rate, some have low survival rates.
But look at it this way. 20% means that out of 5 dogs that get the tap, one will survive. That sounds a lot better than 1 to 2% which is the survival rate of dogs that are allowed to go thru the whole illness.
During Bailey’s illness, her Tap was done on a wooden bench in the Parking Lot of VIP. Distemper is so contagious and is a killer so they can’t let your Dog in. From what I know, VIP is trying to figure out a way to build a separate clinic for Distemper cases so the virus doesn’t spread.
If you are willing to spend then I would suggest doing the Tap or the Serum Tap ASAP. Seizures usually mean that the virus has reached the Neurological stage so the Serum treatment won’t work na. The Tap is your last resort.
But you have to also be ready because it is harder for puppies to survive this, even with the Tap. It really is a gamble but I believe it’s a gamble well worth it; at best, your dog survives. At worst, you have the comfort of knowing that you tried…
hi, my golden is doing much better after her 2month battle with distemper, but he hasn’t been able to walk. Do you have any tips for me to help him walk again?
my suggestion would be physical therapy. VIP has dog PTs. Or you can ask your vet if he/she can do dog pt or can recommend someone. i once saw a video of a distemper survivor learning how to walk again by swimming in a pool but held safely in a harness. you can also look for Kind Hearts in Action on google. They are a resource for Distemper Dogs… hoping this helps…
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! my pup is just 4 months old and I have faith in the Lord that He will allow him to survive…is dextrose really working? Was there a time that your dog also had to undergo dextrose stage? We have difficulty giving him medicines such as those for immune system and anti biotics because he doesn’t want to eat…He loves to sleep, and I believe those virus haven’t reached his nervous system yet because we haven’t seen the symptoms. By the way, how are we going to deal with him at home first? we are still considering Tap treatment, but we are afraid to dare the risk with his life…How long does it take for Him to improve his health?
Bailey had subcutaneous fluids after the Tap. The vets taught me how to administer the fluids which I did every other day. I forced fed her by mashing up canned dogfood and using a syringe to inject the food into her mouth. If you haven’t seen symptoms in your dog then you should go for the Serum procedure. You can find out more about it by searching “Kind Hearts in Action” or search “Dr. Al Sears Serum for Distemper” The vets at VIP also do this procedure. Its FAR more expensive than the Tap but it’s worth it because your dog will not have the perpetual twitching. Si Bailey twitches non stop even in her sleep and it will be for life. Once you see symptoms, then the procedure should be the Tap, which the Vet assured was a lot safer than letting the dog ride out the virus.
My friend’s Ovcharka was blessed bec they found out he had Distemper before the symptoms started to show. They went for the Serum Procedure and Zeus survived distemper WITHOUT the standard twitching forever.
You can get a better opinion tho if you contact Ed Bond of Kind Heart in Action. His email is on the website. He was the one who gave me advice, my friend too, and he gives advice to countless dog lovers all over the world who are fighting distemper. Its his ‘ministry’…
As for Bailey, after the Tap there weren’t any clear signs of recovery. Some days were bad, some were good. But I was told that if she lives for two weeks after the Tap, she can be considered a survivor. A month or so after the tap we had her tested for Distemper and it was negative.
Praying for you to make the right decisions for your puppy! Contact Ed Bond asap, he knows far more than I do…
Actually, the Serum can be considered a ‘cure’, sort of, because it stops the Virus in its tracks and doesn’t allow it to reach the spinal column. THat’s just my opinion tho and as you know, I am not a vet. The only difificulty with the SErum is you need a donor dog to donate blood. The vets will turn the blood into a serum and the serum will be injected in three doses, 12 hours apart, into your dog. This is the procedure that my friend with the Ovcharka went thru… email me at jaedeelight@yahoo.com maybe I can put you both in touch with each other so you can glean more info from her experience.
Hi there, my dog has been diagnosed with distemper virus too…as off this moment, he’s with dextrose but still he can drink water with mondex, unfortunately, he don’t have an appetite to eat. The doctors said there will be no cure for this but I still have faith that God will give me His answer. I’m trying to reach vet in practice but no ones answering the phone. May we know how much is the spinal tap treatment? and the nvd? What’s the survival rate??? His previous diagnosis is the same as your pet, and thank you for giving me hope. Vets gave lots of anti biotics and boosting of appetite but I’m still worried about his condition. May we know the new number of VIP??? I’m looking forward for your immediate response.
HI there! The Spinal Tap was around 4K but that was two years ago. I don’t know if there has been a change in the price. I have the number of the Tiendesitas branch – 6356895 and 5708870 please ask them for the number of the Mandaluyong Clinic. From what I know, the Tap is done in Manda and not at the Tiende Clinic.
Yes, there is no cure and the Tap is a treatment which restarts your dog’s body and gives it another fighting chance. It doesn’t assure survival but increases the dog’s chances of it. It is harder for puppies and old dogs to survive. ANd it depends on how far the virus has gone. If it has reached the brain, mahirap talaga. There is also a very small percentage of dogs who survive because of a very strong system. But that’s like 1 or 2 percent i think. If the numbers above don’t work, message me again here. I’m just online…
Hello there it’s me again Yolo, I wrote you couple moths ago after I had the NDV SPINAL TAP on my dog PEANUT, it’s been a long long journey but always keeping the faith that the treatment did something good. However today I’m not so high in my spirit since I have to face the horrible decision of putting PEANUT TO sleep, he;s is a fighter and has been trying to do his job in such a remarkable way…but I found out that his immune system is in such a bad shape that it’s kind of fighting against itself and no let it recover and killing his own red blood cells. I tried everything on my end and wad open to any kind of treatments. today I kind of regret not to take your advice all the way, I should have given COLLOIDAL SILVER like you do to your Bailey, i wonder if it would done a change to the end of this story and have like a happier aftermath like yours. My PEANUT has an infection that won its way in especially since its immune system is nOT doing its job. My heart is part broken because eI feel responsible my dog went through this living hell for procrastination. I think some much medication and chemicals weaken its system . My piece of advice is, use MILK THISTLE to detox the lever because seizure medicine is very aggressive in the long term, a lot of supplements to help on the recover. Today my dog can not get up and has lost its appetite and its just hanging in there but it is terribly sad and depressed. He was eating, running having long walks and trying to stay with me. I LOVE YOU PEANUT so much. Thank you for your helo and keeping this blog updated.
Im so sorry about Peanut 😦 it is so hard to see such a sweet baby suffer when they deserve to run and play and just be happy. The regret or guilt you soeak of, i hope, will turn into good action instead of becoming an albatross around your neck. I am very much like you, a procrastinator when it comes to many things that need fixing but after my Distemper experience I am now vigilant with my other pets and am updated with their shots, etc.
Thanks for fighting for Peanut. Loving a pet is a beautiful thing and all the money and time and sacrfice we give to those we love (human and non) is always worth it.
Yes. The journey was still worth it. And thank you and KindHeartsinAction (Ed Bono) for the information. It greatly helped me go through it. 🙂
Thanks too for sharing your story…
Hi. 😦 Asha just died.
Her young body could not handle the stress of the disease. i am still grateful for the time I had with her.
We had her for less than a month.
The important thing I learned about this is to never buy from an online seller again. No matter how much love and care you give to your pet and no matter how much fighting spirit your pet has, if the kennel where she comes from is contaminated, this vicious disease, distemper, will traitorously cut short the time you have together. ;(
I’m still glad we did the spinal tap. It would’ve done her great injustice if we did not even honor her will to fight.
Oh Eloisa, i am so saaaad to hear this! It is so heartbreaking to see our pets suffer and then die. But I still believe that you did the right thing. For the little time that Asha had, she felt your love and there is nothing more precious than feeling loved.
Regarding online pet purchase, i found my schnoodle and chihuahua online and both are fine. I think you just found a disreputable animal owner. Nevertheless, i am glad you took Asha out of the hands of that creep because I’m sure he/she would’ve just let Asha die alone and unwanted.
One more thing… it is harder for puppies to survive distemper because their systems are still not as strong as adult dogs.
Thank you for not giving up on Asha even if it ended this way. Her suffering is over and even thru it, she had you along the way. And i truly believe that our pets who have passed on are waiting for us in Heaven…
Hi! We are going through post spinal tap trauma now. But I’m smiling. Why?
I almost put Asha to sleep yesterday.After the NDV Spinal Tap, she had non-stop seizures that I thought the only option was euthanasia. After making the decision, while getting ready to go to the vet who will perform it, she yelped and struggled to get up.
WOW. i was dumbfounded. I cannot ignore such a fighting spirit!
The seizures have lessened. I think they stopped completely but it’s too soon to say. I have been trying to look closely for tremors but I couldn’t say for sure.
Right now the struggle is her difficulty in moving around. She can’t open her mouth to eat or even bark, she can’t stand up/keep her balance. I’m helping her by feeding her by syringe, then do some gently massage on her and assist her getting up.
She’s so pissed that she can’t even stand straight. She has to lie all day. I just change her position as often as I can. I’m getting her a harness for her front & hind legs to help her work her legs. Fortunately now, she can open her mouth enough to bark her annoyance. 🙂
It’s day 3 post Spinal Tap. I hope she gets back the use of her legs & mouth soon because if not I have to consider putting her to sleep again because it’s cruel to have her live paralyzed.
I think the hardest thing for owners to deal with at this point is deciding which is the more humane option: keeping them alive with in such a state or stretching out the misery in their lives.
But since Asha still fights, I will keep supporting her.
THe recovery for bailey was also very slow. The rule is – every day she lives is a good sign. So take it a day at a time. We only started to see improvements 2 WEEKS AFTER the tap!!!! It took that long 😦 it would be one bad day then one good day then two bad days and one good day etc etc.
ANyway, can Asha pee and poo on her own?
REgarding seizures, they reportedly don’t hurt the dog, they don’t remember anything or feel pain. But each seizure kills brains cells (i think. I’m not a vet, just repeating info that I’ve heard) so you need to dose her with phenobarbs. I think they already prescribed phenobarbs, if not, ask for it. And the other danger with seizures is when their heads start banging, it can cause trauma to the head so you need to have a pill ready nearby to put under Ahsa’s head during a seizure. Bailey seizes up to now, every two months she’ll ahve a really bad day with like 3 to 5 seizures. We have to up her phenobarb dosage for a few days before lowering it.
Keep up the good fight.
Hi Joy,
I just read your story about bailey and I was happy that bailey is clear of distemper virus. My snoopy died of distemper virus recently, I was too late to discover your site. She was confined in Vets Nook in Bacoor Cavite last January 02, 2013 and she died on January 04, 2013, the vet did not inform us about the spinal tap thing..
Hi Gelyn, i am so sorry to hear about your dog 😦 Distemper is really a heartbreaking disease. As regards the Serum and Spinal Tap treatments, you need to know that these are experimental treatments not approved by any of the international vet societies. They refuse to accept the treatment and we believe its because a simple agri vet in the US accidentally discovered it and since hindi siya bigtime, they ignored his findings. So a group of people formed an org called Kind Hearts in Action (seaech mo sila sa google) to spread the Serum and Spinal Tap as trwatments for Distemper. Remember these are just treatments, not cures. But they do increase the chances of your dog’s survival.
Since it is experimental, im not surprised that vets in the Phils do not know about it. if they do, im sure many are not willing to learn how to do it. Few professuonals are open to trying new, experimental things. But i think that the people at Kind Hearts in Action can teach vets how to do the procedure. They teach it thru Skype, if im not mistaken.
Right now, the only vet group that does these procedures in the Phils is Vets in Practice. i would love for more pinoy vets to be willing to learn it so that more dogs will have a better fighting chance vs. Distemper.
Last Jan 5, I just found out our 2 1/2 month old puppy, Asha had distemper.
This distemper is such a sadistic disease. 😦 Awake, she can barely breath because it attacks her respiratory system: She also has coughs & colds. Asleep and relaxed, that’s when the seizures happen.
After the initial shock and bewilderment, I turned to the internet. From my readings about distemper, dogs affected with it would lose their appetite and cannot even walk. Asha remains a healthy eater and relatively active.
I cannot accept that the only recourse was to wait for her seizures to worsen then have her euthanized. I wanted to give her a fighting chance.
Luckily I found your blog and kindheartsinaction.com. Wasting no time, I had her get a Spinal Tap at the Vets in Practice in Mandaluyong to give her a another tool to try and bit this disease.
I’ve am constantly monitoring and nursing her now and also praying that she will pull through. Right now I can’t say if she will hurdle this or not. Even if she doesn’t, the fact that there’s this NDV Spinal Tap as an option really eased the emotional burden on me.
Thank you for posting this. You have given Asha a glimmer of hope. Just a glimmer. But we’ll take it. 🙂
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Hi Eloisa, i was in your shoes two years ago. Same situation, same feelings. It seems like u moved fast after discovering its distemper. Thats the key really, fast action. Recovery is usu slow but im praying Asha will recover sooner than later. Thank you for sharing your story, please keep me updated on her progress and what her recovery period was like. Such information will be very helpful for other pet owners!
I have a 7 year old mutt who has been diagnosed with distemper since December of last year, she’s not twitching or anything I’ve read above and she’s eating incredibly well but she’s coughing horribly about 4-7 times a day. Vet says she has no signs of neurological symptoms yet and is on the road to recovery. Like the original poster, I didn’t give her the proper annual shots and she’s a fairly healthy dog overall – until now.
I’ve been administering several medicines (some of them are medicines taken by humans already) as well as vitamins for almost a month as per the vet’s advice as well as having her take a few shots yet I am worried about the slow progress of her recovery.
Does anyone here know or heard about the Ormanes Veterinary Clinic from the South? Thanks again.
Hi haro, I have not heard of that Vet clinic, and I don’t know too many of them to begin with. But i am hoping your dog continues to do well! Distemper is a slow disease, both the ‘getting sick’ part and ‘getting well’ parts normally take days, even weeks. I think you need to get your dog tested again for Distemper to see if he/she is really clear of the disease. Keep us updated on your progress, maybe you can also give us a list of the medications you are giving your dog…
Hello, Do you think I should seek another vet’s opinion just to be on the safe side? By the way here are the medications I’ve administered to my dog as per my vet’s advice.
Week 1: PAPI Broncure + multivitamins
Week 2: Solmux Broncho syrup + Vibravet tablets + multivitamins
Week 3: Vibravet tablets + Prednisone tablets + multivitamins
Week 4: Bisolvon capsule + Marbocyl tablets + multivitamins
Week 5: We stopped medications for 4 days to detoxify the dog + multivitamins
Now: Ascoff Lagundi tablets + Co-Amoxiclav capsules + multivitamins
So far my dog is eating well, moves fairly well and doesn’t have any sign of neurological or nervous breakdown but has persistent dry cough.
The vet also administered Bromhexine and Marbocyl shots about 7-8 times already throughout the duration of her sickness but not more than three times in succession.
Wow, thanks for the list of medications, valuable information there. Seeking a 2nd opinion is okay if u feel in your heart that your dog needs one. a distemper test would also confirm if the virus is gone. but i hear distemper survivors shed the virus for weeks after the illness is over…
cbc’s ok, tested for distemper (kinda like the pregnancy kit, as you said) negative for distemper so far. so right now i was just told to monitor them for any symptoms. no vomiting today. haaaay….hope the negative results hold until the next test.
thanks again.
Thats a relief! I will continue to push Colloidal Silver as a means to protect your dogs…. when is the next test?
i’d probably have the tests redone within the week. the female shih tzu started sneezing and coughing about three days ago. she was tested again yesterday, negative. but she’s active and still makulit, although would only eat from my hands. my beagle, who was not exposed at all to epi…started coughing today, no vomitting, good appetite, active. he was also screened for distemper but he was negative. although his cough is consistent throughout the day. he has complete vaccinations, was always healthy but his cough is more bothersome than the cough of the shih tzu. i have been giving them vitamin c and a. ayayayay….
Dear me. Coughing is not really a distemper sign. Colds are. But the distemper tests are coming out negative, which is a relief. Have tried asking a different vet for another opinion?
yes…went to my favorite vet this time, graveyard shift, makati…took the long drive at 12 am and had my beagle tested. negative. he’s been hacking all day. my vet said it could be an upper respiratory infection (uso daw ngayon) which could clear up or which may lead to pneumonia. he was active and makulit last night so i was advised to take him home and was told to monitor for difficulty breathing. hay…kennel cough is better than distemper though.
Yes Kennel Cough ANYTIME over Distemper! Just monitor nga and medicate and hydrate and TLCate!
thanks. i emailed ed bond and he suggested that if cost is an issue, i should just go for the NDV iv injection. the only symptoms i see right now with bogie is the vomiting and the sudden lethargy ( when he’s sick with erlichia, he goes down fast, platelet would be 165 today, tomorrow 14 and the symptoms are pretty much the same as distemper) so i really want to nip this thing in the bud. we’re bringing in the dogs to the vet for testing this morning. actually my female shih tzu never went near epi but she sleeps with bogie so i am just being rightfully praning.
it was hard putting epi down but with all three illnesses going on, and her platelet count way below low, i felt i really had no choice. it was only when we were informed of her illness that my sister and i started looking over the internet for information on distemper. had i read your blog before i had epi’s diagnosis, i would have chosen another path. she was not twitching or showing any neurological signs.
it was always erlichia i was worried about. bogie probably took doxicyclene on and off for the last 4 years (he’s 5) and his last bout was in April. eight months is the longest he has gone without erlichia so i have been keeping an eye on him (vomiting, limping, head siezure, and inappetence but once you get the platelets up, the symptoms disappear. but getting the platelets up is soooo difficult once it dips to two digits). i hope you never have any experience with erlichiosis. blah.. i hate the disease, now i have distemper to add to my hate list.
thanks for the info and advice again. i have not slept at all staring at my dogs for any twitching .
what a crazy time for you! but you are doing the right thing.
regarding the twitching, in Bailey it began as fast breathing, like she was panting, but with mouth closed. weird. it would cause her belly to pump up and down fast. like it was a half-twitch. then it became a full-blown twitch.
she twitches to this day, even in her sleep.
anyway ed bond is fantastic, a gift from God to dogs and dog friends like us.
keep me posted on your shi-tzus!
hi. today i put one of my dogs to sleep. she was a stray i picked up from edsa about three months ago and was housed at my sister’s house. she had demodex, erlichiosis, and distemper. anyway, i have three shih tzus who were exposed to her. one shih tzu is the one staying at my sister’s house. he has a complete set of shots. the other two shih tzus are mine and exposed to her when she was already gravely ill. i did not know any better because she was confined at a vet clinic for a week and no diagnosis was made by the vet. it was only when we took her to another vet this morning that we got a definitive diagnosis. but at that time, she already had contact with my male shih tzu. anyway, my shih tzus are both on heart medications and have been previously treated for erlichia. tonight, bogie, the male shih tzu, kept throwing up. i fear he may have already caught the virus from epi, the dog who died. we paid almost ten thousand for the tests they ran on epi so i am now running low. how much was the ndv spinal tap treatment. at vets in practice? how much should i be prepared to spend? i don’t like vets in practice. i go to animal house because when my vet left UP Vet, i went to vets in practice and had a really bad experience, so i went to animal house and discovered that my favorite vet from UP VET went there. i dont know if they do the ndv spinal tap at animal house but i’d get it anywhere i can if it will save my dog’s life. i read that it has no harmful effects even if the dog doesn’t have distemper. bogie has a long history of illness so i really fear waiting for other symptoms to appear. it has only been two days since he played with epi but his immune system does not have a great track record.
i really appreciate the information i got from your bailey. thanks for posting this, it is really educational. by the way, my shih tzus do not have complete shots, i bought them when they were 4 months old. one had just one shot. when i took him to the vet (the same one who cold not diagnose epi), he did not recommend starting over the vaccine cycle (which i should have done). so we just did the shots once a year, the other had three shots of distemper but not within the prescribed period.
i’d appreciate any advice. thanks again for the information.
im sorry to hear you had a bad experience with Vets in Practice but what i know is that theyr the only ones who do the serum and tap to battle distemper.
my suggestions – put your dogs on colloidal silver. you can buyc at VIP or at the Sunday Market in Legaspi Vill Makati. its cheaper in the Market but. youll have to wait til Sunday.
research on colloidal silver first and ask your vet abt it. i gave CS daily to my 6month old dog Woolsey when he got exposed to Bailey and Woolsey never got sick.
Get your 3dogs tested for disctemper asap.
The Serum is more expensive but effective for Dogs that havent reached Neurological stage. The Tap is around 4k or more, you will have to check with VIP on that for the exact price.
Contact me if u have questions. Here is my email – jaedeelight@yahoo.com
very sorry you had to put your epi down. im praying your three other dogs are distemper-free…
i have st.bernard 7months old female for last 7days she is being suffering from distemper according to the dr.she is also getting fits frequently. tlc is very low doctors have given hope. my children are crying a lot .in india the treatment is very expensive cant afford it pls help
contact Ed Bond of Kind Hearts in Action. Search Kind Hearts in Action online and you’ll find his email there as well as resources on fighting distemper. he may know of a vet in india who can do it at a discount. i hope this helps…
Just this morning, he started to do the kind of a head bang and his salivas were dripping as he does it. 😦 does this mean that the virus is on it’s way to the nervous system?:( I’ve already seen him twice today.
Just so you know, your blog gives me hope. And I will not give up on my puppy. Even though there is little hope, I will still cling into it coz i love my puppy so much. He’s the sweetest puppy I’ve ever had. It just feels so comforting that there are many people out there who doesn’t or didn’t give up on their lovely pets. Right now, I just want to share my burden to fellow pet lovers like you. 😦 thank you so much.
Hi! My 3 month old Pomeranian puppy, Toffee, (turning 4 on new year) has been diagnosed with distemper last December 22. He was given Canglob-D shots by his vet. And because it’s a holiday season, she recommended me to VIP in mandaluyong. He lost his appetite twice for the past 3 days, but the rest he eats and finishes it naman. I never had to force feed him yet. He already started to show some signs like runny nose, rough nose and paws, rapid breathing, and he always sleeps a lot. He is not as playful as before 😦 so, I visited VIP last Sunday and was hoping to get his spinal tap. But Doc Mau diagnosed him with worms and corona virus, so he said Toffee might not wake up anymore if the procedure is done. He prescribed medications and colloidal silver is one of them. I take him to VIP for his Canglob D shots, later will be the last. Right now, I’m keeping him hydrated with ORS believing it would eliminate virus. and I nebulize him with colloidal silver to ease his breathing, (I have read it’s also good For pneumonia). I’m just too scared that he might not make it. But I know he’s strong and I’m giving him all the love he needs. I sing songs to him and make him feel loved. My brothers take extra care for him as well. I’m just not sure if I should Risk him for spinal tapping now. 😦
My Coco, a shih tzu, also survived distemper.He is blessed to have a competent doctor from fil chinese group of animal clinic along Pasig Blvde. We didn’t have to spend a lot. Just some anti biotic and strong food suppliment witu lots of love brought him back to life.
The clinic charges fair. No consultation fee (200) on follow ups.
im am so happy that your dog belongs to that tiny percent of dogs who survive distemper! i did not want to take the chance that my dog would die so i decided to spend the money on the Tap. and i dont regret it! our dogs are both blessed 🙂
Can you give me an idea on how much youve actually spent on the last treatment, the one which had a real effect on your dog? I have five dogs, my lab-beagle mix recently got distemper and I am afraid the rest have been affected by his virus.
The first procedure (The Serum) did not work bec Bailey had reached the Neurological stage. The second procedure (The Spinal Tap) worked. A year and a half ago i paid more than 4k. But you need to buy the Newcastle Virus (Lasota Strain) from a Poultry Supply before u do the Tap. i think its under or around P200 a vial.
If i were you, id try to protect my other dogs with Colloidal Silver. i gave my dog Woolsey a tsp in the am and pm after he was exposed to Bailey. He never got the disease.
im not a vet so im speaking strictly from experience. the Tap is not a cure but it reboots your dog’s system for one last fight vs the virus. Survival rate is higher compared to dogs who dont get the Tap.
visit the site: Kind Hearts in Action for more info.
keep me updated. my email is jaedeelight@yahoo.com
I just messaged u on ur email… just reply to me via email 🙂 will be waiting
how much did it cost you wit the tap procedure and the new castle virus? i live in Cebu city, Philippines and I’m just hopin that they have that procedure here in Cebu
not sure if they do it in cebu. but email ed bond thru the website “Kind Hearts In Action” search them.online and you will find ed bond’s email. he has a worldwide network of vets who do the serum and tap procedures and might know a vet in cebu. email me too jaedeelight@yahoo.com
I’m goin through the same situation with my 3 month pug puppy. I just want to know if your dog is fully recover now after the procedure? did you guys took a new test and showed a negative result for canine distemper?
Bailey recovered but has continuous twitching. if you catch it early and use the serum method, survival is high. but if it reaches neurological stage like bailey where there is twitching then the tap is used but chances of sirvival is a bit lower. but its still better than just letting your dog go thru it. if u have more qiestions my email is jaedeelight@yahoo.com please please contact me, i care about all dogs…
Thank you for this blog, ms joice. I lost 2 beagles a few months ago because of parvo and now may baby girl Iyesha is suspected to have distemper (her vet said yesterday). I’ve cried a lot na coz yesterday I was hopeless and so thinking of putting her to sleep coz it’s so unbearable seeing her so near death. But aftr googling about distemper and read your article up to the last comment I called the VIP and decided to take her there as soon as possible. I will do whatever I can to help my baby girl even if I don’t have the resources. i just hope it’s not too late coz she’s been having that twitching thing in her head 3 days ago. Thank you thank you thank you.
Ok don’t forget to buy the Newcastle Virus from a poultry shop – the Lasota Strain, before going to VIP – unless the vet says they have in stock. So check ka muna. And update me on your baby’s progress, i totally know how you feel. Am praying for Iyesha…
I hope our dog too will survive ‘coz the vet said she has distemper virus and said there was no cure…and I was searching about distemper and i found this article.. i hope she could survive Ilove that dog 😥
Andrea, the Spinal Tap / Serum are not cures but they give your dog a better fighting chance by restarting the immune system. It’s like a reboot. But there are a few dogs who survive Distemper and I’m hoping that your dog will!
Hi ! My puppy died last november 12 due to dismper. We only had him for 5 days. If only i saw this earlier , I could have save his life.. I spent thousands just to save him but i think what we did was not good enough. I just would like to ask , is it already safe to bring a new puppy to my house? I really need ur advice.Thank you!
It is also correct that Distemper is difficult to diagnose. Wasabi was first diagnosed with Eurlekia- blood parasite and had to give medications for that. After giving medications for more than a month, he regained his strength and became more active again. I left him for a week and when I came back he was a different dog. I immediately called the vet and he said that it’s definitely distemper- terminal stage. He was twitching like crazy but I spent time with him, making the most out of the day. He would follow me everywhere and when his seizures get out of control I’d calm him down. When I got back home after buying some of the prescripted meds and vitamins, he’s gone. I’m now trying to move on from what happened. I learned a lot from my dog. He’s pure love and joy. I hope all dog owners would be more aware about this deadly disease so that they can avoid it. Thanks also for posting this inspiring story. Kiss Bailey for me!
hi kay, im sorry this had to happen to wasabi. even if ill, your dog would follow u around, that is so sweet…. 😦 distemper is indeed terrible and sharing your story is a good way to warn dog owners about the disease. to my readers with pets: Get your dogs vaccinated before its too late!
My dog Wasabi just died yesterday. We were late to get a vet to visit him so at the day when he was diagnosed, he also died. Too heartbreaking to hear the news, but so much more devastating to see him twitch and die.
hi….my dog is suffering d sme case as yours…..and she s 5 years old already…..she is in d animal hospital ryt now in ioilo….i wonder f there’s NDV spinal tap here….i’v done d best thing to mke her survive…i really cry a lot…i just want to ask f how much…dhil khit hindi kmi maykaya gawin ko po lhat mabuhay lng sxa…mhal n mhal ko po yun..and i really pray…and i’m not giving up…that even in a small chances..i believe in miracle of God.pls.email me mam at jed214janeter@yahoo.com
gusto ko lang din malaman pwede ba ako na mag test sa mga dogs ko kung meron nga sila distemper , saan nakakabili nang canine distemper kit.. yung ibang dogs ko po kasi nasa batangas malayo sa city .. gusto ko sana ako nlng mag test kahit 1 box .. please kung my alam po kau paki response dito.. thankyousomuch.. nag search na ko sa net pero wala ako makita na my nag bebenta dito sa phil..
I know of no distemper kits. I sent you email btw. I’m in Thailand right now and can’t call… but will contact you when I get into town..
9 litters sila, pero namatay na yung 2 pag labas palang sa mader nila.. tas yung 4 puppies lab, tinamaan n ata ng distemper 😦 please contact nyo po ako agad.. habang maaga pa.. 😥
hi im michelle from manila espanya, 😦 i have 4 puppies labrador, 2 of them positve in distemper.. my mga gamot n binagy para sakanila.. pero hinde n nmen kaya ung mga gastos 😦 i dont know what to do but to cry 😥 madme kameng breed ng dogs like chihuahua pomeranian shih tzu siberian husky, natatakot ako n baka mahawa din sila.. super loves ko mga labrador pero hinde n namen alam gagawin.. nag kataon din kasing nakunan yung chihuahua namen kaya sunod2x yung gastos.. if meron gusto mag ampon sakanila at mapagamot bibigay na namen sila 😦 sobrang naaawa kame na nakikita namen sila na ganon pero wala kameng magawa.. all night umiiyak kame ng family ko 😥 matataba sila pero tinamaan sila ng ganun.. pwede nyo check yung facebook ko nandun mga pics nila.. if meron mabuting tao na mag ampon sakanila at mapagamot please contact nyo po kame 09283920007 thankyou 😦 we dont want to lose our hope .. 😥
this is my email address misheru_monokurubu@yahoo.com
Hello! How is Bailey now? Is she faring fine? My dog Nancy was diagnosed two days ago and is now having respiratory problems. I am so sad. I don’t have the money for the serum and I live in the south so a trip to Mandaluyong everyday for 3 days isn’t feasible. I am so sad. 😦 I wanna know how Bailey is, it warms my heart when I hear stories about dogs surviving distemper. You take care.
You can still save your dog with the Spinal Tap. That’s just a one day trip. It’s cheaper than the serum but still costly. Is Nancy twitching? I also didn’t have the money for it and just used my credit card. Was crying so hard over the money but my hubby, he was so supportive, he said – we made the decision to spend so stop crying and lets start finding ways to earn the money back so we can pay the credit card kaagad. It was good advice, I stopped crying, took care of Bailey and then looked for opportunities to earn extra to pay off the debt.
Bailey is fine today, she has her eternal twitching, even when she’s asleep, but she’s happy and bouncey and can run around and play. The one problem is that she has seizures and needs to be on daily medication to prevent seizures. Accor to the vet, forever na siya on daily medication. Thankfully, the meds are not so expensive so okay lang. But eventually, the meds will take it’s toll on her liver (or kidney, I forget) and we may have to start giving her a liver tonic to help keep her liver healthy. Aside from that, Bailey is happy, she sleeps with me in my bedroom every night. 🙂 she brings me so much joy! And although it was a big risk at the time (not all dogs survive kahit nag-pa-Spinal Tap sila), I am GLAD I spent to help her fight distemper!
If you do the tap make sure you buy the Newcastle Virus, Lasota Strain, from a Poultry supply shop first then bring it to VIP. Poultry shops are closed on Sundays, so take note of that.
We tried to buy the vaccine from the poultry supply shops but since it’s Sunday they are all closed 😦 will buy it tomorrow and i’ll bring her immediately to the VIP. She’s in the advanced stage already and i can’t stand seeing her twitching and having a seizure. She looks very tired but fighting. The person i talked to on the phone from VIP informed me though that she needs to be sedated and she might not wake up from that. did they tell you the same when they injected the vaccine? I’m afraid about that added risk 😦
Hi there. My beloved Shih Tzu has just been diagnosed with distemper and i really want to do everything for her. Basically the vet in Animal House already gave her 2 weeks and if she can’t survived that i will lose her. I don’t want to just wait. Actually i already spent more than 10k on two vets. May i know how much the serum and spinal tap will cost? Is that the same or are they 2 different treatments? Thank you very much. This thread is giving me hope right now.
Michiko, the Serum is used on dogs that havent reached the neurological stage. the Tap is for dogs in the neurological stage.
How to tell if the dog is in neuro stage – if he/she is twitching continuously. thats the main sign.
The Serum is expensive. First you need a dog donor to donate blood. they will make serum from the blood. it costs Around 4k per shot
and u need three shots administered every 12 hours.
The tap is around 4k but you need to buy the Chicken Virus called Newcastle Lasota strain from a poultry supply store first. that about p200 more or less. bring that to vets in practice.
please move fast on this, every second counts. altho the serum and tap are not 100% curative, they will increase the chances of your dogs’ survival.
search the site Kind Hearts in Action to get details on survival rates of dogs treated using the tap or serum.
wishing u the best…
i am not sure if you have to pay extra for the donor dog process. they will inject the donor dog with the distemper virus (i think) and then withdraw the blood. they need to knock out the donor dog. a couple months ago my friend’s ovcharka had distemper. the donor dog , her malamute, had to go thru the process which is safe naman daw. both dogs are fine today.
Hello,
Hi my name is amanda I currently found out today there is a huge possibilty that my teacup chiuaua who is about 3months old has distemper. I have been reading many informotion given on websites about this virous ,many say there is no cure . I saw your website nd decided to read I thought that I could use a good storie a miracle encourgageing one and you story was yoiu were blessedand so was baily. I have been an emotional rect all day thinking what can I do for my poor little guy. Allthough I had him for to months I became attached and everything is so pricey. Im 16 years oldworking a weekend job . I would do anything for him.i noticed a few days ago his eyes began to swellup I was usen a warm rag then it started
to get puss I thought im going to have to bring him to a vet.so today when I woke up I llrealized something was odd my dog wasnot crying to wake me up. I looked ndhe was in his bed nd would not come outso I carryed him nd put him on his wee wee pad .as he walk off he.collapsed I panniked nd brought him to a vet the think its probly destemper . They said he was dehydrated so they injected fluids in him and they perscribed me antibiotic cream for his eye and some type of liquid I have to give him in his mouth.. They did not run no test but they assume and as I been reading it seems as if this is what he has. .. All I can do is prayy prayy pray .and hope any of this medication works tomarrow he has yto return to the vet and im still worried sick.i keep wispering to him that he is loved and he needs to be strong .. . Any ideas on how to confort him and well on what I can do.i will arriciate it.. You can emial if yu can.
Thank you so muchhh
-amanda
amanda? are u in the US? PLEASE get in touch with Ed Bond asap. he might be able to help you find a vet in your area who can help. ed has a worldwide network of vets that fight distemper using a serum or spinal tap. search Kind Hearts in Action on google and youll find Ed bond’s email there. he is based in new york and devoted to fighting distemper. he gave me good advice and is partially instrumental in saving Bailey’s life… keep me updated. i cant bear to think of your sweet teacup chi in pain 😦
I’m so sad, it looks like my puppy has been infected by the same canine distemper virus.Unfortunately, we don’t have vets or animal clinics here in our town. I’m so sad right now for not being able to help my poor puppy. Plus the fact that we don’t have the money, I’m so frustrated….
sorry late response. where are you living? im sorry to hear about your puppy and the situation. distemper is really a devastating disease. but some dogs survive. what is your town or city?
Hello there!
It’s such a heart warming story to hear. I’m truly happy for for bailey. My dog – Gabbar singh – Named after a very famous Bollywood Villain – http://goo.gl/E1R8a – was affected with canine distemper. It took us a lot of time to figure out what had happened to him. It was when his left leg entirely collapsed that we had to rush him to the doctor and his case was found out. He was only seven moths then. The vets told us he will die in pain in three days… he administered a dose on injections and said that since he is a puppy, his chance of survival in 1 in 100. Regardless, he asked us to come for three days of injections – No spinal jabs or anything of the sort that you mentioned – Gabbar singh was taken to the vet fir 3 days and given medication – gabantin and a few others… he only got better in 3 days and his left leg regained strength. The doctor was amazed by his recovery.. it has been a little over a year now and Gabbar singh is fine. except for a slight limp in the left leg when he runs, twitching of the left side of the head and leg. a very light jaw snapping. he had a problem in his left eye – a forming of a thin layer – which was subdued by eye drops – ciplox d. Gabbar singh turned 2 two months ago.
I only have a few questions for you – Does canine distemper have the potential to come back?
2. Has the twitching and wobble in gait remained with Bailey?
3. Are there any practices that one needs to follow through out post the recovery from canine distemper?
Eagerly await your response.
Love from India, for bailey and your family.
I am so happy to hear that your Gabbar Singh survived! You are soooo blessed because is is VERY rare for puppies to survive. I am not a veterinarian so my answers are not to be taken as coming from a medical expert. THis is just based on my experience. You can contact Ed Bond thru his website Kind Hearts in Action (search it online) and he can also give answers, better ones than mine.
1) I have heard that Distemper can return but is EXTREMELY rare. Bailey has to have annual shots now to protect her anyway.
2) TWitching is perpetual, even in her sleep. Her gait is sightly wobbly when she walks but when she runs, it’s less obvious.
3) They recommend Vit C. I just buy Dog Treats with vitamins in them. Bailey started having seizures about 7 or 8 months after her recovery from distemprer so she is on anti-seizure medication everyday and has an emergency muscle relaxant in case she has a seizure anyway. Sometimes we forget to give her her medicine but very rarely because she ends up having seizures without the meds.
THanks so much for sharing your story with us.
Love from the PHilippines to Gabbar Singh and your family!
Thank you so much for the response:) Gabbar Singh is indeed lucky. and so is Bailey. Keep the doggie love going:)
On Fri, Nov 2, 2012 at 6:47 PM, Adventures of a Beauty Queen wrote:
> ** > adventuresofabeautyqueen commented: “I am so happy to hear that your > Gabbar Singh survived! You are soooo blessed because is is VERY rare for > puppies to survive. I am not a veterinarian so my answers are not to be > taken as coming from a medical expert. THis is just based on my experience. > Yo”
Interesting news. Bailey looks pregnant. Culprit could be my Schnoodle. I had asked the Vet if she could get pregnant considering her condition. Would it be safe for her and the puppies? and I was told it should be okay as long as we bring her in for regular check ups if she is indeed pregnant. If any complications arise, they can do a ceasarian. I am excited… but not sure yet. She could just be getting FAT, aahaha!
My next question would be, if she IS pregnant – could the puppies have some sort of immunity to Distemper? They say once a Dog has had Distemper, they are usually immune. However, I have heard that there are rare cases where dogs get Distemper again. Anyway… it would be VERRY interesting indeed if BAiley is going to have puppies!
Hey that is just great news! I do hope she is pregnant and delivers healthy babies. It is one question i forgt to ask – would gabbar be able t get pregnant? There was this period when she loked like she was pregnant.. with the underbelly growing like a pregnant dog’s.. then suddenly, it began to disappear.. and soon her underbelly was like before. To be honest, at the time i was hoping she’d never get pregnant considering her situation…Now that you say it’s OK, i’d love for her to be pregnant sometime:) Also, i wanted to know if bailey goes quiet and shivers when the weather gets cold? Gabbr singh reacts very strongly to cold weather, almost going weak… anyways, congratulations on possibly becoming grand mommy to bailey’s puppies:)
On Fri, Nov 2, 2012 at 8:15 PM, Adventures of a Beauty Queen wrote:
> ** > adventuresofabeautyqueen commented: “Interesting news. Bailey looks > pregnant. Culprit could be my Schnoodle. I had asked the Vet if she could > get pregnant considering her condition. Would it be safe for her and the > puppies? and I was told it should be okay as long as we bring her in for > regu”
First of all i wanna say thank for posting this and sharing your experience with distemper.
I have a 3 months old Lhasa Apso, ( by the way, he’s name is Magic ) who just survived Distemper a week ago. I would like to share my experience as well and how he survived this turmoil. When we bought him from the pet shop, he was very active and playful .He stayed the same for about a week so we decided to bring him to his vet to take his vaccine. After two days, he started to gag like several times that day and we thought that he just swallowed some of his hair and he’s just trying to spit it out. We ignored his gagging assuming that it will stop after few days once he excrete it through his feces( that’s what his vet told us ).
After two days, we noticed that he’s gagging did not go away and worst, it even became so often that it was very annoying to hear. We know that his gagging was caused by something else so we have decided to bring him to his vet the next day.
His Vet confirmed that he has Kennel cough which is very common to puppies and small dogs. She prescribe him with antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs to be taken for 10 days. His vet was worried that he might develop Distemper that is why she told to observe his behavior few days after and notify her if he will show signs of Distemper ( like loss of appetite, nasal discharges, fever)
After two or three days after, Magic started to loss his appetite and just ate a very small amount of his food. The next day was just the same. He just sleeps all day and only drinks water but not taking any food at all.
We are not very much alarmed because he can still lift his head, stand up and walk around the room and wiggle his body. But even so, we decided to bring him to his vet that night. His vet told us that she will test if he already developed Distemper and he was positive.
I have researched about Distemper and i know that most of the dogs that develops that disease dont survive so i was really sad knowing that we wont be seeing Magic anymore.
I ask his vet on what are his chances of surviving it and she told us that it is up to his Immune System on how he will survive. We confined him for three days and he was in IV fluids to keep him hydrated and of course he is still with antibiotics for his cough.
i researched again on how to treat Distemper and that’s how i found this site and about the Spinal Tap to treat the disease. When we came back on the third day, i told his vet about the Spinal Tap, she said that it wont be necessary for Magic because his Distemper is not a severe case and Spinal Tap can only be done with severe cases.
By the way, Magic is already showing good signs because his appetite’s back and his feces became solid again and he he doesn’t have fever anymore. she just told us that he will just continue his meds at home until his cough are gone.
As of now, his cough is not that severe anymore, he doesn’t gag that often and when he does, its not that like he will spit out everything that is inside his body.
i just noticed though that he still sleeps almost all day and his appetite are becoming low again. We cannot bring him to his vet during weekdays because of work and her vet is not answering our text messages or calls to tell her about the situation.
i am concerned right now on what he is showing that he might have some illness again or some sort. He is on a recovery food as what his vet prescribed to us, and we are thinking that he might be looking for some other food.
Does anybody experience the same way out Magic is going through? I am afraid that he still in danger. any advise will be highly appreciated
hi jon, could you describe the test used to determine if your dog has distemper and if you had another test to see if your dog is truly distemper free? I am not a vet but from what ive discovered there are two ways to treat distemper – for early distemper the vet needs to make Dr. Al Sears’ Serum. For late Distemper its the spinal tap.
My suggestion is to bring your Dog ASAP to Vets in Practice at the Mandaluyong Circle. From what i understand, They are the only ones who know how to do these procedures, IF it is indeed Distemper. Today is a holiday, you should move fast on this. the Serum and Tap, you have understand, are experimental trearments which increase the chances of your dog’s survival. it is not assured your dog will survive.
to see more details on the survival rate of dogs treated withe serum or tap, search Kind Hearts in Action. Thats a group that helps dogs and their owners fight distemper. you can email Ed Bond, he runs the website and is based in new york.
But dont wait anymore. Bring your dog to vip. the vets therr are better able to answer your questions…
The test was like the pregnancy test wherein the dog will be positive if it will two lines and vice versa. according to his vet, he will have Distemper forever but wont show anymore the signs because his body already developed the antibodies to fight the same virus. But it seems he is not really out of danger yet because he hasn’t come back to how he was before.
We will bring him to VIP for second opinion and to know what is needed to be done.
Thanks again.!!
Bailey is not the same either. She perpetually twitches. It takes a couple weeks (maybe a month) for the dog to completely shed the virus so keep your darling away from other dogs. did you take a second distemper test to see if your lhasa is ok na?
Best talaga, get a 2nd opinion from VIP…. praying for the best!
Again, thank you so much for the advice. I’ll look it up. Hopefully, my dog would be as lucky as yours.
The same condition which my dog, Pap pap, is also going through right now brought me to your blog. I’ve been searching for information about prognostic factors about dog distemper but i just couldn’t find any conclusive one. Our vet gave us insights about what to expect but i just couldnt find it in my heart to expect the worst. My dog had most of the signs and symptoms except for seizures. It’s been over a week now since he was diagnosed with dog distemper. As of now, we are doing symptomatic treatment and dog care that our vet advised us to do. Right now, feeding him is the only main problem. Control of secondary infection is quite easy for me. But as a doctor myself (for humans), i understand why our vet has always been realistic and straightforward when discussing possible outcomes to me. He told me he didnt want to overpromise knowing that canine distemper is quite unpredictable and quite fatal for most dogs. Still, i kept looking for information online about the disease prognosis (veterinary medical journals and other scholarly publications). But the most helpful for me are the stories, just like what you’ve written about Bailey. I feel we, pet owners, are all on the same page and know exactly what the others are going through.
Although my dog isnt as active as he used to be, i’m quite hopeful that he could be one of those lucky cases who will survive this viral disease. He still responds to me when i call his name, even follows me around the house half the time when he’s awake albeit with slower gait. Oh, and he’s got hyperkeratotic foot pads now i guess. His conjuctivitis is also improving with regular eye care and antibiotic eye drops. He still has some nasal discharge but not as thick anymore as a week before. The only neurologic symptom he has is head bobbing, like he’s biting down every few seconds. As i’ve said he never had any seizures. And i’ve also never observed any signs of disorientation, extreme weakness, wobbling of hind legs, and other neuromuscular problems that i often read about in most websites about canine distemper. Does anyone know if these are tell tale signs that he may recover completely from this viral infection? Do some of you guys have the same experience with your pet dogs?
By the way, i really admire the author of this very informative blog for her incredible dedication to bring about the recovery of her pet, Bailey. Thanks for sharing your experience. Most stories i read didn’t have the same happy ending. But Bailey’s story brought me more hope. And I can’t thank you enough.
Im truly sorry to hear that Pap pap has Distemper. Are you planning to try the Spinal Tap? Do it asap. Bailey never had seizures until 6months after surviving distemper. A better resource for you would be the website Kind Hearts in Action. You can email the author Ed Bond who.is based in New York and has a worlwide network of Vets who do the spinal tap. Please keep me updated on your dog. im.praying for the best…
hi guys! =( it’s sad..our NOTNOT died just tonight due to distemper…he didn’t make it..i think the virus reached the brain leaving him paralyzed and blind..his last breath was when i’m spoon-feeding him. he gave his final breath just like sleeping..its hard to accept that despite of all the efforts, medications and TLC he didn’t make it…we’re full of hope seeing him recovering from secondary bacteria complications. but when the twitching appears and seizures was evident, it worsen the condition of our dog..having him the “3 shot” which i failed to know the name was our only hope back then (thinking it was the serum or the one used in spinal tapping). we could have save his life if we have done the spinal tapping sooner after recovering from the complications…im missing him sooooo much. it would take 2 months or more for us to have another dog..sad ='(
i dont think its the Serum treatment for distemper because you need a donor dog to donate blood. they will inject the donor dog with a virus then they will extract blood from the donor dog. the blood is turned into a serum overnight using a centrifugal separator then the serum will be injected into the sick dog every 12 hrs for three times. its a very expensive procedure and looking for a donor is hard because it needs a lot of blood.
anyway, your dog is free from pain now and we can learn a lesson from this – have all our dogs vaccinated against distempervand other diseases …
hoping you find comfort even as you mourn your dog’s death…
hi there! im ana..our labrador NOTIE was diagnosed with distemper virus 2 months ago. it was in the late August when we first saw signs of distemper appear to our dog. lost of appetite, dry cough and lethargy. we brought him to our vet and had him check-up…it was in in the 3rd time we brought our dog, when the distemper was diagnosed through blood test..it was already in the 2nd week of october. distemper is hard to diagnose. it took 3 weeks for us to really be informed about the virus our dog caught up. the vet gave us prescriptions for the bacterial infection caused by the virus. after 2 weeks of medication, i notie surpass that stage (development of complications from secondary bacteria). So we are hoping that he is going to be fine, but after few days he develop twitching of muscle, after a day it worsen. from his leg it went up to his arms and worst is to his head including the eyes. he even find it hard to stand and walk..i read a lot of articles/blogs/researches about distemper virus and its treatment so We took him again to our vet and the doctor advised us to have the vaccination to “contain the virus”. (i’m not sure what kind of vaccine it was. they gave it in 3 shots in 3 consecutive days – 1 shot everyday)..i have read your blog and informed about the NDV spinal tap so i’m guessing it was the treatment that the vet in our place gave to our dog….after the shots were given we don’t see any sign of improvement from our notie..seizures were the same, he couldn’t stand anymore and now he couldn’t open his eyes, we only fed him by forcing him to open his mouth and let him swallow the food. we gave him medicine by directly putting it his throat to make it swallow..he couldn’t move his tongue to get the food….basta! paar lalong lumala si notie after the vaccination given to him…he’s still fighting. kahit paralyzed na he still manage to fight the virus. I’m planning to take him in vets in practice but isn’t too late? and im thinking that he has still the other vaccine injected to his body. right now, all we do is continue his meds given by the vets here and make sure he has strong immune system. but its getting hard for us to do that. . .he’s becoming weak everyday. =(
hello ana, im so sorry about all the pain you and your dog are going thru. The NDV Spinal Tap is a procedure where they remove a small amount of fluid from the spine using a needle then replace the spinal fluid with the NDV Virus. The Virus stops the progression of the virus. It is 40-70% effective so some dogs still die, but many continue to live.
Your dog is in the neurological stage and i suggest you move fast!
1) Call Vets in practice and ask to talk to a vet who can do spinal tap.
2) ask the vet if thet have the NDV Lasota strain virus available.
3) if not , you will have to buy the virus yourself from a poultry supply. go through the comments bec i have a link to a website that lists all the poultry suppliers in mm and their phonr numbers.
4) Bring virus to vip for the spinal tap. be ready to spend because it is a bit expensive. the virus is cheap but the Tap is not.
Recovery is not certain tho. the tap is supposed to give your dog one last fighting chanc. 30%-70% chance of survival.
Should you finish the three shots? im not sure, im not a vet and we dont know what vaccination it is. its best for you to call VIP asap…
i hope and pray that notie will be all right. distemper is a terrible disease and difficult to fight.
keep me updated. read thru the comments, there is lots of info in the comments that might help…
Thank you for posting your experience on this blog. I haven’t brought my dog Egi (Beagle) to have the spinal tap yet but hopefully I’ll be able to. I don’t have enough resources but I do hope my friends and family can help out. I’ve also added Mr. Bond’s facebook page and encouraged my friends to support the cause. God bless you and I hope that more dogs will be helped through this blog.:)
hi Angeline, i cried so hard when i realized how much it would cost but i have no regrets. keep me updated!!
Back in June 2012, our 3-month old dalmatian, all of a sudden started pooping with blood, and lost appetite. I was at work, so my partner rushed the puppy to the vet where she was asked to have the pup tested for basically a lot of things, all the works (blood, virus, stool, etc.). Ended up with a diagnosis of “distemper”, meaning by the looks of it, the pup would have a very little chance of survival. But, after spending over PhP5,000 initially on the pup, and we don’t really have more, we were forced to take the pup home without any further vaccines or tests. Although we asked for other options, most vets would give us a quote for the lab works, and we won’t be able to afford more. Back at home, we forced feed the pup, forced fee the pills prescribed, and after a month, the pup slowly returned to being overly-active and makulit. So, my partner and I decided to forget about the fact that the pup have distemper and if the pup goes, then it goes. It’s been over 4 months now after that emergency incident, and our dear pup is still with us and very active, like nothing happened. I could’ve wished I have more cash on hand so we could have those vaccines recommended. And like those of Dr. Sears, which I’ve also searched over the net and how that helped other pet owners. But, that’s okay, as long as the pup is still with us, we’ll make the most out of it.
hi, i read your blog about distemper and this gave me hope for my 5 months old pup. she had her spinal tap yday. would like to ask if it is really normal that she’d feel weak after the procedure? she has been crying at times, would try to stand but could not. did bailey experienced the same? im really praying for my pups condition.
I assume your puppy is being given medication? Neurontin, which is what they most likely prescribed can make your dog very lethargic. But its necessary for your dog to take the meds during post-tap recovery. Ask your vet when you can stop giving Neurontin and hopefully your puppy will perk up. Its a little harder for puppies to survive but i just met a 6 month old puppy who made it after going thru the Serum procedure which is used for cases caught early. Give your puppy lots of tlc and force-feed if you have to. i alao recommend giving Colloidal Silver which you can buy at the weekend markets in Makati (Salcedo and Legaspi) or at Vets in Practice. I gave it to Bailey and to all my dogs at home to prevent them from catching the virus from her. Look it up on google…
estoy pasando por algo parecido con mi perro taz es el amor de mi vida y hoy le diagnosticaron distemper desde el lunes comensara con n-acetilcistene dioxiclina espero todo salga bien tu testimonio me aydo a saber qe qisas hay esperanzas de recuperacion afortunadamente aun no empieza con convulsiones tengo miedo pero a la vez esperanzas
Translation: I’m going through something similar with my dog taz is the love of my life and today distemper was diagnosed on Monday with n-acetilcistene comensara dioxiclina hope everything goes well your testimony aydo namely qe me no hope of recovery qisas fortunately still does not start with I have seizures scared yet hopeful.
hello Romina, try to email ed bond of kind hearts in action. just search Kind Hearts in Action on google and his email is on that site. he might know a vet in your country who can try to help you and your dog. its worth a try. ed bond has a worldwide network of vets who can do the same procedure to your dog. wishing you the best!
What an incredible story!!
Last winter, I was living at my grandparents out in the country in Illinois (as I was just out of high school) and I had several dogs. 3 two year olds, 4 six month olds, and a litter of 10 five week old puppies. I, too, never worried about getting their full sets of shots, because they were all healthy as could be. I never even heard of distemper, let alone worried about it. Until some of the puppies started having seizures along with other signs of distemper. I called the local vet as soon as I noticed, and they told me once they started having seizures, there was nothing anyone could do. So we had a majority of the pups put to sleep. Luckily, a few went to new homes and are happy and healthy as ever (full shots and everything). It was so strange though, because a majority of the puppies got it but 2 didn’t. Even the ones who went to new homes, ended up sick, but got better within a few days. One of the six month olds, Chico, wasn’t as lucky though. He got distemper, and he got it bad. He was every bit as skinny as bailey, head wobbly, couldn’t stand at all let alone walk. The vet told me there was nothing they could do, so they told me to take him home, make him as comfortable as possible, and pray for a miracle. Although, they did give me some sort of liquid medicine to help with the snotty nose and eyes, and told me to go get vitamin c I believe to help his immune system. And that’s exactly what I did. I had back and forth decisions about having him put to sleep as well. He was like my baby, and I just couldn’t do it. I would take him out to get fresh air, held him up while he peed, taught him to walk basically again, held his food for him like you did baileys. Then, just as quickly as he got sick, he started getting better. he was still super wobbly, but he was starting to eat on his own, starting to walk a little bit on his own, and I’m more than happy to say, he’s fat today, extremely healthy. Only, the vet said the distemper could leave him blind, and with permanent brain damage. He’s not blind, he just can’t see as well as he could before. And he’s not extremely brain damaged, he’s just wobbles from time to time, and he doesn’t seem to be as fast as the others. He’s still my baby and I’m so glad God answered my prayers. The survival rate of distemper is very slim, but I think it’s even slimmer to those whose veterinarians said they couldn’t do anything to help him. I would love to share a couple of videos and pictures of him, I’m just not sure how.
Anyway, again, AMAZING story!
Definitely incredible stories we both have! Thanks so much for sharing yours, and I’m just so glad you got your miracle. Its amazing how much love comes out of us when it comes to our pets. You can share your video by uploading it first on Youtube then you can copy the URL link and paste it in the comment box here so we can all check it out! I would looove to see videos of Chico! You can email me photos too my addy is jaedeelight@yahoo.com and then I can post it up here…
Help please?? My female shih is infected with this virus she got it from my male shih That died last sept. 24. We had him check and the first vet told us it was urt (upper respiratory tract) infection. There was no progress on the medicine that was prescribe to us so we took him to another vet then it was confirmed that he had distemper but it was too late. He passed out two days ago.. 😦
Angel our female shih is infected and her eyes became swollen. We took her yesterday to the vet and the Vet gave her antibiotic Ciprofloxacin 500mg 2x a day. She eats well today. I’m worried that she’d looses her apetite like wynwyn our male shih that died. We will do anything and never give up on her.
Can you give me some advice? The things you did to save bailey? 🙂
bring her asap to vets in practice. search them online or look thru the comments here to find their number. they have an experimental treatment – the Serum Shots for early distemper or the Spinal Tap for the late distemper cases where the dog is already twitching.
you can learn more about the experimental treatment on the Kind Hearts in Action website which you can search online. it is not a 100% cure but rough reports say 40% to 70% of dogs that have either the shot or the tap end up surviving.
please keep me updated. wishing you the best…
I’m watching my dog now… She might be leaving in a few hours or minutes….
😥
Just want to share, sorry for the long post.
Me and my wife are dog lovers for at home we have a male mix Labrador Dalmatian and two female Aspins namely, Mausy and Meow, weird names ? ask my 4 kids they are the one in charge in given them names. Of my 3 dogs Mausy was the bravest for she was always on the guard. One time there was an intruder who attempted to break into our neighbors house, Mausy bark and bark like there’s no tomorrow. It caught my attention and so did my neighbor, who step out and saw the intruder already on the top of their wall. The intruder must have seen my neighbor already out with a baseball bat so he ran without looking back.
Last July 2012, Meow gave birth to 2 wonderful and after a week Mausy also gave birth to 2 beautiful puppies. But for reasons beyond our control we lost Mausy, my wife was devastated and she cried beside Mausy’s body . We buried her at our backyard and my kids put flowers on her top of her grave. Now we faced a new challenge, to raise Mausy’s 2 puppies, namely Siomai, and Sugar. At the first, Meow breastfed them together with her litters, but after a week her milk runs out. So we bottle feed our new puppies. Me and my wife literally moved into the living room our beds was the sofa and a rusty folding bed. Woke up 3am in the morning and we took turns in preparing milk formula ( Puppy Love Milk) and then bottle feeding our beautiful puppies. Lost a lot of sleep but it was a very wonderful experience.
Two month have past and the puppies have all grown up, Siomai was already 6kg , very big for an Aspin. She was the very energetic and very hyperactive. At school days after my wife open the stairs barrier to cook breakfast. Siomai would rush upstairs and go to my kids room to wake them up. She would jump all over them until they are up and get ready for breakfast. How to reward her , she love belly rub…give her a belly rub and she will fall asleep…
Also on their 2nd month( August) we took them for their first vet visit. They all got de-wormed but because of we need funds for the repair of our house in Manila which was damage but the recent Monsoon floods, only Paw-Paw the smallest and weakest among the puppies got vaccinated. Was the biggest mistake I’ve ever made. Last week of August, I found a vet clinic who accept credit card, so I have Siomai vaccinated. We were about to return for her second shot when a stray Aspin ventured inside our yard, and there was a series of gaps between the fence, it was big enough for the Aspin enter our yard. Siomai was the first to see our “visitor” and maybe because of her curiosity approach and tried to play with the stray Aspin. According to my daughter she saw Siomai licking the stray Aspin’s face and when she approaches them, the stray Aspin run away.
Within a week, we notice some changes in Siomai behavior, she was always sleeping and ate little. She seldom climb to my kids room and just stay in one corner and sleep the whole day. I notice some yellow “muta” in her eyes and she was losing weight. Last Saturday, while my wife was at the dirty kitchen doing the laundry, Siomai went to her and lied down near her when all the sudden Siomai had a seizure. It lasted for about 30 second and foam of saliva came out from her mouth. My wife panic and call me, we though she had rabies so I put gloves on and we rush her to the vet. Our vet told us it was not rabies and she need to do some test, after a few minutes, she sadly informed us that Siomai have Canine Distemper and there was no cure presently available. Again we were devastated, our Vet gave her some anti-biotic shots hopefully it will give her a fighting chance. She told us to give Siomai some vitamins to help boost her immune system and not to lost hope for even if the chance is slim, she might able to survive this. Heartbroken, we took her home and isolated her , my wife got some pillows and blankets and put them inside her kennel and we let her lie there. My wife began to cry and she began massage her neck and told her that she will be fine and she will never leave her alone.
Hardest part was during seizures, her whole body would shake and shiver then she would give a cry-like whimper full of pain, we have to hold her while she’s in a seizure. My wife will call out her name and to massage her neck to calm her down. Both of us need to wear latex gloves so that the virus will not speared to the other puppies. It was the longest night for me and my wife, we gave her Cerelac, vitamin B complex and Ceelin and anti-biotic prescribe by our Vet. We took turn in watching over her, while my wife was sleeping, I went to her and gave her some water, she wiggle her tail and tried to stand up, but then she had another seizure, I held her head and tried to calm her down by rubbing her belly, and told her that she was going to be ok , coz we love her so much and we are not going to give up on her. I told her “ Girl you please don’t give up ok ?, mahal ka namin, di kami mag give up sa iyo ? dito lng kami ,lam mo ang cute cute mo noon baby ka pa ..after you recover will go to the park ok ?.. please don’t give up, fight and we will win this together…please don’t give up.please” then this old man began to cry.
Day 2 – we saw some improvement, she was able to stand up and drink water from her dish. She finish a dish of Cerelac and we had high hopes that day, but it was a false alarm, Siomai had another seizure and this time it lasted for about a minute. I held her head , while my wife massage her body and began speaking to her “ you are going to be OK baby, mommy is here”. After the seizure, she just slump there and give a crying moan like she was in deep pain. She was unable to stand up or move her head. That night we need to use a syringe to feed her. It was a very painful experience for both of us. We slept again in the living room and every time we hear her crying , me or my wife would rush to her side to make her feel that she is not alone. At midnight I heard her giving a deep whimper, I went beside her and started rubbing her neck and comforted her, she then closed her eyes and fell asleep. It was past midnight I was still awake so I started to surf the internet , I was trying to look for other solutions. It’s when I found this site. I read and read and kept on reading and I learned about the NDV Spinal tap. I tried to call some 24 hours vet clinic here and ask if they do Spinal Tap, but I got no answer.
Day 3 – did not report for work and stayed home that day, I was determine to find a Vet Clinic who can do Spinal Tap so I went to our local Vet, but on my way I got a call from my wife. Siomai had another seizure and this time it was fatal. I rush back home and I saw my wife crying beside Siomia, she passed away after the fatal seizure. I give my wife a hug and I began to rub Siomais belly for the last time, after which we clean her body and wrapped it with a blanket. And buried her next to her moms grave. It was a very very sad experience for us. . And my wife is still in a state of depression.
Goodbye Siomai, thank you for the wonderful memories you gave with us especially with my kids. We will miss you belly rub princess
Thanks for sharing your story. I read it and felt your pain. It is not easy to care for an ill pet and then lose them. THe only clinic I know of that does the Spinal Tap is Vets in Practice. You can search them online and if you look thru my post and comments, you’ll see their phone number. I am repeating this information just incase one of the other dogs somehow catches the virus. I hope not tho. But I was able to protect my 6 month old puppy from Distemper by giving him colloidal silver everyday. Na-expose ang puppy ko kay Bailey and I could not move him to the back because i had dogs there and I couldn’t put him inside the house because i had a dog there too. I am not a vet and I have no proof but I believe that the colloidal silver protected my puppy.
Anyway, I hope more and more people learn how to love their pets like you do. Willing to spend for them even if they are Aspins. May God bless you for your kindness!
Hi hope you can read my comment
just woke up and saw your comment. my phone is connected to this blog and i get a message everytime someone posts a message. as long as im not in recording, hanging out with family or fast asleep, i keep an eye on my phone and reply to distemper messages as soon as i read them. so if u have furtger concerns, leave a msg here..
Just additional inquiry how much is the distemper test? Thanks I’m really glad if I see your name in my mailbox thanks again…
the test is not cheap but i really cant remember. you can call vets in practice and ask. search them online or look thru my blog post and comments. i have it listed somewherr here. hoping for the best for bryce! praying that its not something bad…
Hi my 2 year old dog bryce is currently sick.. I’m treating him with antibiotic for blood infection as his vet told me.. After 4 days of treatment he already looks fine and already doing good although a little bit weak so I decided to give him 1 day off from his med because he was already traumatized.. After that day he suddenly stop eating again so we went to his vet and his temp was checked and found that it was moderately high about 39.9 c. I also noticed that he was breathing rapidly.. I haven’t noticed any twitching as of today but I’m not really sure because I.m working on a day shift so I just attended to him after work. I hope you can help me to decide or any treatment possible.. Maybe we will visit tomorrow for distemper test. Thanks
fast breathing was one of the symptoms before the twitching began. get a distemper test asap. i forgot the cost of the test. several hundred pesos. it is like a pregnancy test but u use blood instead of urine. do that first so you know what you are up against.
Hi Great article, i have an 8 month old siberian husky who has not been eating for 3 days, took him to the vet today September 10 (Animal House) and the vet said she’s suspecting distemper (i also kept on delaying his vaccines and he only had 2 shots). She took some blood test but no results yet (she said she’d give us a call within the day). I worry and hope that it’s not distemper but I’m happy about your story. I’m wondering how much did the spinal tap cost you? And how much money do i need to prepare 😦
a distemper test looks just like pregnancy test. two lines means positive, one line is negative. you can get the results in minutes. if your vet is making yoU wait to get the results of verrrrrry simple test then get a new vet. i dont want to sound arrogant but its the life of your pet at stake. if its early distemper then dont do the spinal tap. do the serum treatment. you can get info by searching on google “Dr Sears Distemper Serum”. also visit the website of Kind Hearts in Action to get all the info you neef on the serum. wishing you the best!
Thanka for the quick reply. Well the vet didnt give us a call as she promised re the results of the blood test but gave my ion a flu shot yesterday and anti viral meds. he is feeling a lot better today running around d house and has been slowly gaining appetite but not much. still crossing fingers that its not distemper and d vet is just over reacting.
if your vet didnt call as promised then thats another good reason to change vets. distempers signs – runny nose, weak appetite, nose pad and toe pads start to thicken… sometimes the eyes look red and sore. if you see some of those symptoms then check for distemper and other common canine diseases… wishing u the best 🙂
The results finally came out. Thank God it’s not distemper but of a low platelet count.
i am so relieved!!!! distemper is such a devastating disease. make sure you complete your dog’s shots 🙂 and thanks for keepingvme updated !
She definitely has rear leg problems but now I am searching for some type of dog sling to hold the rear legs up and see if they recover.
We rescued a dog we named Daisy due to a torn belt around her neck with the name Daisy. She was in a gassing shelter in Oklahoma 5 hours away. She had Parvo and worms and parasites. They immediately took her in a few days @ our vet to overcome the parvo and she has been wormed several times during the little over a month we have had her. Daisy was back in the vet hospital almost immediately @ 12-16 weeks old for 2 more days. She was then diagnosed with Kennel Cough. The coughing after treatment disappeared but dry nose with boogies and eyes red and seeping still remained. We had been also using saline in a neb 3 times a day since all started including eyes and nose directly. She looked worse and seemed to have more trouble breathing so we called our vet on a Sat and they said to see how she does over the weekend which includes they are closed on Monday. By sat nite we were in the Er Vet and they said she had pneumonia. She was then put on Ciprofloxacin again she seemed to do better and called our vet yet again on a Sat right after antibiotics done and were told to see how she did over the weekend. We went back yet another Sat nite to Er. This time they did more chest x-rays to see why the pneumonia was back. We were sent home with same drug and Cephalexin. She swelled some in the face which prompted internet search. Our baby is a golden/Pyrenees mix going to be very large. She looks a lot like Bailey. Except smaller snout. Ciprofloxacin is not FDA approved for dogs and should not be given to dogs under 28 weeks not just one site but all I saw. I immediately called ER vet and questioned this and she disagreed that our dog was going to be a large breed even though thru all this she put on 7lbs during our month so far. I searched and searched for another vet @ this point and Petsmart is a 7 day week vet so we went the very next day. Low and behold she has a Pyrenees @ home and disgusted Daisy had been given this drug. Daisy has always had sub or vein IV @ each visit. She has me bring her in for 2 days of IV and unfortunately they cannot stay all night. By this time we start to notice balance problems and some falling so we call the next day to see another vet there. The nurse looks through all our records and to our surprise and hers Daisy has never had any bloodwork. I have always taken records and meds to all visits. Daisy stays the day and bloodwork is done a mere $115 compared to what we have spent this far. After our internet searches we even suggest distemper which is totally possible or Cipro from what we are now experiencing. Daisy wags her tail and wants to be near everyone barks @ all very protective. She is totally precious and since she looked like the rib picture you had when we got her @ 16lbs we were hoping her outcome was getting better. Body weight is good now all organs functioning well in blood work except red blood cells and cannot get enough food. Water is not very appealing now but she will drink a little. I have fooled a few times during all this into drinking water by continually adding to white rice & chicken broth or canned food during the process of eating & syringe @ lowest point. She also had gatorade mix or pedialite @ points. She now drinks a little water and is strictly canned food for extra fluid. When we brought her home yesterday she was red blood cell deficient and is now taking Hi-vite drops for anemia & also Tobramycin drops in eyes 2 times daily but she came home and cannot walk but a few steps now. She has to be carried out and fell out of bed so is now blanketed to floor. She wags that tail and tries to move all over the house due to wood and tile only she can move. I think we are past neuro but are in a waiting period now. Unless she wont eat or drink she is @ home with us as of today vet said and just hope she continues to get better and is able to be that bouncy baby we have seen thru even the sick times.
what a crazy experience!!! but i am hoping daisy makes it thru… it is just amazing how our pets can reaaly affect us. im with you on this one, praying for thr best …
Thank you for your prayers. Daisy was rescued from a horrible shelter and was not able to get pet insurance due to the fact she was already sick. She continued even after spending thousands of dollars to decline as she was only 4 months. She lost total use of all legs and bladder function. It was so hard but last Tuesday she had to be put down. I am still battling the feelings of guilt on the what if’s and my husband and daughter’s going thru this with me. I feel like It was my fault they had to go thru all this by rescuing Daisy from a horrible gassing shelter with a quick decision. I could not even look @ everything and only cleaned the towels not all the blankets yesterday. I cry daily because I know there will never be another Daisy!
Hi there… i know how the guilty feelings can creep up on you. But you have to fight them because they don’t do you no good. They won’t save the life of another dog, that’s for sure. While it is painful to lose a furry friend, it is sadder when you lose one because you didn’t try. Be comforted that you tried. The pain, I hope will fade and the thought of Daisy in heaven… well… may that bring you comfort… we need more people like you who care!
Hello! My boyfriend has 5 puppies who are all positive for distemper. 😦 One of them was put to sleep already a few days ago. The remaining 4 are still active but are already showing signs like hard pads and runny noses. Only one is twitching right now. I am so sad because he might just lose them all. 😦 And if we administer the Newcastle vaccine to all of them it will be extremely costly. I just want to know how much you paid for the vaccine and the spinal tap. Thanks!
For dogs not yet twitching (distemper is not yet neurological) you will need a donor dog to donate blood. they will make a serum with the blood to be injected into the ill dog. three shots are necessary, 12 hrs apart. Each shot is around 4k. very expensive but it works. my friend’s puppy, an Ovcharka from Russia had her three shots a couple weeks ago and is distemper-free.
For dogs that have reached the neurological stage and are twitching, then you do spinal tap with the lasota strain of the newcastle chicken virus. The whole process will cost abt 4k. the tap is cheaper.
Both treatments are not 100% sure but they do increase your dog’s chances of survival. puppies dont do as well as bigger dogs.
i am not a vet btw and am only speaking via experince. its best to contact the vets at vip or email ed bond of kind hearts in action. search him on google and you will find his websitr and contact details.
you can try giving the pups colloidal silver asap. vip sells it. i get mine from the saturday market at legaspi st in makati…
And can I have your number? He is my first dog ever. I’m just so nervous. ;( Please help me. ;(
email me at jaedeelight@yahoo.com im always online drop me a note, leave yoyr number or email addy there. but bring your dog asap to vets in practice. i put all their contacts in a comment on this post, look for it. email me asap and we’ll talk
I’ve already emailed you. Thank you so much..
I am so inspired by your story.. I have a chow chow that is only 2 months old. He has only 1 shot of vaccine done. And now fighting for distemper. Vets can’t give him shots because he is sick. ;( Your story gave me hope and motivation to not give up. What should i do. ;( Please help me. I love my dog so much.. Please reply. Thank you so much..
Hi Joyce, thanks for your article. our two month old dog Venus is now sick with distemper. My daughter was surfing the internet to check on distemper cure and she read your experiences. Your blog is a GREAT. We are so worried right and my daughter had been crying so hard but when she read your article, she was pacified, giving her hope, that like your Bailey, Venus will survive.
Please pray for Venus.
You’re heaven sent to us! Thank you
Hi Luz, move fast on this. Your puppy is not as strong as an adult dog so the sooner you get treatment, the better. If there is no twitching then do the Serum. But if there is twitching have the NDV Spinal Tap. For the Tap You will need to buy a bird virus and I’m worried that poultry supplies are closed due to the holidays. Anyway, when you buy the virus look for the Newcastle LaSota strain. Then bring dog and virus to VIP in Mandaluyong. Call them first because not all the vets can do the Spinal Tap.
And to protect your other dogs, give them Colloidal Silver. That’s how I protected my 6month old puppy when Bailey was fighting distemper and they were in the same area of our garden. If you need Colloidal Silver I have some at home and can give you a small spray bottle. Colloidal Silver will be good too for your dog…
For the serum, it’s more complicated – you will need a donor dog to donate blood then they have to make the serum with the blood. Ask the Vets for advice. I made the mistake of doing the Serum when Bailey already had twitching. Its too late when Twitching is there na. Only the Tap can work. With the Tap your dog’s survival rate jumps up 60 to 70%. Praying for Venus…
Sinong vet ang kayang magspinal tap dito sa philippines? thanks
Vets in Practice and their partners have vets who can do the procedure, contacts are below:
Vets in Practice Animal Hospital 63 Maysilo Circle, Plainview, Mandaluyong City 5311581, 5337965
For Alabang: Vets in Practice Animal Hospital 102a Alabang Business Tower, Madrigal Business Park, Alabang, Muntinlupa 8467730
Partner Units:
Animal Care Specialists, Tiendesitas, Pasig City (026356895) – Dr. Siday Penaranda, Dr. Christian Guno, Dr. Sheng Ordinario, Dr. August Michael Basangan
CARVELDON Veterinary Center, Cartimar, Pasay City (025562885) – Dr. Nicolas Carpio, Dr. Herbert Ferandez, Dr. Ramir Morales
Vets in Practice Alabang 102a Alabang Business Tower, Madrigal Business Park, Alabang, Muntinlupa (028467730 / 028428379) – Dr. Lester Lopez, Dr. Jess Aycocho
thank you for this info! currently im suspecting that my dog OTSO (he is an Aspin) got distemper, all of the sudden he couldn’t walk and lose his appetite. I did some researching today, found out that distemper is highly contagious. Im now living overseas and i only got report from my brother and relay to me that about 6 dogs in our neighbors has died, same sign what Otso got. I told my brother temporarily to give Otso an antibiotic and some vitamins, and advice them to bring immediately in UP vet. Im too worried, Otso is a dependable and very kind dog. Im also worried to my other 2 dogs (Lucci and Odette), they might catch the same virus..
before anything else, you need to test your dog first. baka hindi naman distemper. you can protect your other dogs with colloidal silver. i used it to protect my one dog from catching distemper from Bailey. Antibiotics dont really work vs distemper, btw…
Please check out ionic magnesium, milk thistle, dandelion, probiotics, taurine, ashwghanda, bacopa for dog seizures.
How is your Bailey doing ? I am glad that she was able to overcome distemper. Our dog Sushi, daschund had distemper last year. She had it the week she was to get her booster shot for parvo, distemper etc. The only thing manifested was that she had poor appetite and was getting lethargic and the pop had a bit reddish color. Day two I took her to the vet and ask them to do a blood test. There was abnormal results with the bun and creatinine . I don’t remember what they prescribed. Third day she was getting weaker so I asked that test for distemper etc be done. Positive for distemper. Antibiotics, b complex and I.V were given . Knowing that the only thing that could kill the virus would body’s immune system. I immediately gave her 6,000 mg of cordycep an immune booster. Fourth day 4,000 mg of cordycep. She was on antibiotics for nine days. Fifth day onwards was 1,000 mg of cordycep. She started eating again on the fourth day and started playing a little on the fifth day. I.V was removed on the fifth day. Full recovery was on the tenth. Got her booster shot after a month. Thank God for these immune boosting supplements. I get mine from green world for only 9 pesos per capsule of 1,000 mg.
bailey is doing fine!!!! but on daily anti seizure meds. glad you shared your story, hopefully dogs owners who are fighting distemper will find your story helpful! the more dogs saved, the happier we will all be 🙂
hi.. i read your story and like others, my 2-month old chihuahua have distemper.. i would like to ask if you dont mind, how much is the spinal tapping in vets in practice? please email me the cost. tonijeanosoyos018@yahoo.com thank you 🙂
sent u email…
Hi, i have a 2 and half month old chowspitz and right now suffering from distemper> she’s having movements on her head while sleeping, discharge on her nose and less appetite. Went to Vet yesterday and was given a serum for brain which according to the Vet will prevent from virus to reach her brain cells. Also anitbiotics and vitamins were given to her twice a day. I was wondering if anyone here can tell me how much would it cost for spinal tap every session…. We are not rich but doing my best to somehow save money for my Pheebie in order to save her life…I don’t want to lose her… If any one with kind heart give me information on how much would be the new castle virus and spinal tap, i will give my best shot to have that budget and bring pheebie Asap for spinal tap….
Thanks…………….=(
the spinal tap is only once. it cost me less than 4k. there will be post tap antibiotics and neuromeds that are costly but only needed for a few days. is your dog twitching? if she is then go ahead with the tap. i had to use a credit card to pay for baileys vet costs so i know how you feel… keep me updated
Hi, i have a 2 and half month old chowspitz and right now suffering from distemper> she’s having movements on her head while sleeping, discharge on her nose and less appetite. Went to Vet yesterday and was given a serum for brain which according to the Vet will prevent from virus to reach her brain cells. Also anitbiotics and vitamins were given to her twice a day. I was wondering if anyone here can tell me how much would it cost for spinal tap every session…. We are not reach but doing my best to somehow save money for my Pheebie in order to save her life…I don’t want to lose her… If any one with kind heart give me information on how much would be the new castle virus and spinal tap, i will give my best shot to have that budget and bring pheebie Asap for spinal tap….
Thanks…………….=(
My Baby Gabby had to under go another spinal tap this wk this past thurs this is her second one in the past 6 mo =( the vet is very patient and kind =) she was vomiting again and wasnt holding any food or water down.. lets see how this holds up ..she hasnt gained any weight yet..
a second tap? ndv tap also? but was your dog cleared of distemper?
Yes a 2 tap yes she was cleared of d istempter
Hello Ms. Joyce, did u give bailey a bath when she has distemper? what did you use to clean her eyes?
no baths at all. i didnt want bailey to catch a chill. but i wiped her down with wet wipes and covered her with a towel. cleaned her eyes with cotton in tepid water. very hard to clean her eyes so i just did the best i could. how is your dog? did you have the ndv tap?
not yet..i’ve used kanglove for his distemper and parvovirus..I bought one of each vial, but unfortunately only her parvo got cured. I searched over the internet for some hollistic approach and now i’m trying 4Life Transfer Factor on him. I brought him in our province so he can really be watch over. He is given supportive treatment there and also Polynerv. I’m really praying for him to be back on his feet. He is very sweet.
Last Saturday, his stool started to have form which I think is a good sign, he still have colds but no cough anymore. Just last sunday, he is very sensitive to touch maybe becoz he tried standing but fell.
I didnt do the spinal tap because I fear he wouldnt make it, and at that time i’m also sick and didn’t have enough money since I have to pay for his confinement. I just hope that he’ll be back on his feet following me wherever I go.
@Kim Vera
hi ms. Kim tanung kolang sana kung kamusta ang 4life transfer factor sa dog mo may improvement ba?
@Ms. JOYCE
Hi Ms. Joyce yung shih tzu ko na si Cotton halos mag 1month ng walang kinakain super thin na sya skin and bone na pero ngayon pinipilit ko talaga sya subuan para kahit papaano magkaroon ng laman ang tiyan nya, malakas naman po sya uminom ng tubig yun nga lang kahit anung food ang iaalok ko ayaw nya kahit pa bbq dati paginalok ko sya kumakain sya kahit isang laman ngayon kahit ano talaga ayaw nya, tyaka wala na din shaking/twitching ng legs and arms nya pero last april 22, 2013 around 1pm nung tinawag ko sya yung penis nya matigas tapos yung head nya nagseshake pero mild lang tapos yung jaw or mouth nya up and down slowly kaya natakot ako first time ko nakita na ganun, pero ni minsan diko sya narinig na umiiyak. Sa ngayon ok naman nakakatayo at nakakalakad at pag gusto nya uminum pupunta sa cr tapos tatahol dati sa timba umiinum sya ngayon gusto nya sa natulong tubig galing sa gripo. Yung mata nya pala minsan namumula at sa ngayon laging may muta sticky ng konti pero yung sa nose wet lang na parang tubig di naman sticky, anu kaya maganda gawin para magkagana sya kumain. Sobrang mahal na mahal na mahal ko Cotton ko dipako ready na mawala sya. Kaya ito laging naiiyak kapag naiisip na paano kung kunin na ni Lord si Cotton ko. Sobra sobra pa naman ako magmahal kaya sobra ding apektado ako sa ngayon.
Hi Richie… I wish i could help but i cant do much except tell u again that you need to get Cotton tested to make sure its distemper. from your description it sounds like distemper to me. are you giving your dog antibiotics? are u able to forcefeed?
I think my dog suffers the same.. but Im just a student and I cant afford to pay for the procedure.. :(((
Chibi had her spinal tap yesterday performed by Dr. Jess of Vets in Practice, Madrigal, Ayala Alabang (846-7730 or 09175605859). We bought La Sota Strain virus from a poultry shop in Bayanan, Muntinlupa. After the treatment, she was so weak and as soon as we reached home, we force-fed her. Mashed beef pro and some bread. The food was coupled with Gatorade.
After a few minutes, she tried getting up. I offered her food, and she ate on her own! No seizures yesterday. And today morning before I sped my way to work, she moved out from her bed and walked to the kitchen… Still praying for my Chibi.
…will update via blog entry. Chibi-Chibi is such a fighter, and I know, she will make it.
I’m very happy to hear that your dog is surviving. I was researching Distemper treatments and found your article.
My 5-month old Chibi (Chibi-Chibi on Facebook) was misdiagnosed to be suffering from Kennel Cough last June 23. We gave her antibiotics as prescribed by the clinic for six days, on the 7th day, her first seizure happened. We brought her back to the Animal Clinic and she was confined for two days. My husband and I read more information online and read about NDV Spinal Tap. Today, Chibi will be brought to VIP in Alabang — I talked to Dra. MayAnn and she said that it’s 70%-30% chance of survival after the spinal tap. Check Chibi-Chibi on facebook. She was a wedding gift last January and we loved her like our own baby. Hoping that she survives… She’s such a fighter.
Today, my mom-in-law updated me that she does not want to open her mouth anymore. Yesterday, she still enjoyed munching on pork/chicken liver with rice + beef pro dog food, but now, she refrained from eating.
I need your prayers. Thank you for the information and hope you shared.
you have to force-feed Chibi. Mash dog food or people food, or better yet, blender-ize it. Then use a syringe to force feed her. praying for chibi’s survival! please update me!
yes how much it cost when doing the procedure sad to say my dog got that virus im from cebu i like to save my dogs it really help me a lot
the ndv tap is around 4k.. i tried emailing you, how is your dog now?
hi joyce i would like to know what is the procedure of NDV spinal tap? i have 6 months old husky and shows sign of distemper and would like to undergo to this procedure. how much will it cost? may i knw im frm cabanatuan city, nueva ecija and mandaluyong is far frm here so can u pls give me some idea hm money it will cost me so when i decided to go to mandaluyong i have enough mney to bring.. pls i really need your help. i already ask may vet no one here in Cabanatuan perform this procedure cause its very delicate. i wnt to save our furkid.. thank u
hi kathrine, sent you email… how is everything na?
I have a puppy going thru this right now and would appreciate any help you can give me ASAP! My vet is. I help and wants to put her to sleep. She is a 16 week old Goldendoodle. Please help us. We are in South Missississipp and no one around here has mentioned that there is any possible way to save her!
My phone number is 228-424-3163 if u wouldn’t mind calling me.
Thanks so much for your time!
Sincerely,
Eden Rubenstein
contact ed bond, he is based in new york and has network of vets in the us who can help. http://www.kindheartsinaction.com/contact-us click on that to get to his contact page on the Kind Hearts in Action website… you have to move FAST. puppies are not as adult dogs when it comes to distemper…
eden, tried ringing your phone but no answer…
Hello Joyce, I read your encouraging story and helps me build hope every day that pass for my doggie PEANUT, a 7 month old Lab that got distemper because of my procastination for giving it a second shot to prevent this horrible disease. I love the detail you describe your experince with it and Bailey. I did have NDV SPINAL tap on my dog, following your advice and ED BOND, and my dog is doing some progress… It’s still a long journey but I keep my faith and expectations high enough to defeat DISTEMPER… Is Bailey still doing better, how long did it took to see some of the sympthoms go away???
Thanks for your king response..
YOLO TARUT
bailey’s tap was march 22 ,2011 shes doing great except for grand mal seizures. she is under daily medication and it keeps the seizures away. she still twitches but can run, play, eat, have fun… please keep me updated on your dog because every experience that is put online will help other dog owners!
Hello there it’s me again Yolo, I wrote you couple moths ago after I had the NDV SPINAL TAP on my dog PEANUT, it’s been a long long journey but always keeping the faith that the treatment did something good. However today I’m not so high in my spirit since I have to face the horrible decision of putting PEANUT TO sleep, he;s is a fighter and has been trying to do his job in such a remarkable way…but I found out that his immune system is in such a bad shape that it’s kind of fighting against itself and no let it recover and killing his own red blood cells. I tried everything on my end and wad open to any kind of treatments. today I kind of regret not to take your advice all the way, I should have given COLLOIDAL SILVER like you do to your Bailey, i wonder if it would done a change to the end of this story and have like a happier aftermath like yours. My PEANUT has an infection that won its way in especially since its immune system is nOT doing its job. My heart is part broken because eI feel responsible my dog went through this living hell for procrastination. I think some much medication and chemicals weaken its system . My piece of advice is, use MILK THISTLE to detox the lever because seizure medicine is very aggressive in the long term, a lot of supplements to help on the recover. Today my dog can not get up and has lost its appetite and its just hanging in there but it is terribly sad and depressed. He was eating, running having long walks and trying to stay with me. I LOVE YOU PEANUT so much. Thank you for your helo and keeping this blog updated.
hi ms. joyce,
I am desperate for my Chloe, he is fighting against distemper. He was diagnosed last Saturday showing symptoms of this disease. (conjunctivitis and unusual beats in his head) The vet told us that the virus already reaches the brain and there’s no cure instead they gave us antibacterial suspension medicine CHLOROMYCETIN that he will take for 14days combined with CEELIN. But I cant wait for 14days to see what that meds will do for my Chloe, We need an advanced treatment. Reading your story gives me hope for my 5month zsitzu. We lived in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija. I hope that I can find NDV here in our place and a Vet that will help us to do the procedure. I am praying for my Chloe. Thank you Ms. Joyce for giving us knowledge and awareness about this illness. Godbless you always.
contact ed bond asap. he msy know of a vet in your area able to do a spinal tap with the NDV lasota strain virus. search Kind Hearts in Action and email Ed Bond thru that site. he has a worldwide network fighting vs distemper. if you can find a vet in your area willing to try a spinal tap, there is still hope…
Farmbreed Poultry Supply – 316 Quezon Ave., QC (near Pantranco, beside Meralco – Q. Ave.) 372-5019 / 372-5027.
Apparently, there are two types of the Newcastle vaccine, B1B1 and Lasota. (the poultry supply will ask which one will you get) According to Vets in Practice the Lasota type is the one used for the spinal tap.
Sadly though, Ulyan didn’t make it. He was very weak and unresponsive as the virus was already in the advanced stage.
Oh Rainier, I’m sorry to hear that… 😦 yes, if the virus gets too far, it’s bad. But I just want to thank you for trying anyway. I wish there were more people like you who are willing to go the extra mile for our furry best friends. Praying for your comfort… and thanks for the information, I think that was the same Poultry supply I went to before on Quezon Avenue… God bless your heart!
Thank you very much for the help and advise. I hope you continue the advocacy. While it is truly sad that Ulyan didn’t make it, there is comfort in knowing there are people who care enough to educate and inform fellow dog lovers on something like this. I’m sure each post and reply you make saves another furry life. More power to you!
Hi Ms. Joyce,
My 4-month old lhasa, Ulyan, is diagnosed with distemper. With his current condition, i think it is best to do the spinal tap on him since he is already twitching. I called the VIP to inquire about the Newcastle disease vaccine and where to get it but they could not provide me with a particular supplier, so i would just want to ask what poultry supply in quezon ave provided for the vaccine you used for Bailey. Could you please provide me with the details such as the address and phone number of the poultry supply?
Thank you very much!
Rainier
hmmmm… I really don’t remember the Poultryy Supply but I will do some research right now online….
Found a page online with addresses and numbers of Poultry Supply businesses. I tried calling some of them but it’s like 10pm now and no answer. Try calling in the morning. Keep me updated!
here is the page. Click lang here.
Thank you very much for taking time to help! I was able to find a poultry supply earlier; and Ulyan received the spinal tap from Doc Alison right away. Although the virus is already in the advanced stage, I am still hoping for best results. Your blog is indeed very helpful and pet owners like me surely appreciate this endeavor.
okay, could you supply the name and number and addy of the poultry supply? it will be very helpful to others with the same problem. thanks, Praying for your dog…
Hi Ms. Joyce,
My 4-month old lhasa, Ulyan, is diagnosed with distemper. With his current condition, i think it is best to do the spinal tap on him since he is already twitching. I called the VIP to inquire about the Newcastle disease vaccine and where to get it but they could not provide me with a particular supplier, so i would just want to ask what poultry supply in quezon ave provided for the vaccine you used for Bailey. Could you please provide me with the details such as the address and phone number of the poultry supply?
Thank you very much.
Rainier
Hi,
I got the NVD serum. And my dogs got tap. My dogs have major improvements. We are still monitoring them because it was yesterday that they got the medicine.
okay, im glad that there are improvements! please update me again in the next few days. all your information and exleriences will help people reading this blog, so they too will know what to expect after the Tap is done. praying for your dog…
Hi Joyce,
I’ve read the story of Ms. Moira and I guess I’m having the same battle of survival for my dear Bella. I don’t know if I misinterpreted her illness before because as far as my research is concern, and as far as i observed her condition all I thought it was Kennel Cough so I bought a medicine for curing it. To my surprise it was Distemper which is a contagious disease of canines. I bought an antibiotic (Doxycycline – prescription gave of a Vet) and a soluble dextrose for ingestion and I guess it works (I hope). What she have now is a Seizure that makes my heart cries every time I see her that way. What else can I do to help her survive her illness? San po ba ang Vets in Practice and if my contact number po kyo ng clinic na yun…thank you…
-RJ
http://vetsinpractice.multiply.com/journal
that is the link to the site of vets in practice. Doxycycline will not kill the distemper virus. it will only protect from secondary infection. your best bet is the NDV spinal tap. its not a guarantee but it will give your dog a better chance of survival.
hello po. where can i buy colloidal silver and newcastle disease vaccine?
Colloidal Silver at Vets in Practice or the Saturday and Sunday Markets in Makati.
NDV from a poultry supply. the one i went to was on Quezon Avenue. call vets in practice to get the addy and number.
is your dog fighting distemper?
Hi,
I saw your success story about the distemper virus. I am currently looking for this serum to help my 3 dogs. I am currently in Aruba and is planning tomorrow morning to the states to buy the serum at a vet that is using it in Orlando. What are the advice you can give me when my dog is given the serum?
hello, please contact Ed Bond, he runs a worldwide csmpaign vs distemper. search through the comments in this blog post to find his email or search Kind Hearts In Action on google to find his website and contact hin through there. He can give you the BEST advice. please contact him asap. he is based in NeW York…
HI gabby is doing pretty good after her spinal tap almost been amo i believe but she hasnt put on any weight =( what can i do or feed her to make her gain weight? she did have worms prior to the surgery and the vet treated her for them and done a fecal no more worms.. what else can i do ty
DeAnna, it took bailey about 7 to 8 months before she started gaining some weight. And even then, she is still not as full as I’d like her to be. But at least her ribs aren’t poking out anymore. Just keep on feeding your dog what she likes. I feed Bailey twice a day now. Three times a day and even more when she was post NDV Tap…
Thankyou will do =) i will start feeding her atleast 3 x and see if that helps
Hi, Thank you and everyone for this most valuable information. My dog Amora is fighting distemper and I am waiting on a shipment of the Serum. I will start giving them to her 12 hours apart. I did the research and the Spinal Tap would cost me extremely too much. So I am believing that this will do it, even though she is having the jerking in her hind legs. I have a long story like you about this journey. I so do appreciate your information. I was told by my dog’s previous vet to put down all six dogs that were exposed. I refused. Three of the exposed puppies died. The momma(Amora) she is a fighter!!! I told her as long as she was fighting I would fight with her. She is a rescue animal and I didn’t know her vaccination record. She is a German Shepard/Doberman mix and she is one Bad Chick(LOL). On another note. I went to the fed store in the beginning and they told me to give my dog penicillin shots as well. Her vet gave her antibiotics. We were giving her one shot of the penicillin a day. I just figure it couldn’t hurt. She was already fighting a deadly disease. They seem to help so much!!
From what I know, once the jerking and twitching starts, the serum is useless. However, you can do a spinal tap using the Serum you bought. In my country, the Philippines, the Spinal Tap is much cheaper. Regarding using the Serum for the Spinal Tap, please search for Kind Hearts in Action on Google and do more research there.
A Vet in South Africa accidentally used the serum in the spinal tap and the dog was up and running about in a couple days. Visit Kind Hearts in Action – there is a video there of the dog.
This gives me some much needed hope. My baby was diagnosed with this today. It has been a struggle, for first she had Parvo, then she supposedly had kennel cough. I know now that it was the beginning stages of distemper. She was put on a strong antibiotic, showed improvement- but not much. Meds ended, and she continued to get worse. She lay now a little skeleton in her crate twitching, and hooping of the eyes. I’m calling a new vet tomorrow to see if they do the spinal tap. I’m not giving up on my baby girl until she gives up. She really is a fighter. Parvo was no big deal for her, and with an antibiotic shot from the vets earlier, she seems to have already improved a little. Hopefully we can get her better. I’m scared to death. She is still the sweetest dog ever. I just held her today after the vet. She kept trying to lick my tears away. Poor baby. I love her so much. Her story is tragic enough- this can’t be the way she goes. When she was 2-3weeks old, she was found by a dumpster by one of my friends’ friend. He took her in, couldn’t care for her, gave her to my friend, she couldn’t care for her, so she gave her to me. After knowing this, I named her Hope. She really is as tough as nails. I’m praying she gets through this. Wish my family and I luck!
Lauren, your story made me cry! I just thank God there pare people like you who care so much. Please contact Ed Bond (via email – search thru the comments here, his email addy is everywhere here)for a vet in your area who can do the tap. He has a network of vets all over the world who do the tap. I am guessing your vet might not know of the ndv tap because he/she wouldve suggested it. The sooner you get the tap, the better. I am praying haaaaaaard for baby. Please drop me a comment to update me… Be strong and be brave for your baby!
I am glad Bailey survived. Guess what? My 4 month baby toy poodle survived from distemper as well 🙂 Thank God. I prayed to Jesus and asked him for a new life for my baby poodle and the amazing God did gave it to her (: How’s dog doing now?
Hi Joyce! I just want to THANK you for this blog! This gave me so much HOPE for my dog Chico! He’s sick the past days and we went to the vet to check out! 10minutes ago, the vet called and told me that Chico is positive with canine distemper! I was reading blogs and searching about this disease and I was just hoping That the vet will give me negative results! Unfortunately, my dog chico is positive with the disease!! I was crying all day and night seeing him restless, and my heart broke when the vet told me about the results! I read your blog and I was really touched! I called the number that u posted immediately and inquired about the procedure!! Tomorrow my sled is to buy NDV spinal tap and hopefully get the procedure within the week! I don’t want my Chico to die,… By the way, how’s Bailey Girl now? I hope she’s better! Thank u again Joyce 😉
Ayee hello! Bailey is okay but she needs to take daily meds to control her seizures. The seizures began in November or December last year. Praying that your dog will make it. You must guard fiercely against secondary illnesses that may show up during the post-Spinal Tap period when your dog will be prone to them. So the medicines after the Spinal Tap are SO important. Please keep me updated! God bless!
hi joyce. thanks for this het-warming and very encouraging story. one question i would like to ask, can you please provide source(s) that i can purchase the colloidal silver? thanks in advance for your reply..
sorry for my late response – colloidal silver is available at the Sunday Market 7am to 2pm at Legaspi St in Makati. Look for the guy who sells Kefir and Dead Sea Salt. He also sells Colliodal Silver. My second source is Vets in Practice at the Mandaluyong Circle. Text my office phone 0918.959.3343 if you have questions pa…
Hi! My baby barney is experiencing exactly what bailey went through. He wast first diagnosed with pyelonephritis and was sent home. Later, it was blood parasites naman an he was confined for a week in the animal clinic. They said that he has arrhythmia also and that he has right ventricular enlargement in the xray. I noticed that he was getting worse so i brought him to Vets in Practice to seek for a 2nd opinion. At this point, barney had labored breathing already. He was such in bad shape. They even asked if i would want to ‘let him down’ but he’s been fighting since day 1. They gave me 3 options- the spinal tap, the poultry serum and the immunoglobulins to e given daily. I opted for the immunoglobulins as it was the safest and most conservative but after reading your blog about bailey, i would like to learn more about the spinal tap.. If it wouldnt be too much to ask, it would mean a lot if you could shed some light regarding this matter. I really couldnt lose barney 😦 pls help 😦 they gave me antibiotics for his respiratory problem and some vitamins.. His breathing has improved a bit since yesterday..
if your dog is twitching then go for the NDV spinal tap. very very very few dogs survive distemper even with supportive treatment. you need aggresive treatment and the Spinal Tap gives your dog a bigger fighting chance to survive. Remember, this is my opinion
as a pet owner who has experienced distemper thru my dog. i am not a vet. there are some dogs who do not survive even after the tap. but there are more dogs who survive whrn given the tap. pkease visit Kind Hearts in Action to see videos of survivors and get more details. just search them in google. keep me updated
I have fighting back tears as I googled distemper….looking for anything to give me some hope. I came across this wonderful information you have posted.
I have a 14 wk old daschound that was saved from a shelter out of state. Within a few days of getting her she had horrible diarrhea. It would last a day or two then get better. I wasn’t too concerned knowing the stress of being in a shelter then an 8 hr drive to me. Anyway I noticed a little runny nose and eyes but wasn’t too concerned because it cleared quickly. The process started over last week. I took her to my vet who wasn’t sure, did rule out parvo. Her temp was normal. He have her meds for a bacterial infection in case that was cause the diarrhea. 5 days later I take her back. Coughing, severly congested, not eating etc. They sent test off for distemper. I am giving her 600-900ml of sub q fluids daily, gen/pen antibiotics, breathing treatments for her pneumonia. But, this morning I noticed some twitching. She will not eat or drink anything…the fluids are keeping her alive. I’m scared, I love on her continuously. I went to puck her up earlier and she screamed. It broke my heart… I’m thankful for you posting Baileys experience. I’m so afraid but now I have a little hope.
i feel your pain and hope that you were able to find a doctor vet who can do the spinal tap. your story sounds so much like mine and im praying that your dog will survive. please update me if you can, thanks!
your story is wonderful. I am sure a lot of owners will now know what to do. I am a bit dissapointed that the Vets could not diagnose the disease early enough.
so touching story ms. joyce…..this made me cry talaga…..bailey girl is so lucky to have a pet parent like you….wish there would be more dog owners like you who will love their pets unconditionally….God will surely bless for you had a kind heart….nakaka relate ako sobra kasi my dog suffered from pheumonia a week after her delivery…..a 5 day struggle is soooo long for me, i was about to give up, but God works in mysterious ways….she survived……i’ve posted your link in facebook para malaman ng lahat that distemper is curable…with the help of tlc and prayers……bless you ms. Joyce…..thank you so much for sharing….
by the way this is the picture of my dogs..http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=389182024443390&set=a.382873568407569.101891.100000547884514&type=3&theater
hi J, I checked out your dogs, they are so so so adorable! My pets are so important to me and I just love to go home to be with them. And I enjoy taking them out on the weekends! I thank God everyday for creating such wonderful companions 🙂
Hello Joyce,
Thanks for documenting Bailey’s distemper journey. It gives me hope that my dog, Ralph, still has a chance.
A couple of questions though:
1) How is Bailey now? ie- Did her twitching symptoms subside somewhat?
2) How much did the spinal tap cost as well as the NDV that they injected in her spine?
The reason I’m asking is because I need to make a decision as to whether to try the NDV spinal tap. Cost is an issue right now, especially since I have already spent so much trying other cures. Also, geography is an issue since I will have to travel from Marinduque. (Thank God, Ralph can still fit in his dogy crate.)
Any information is much appreciated.
Joey
1) the twitching is the same. she also suffers from regular seizures. she takes daily meds for that.
2) around 4k. the ndvirus is a couple hundred pesos. post ndv meds will cost 300pesos or more a day.
it is costly. i put my bill on my credit card, cried for ten minutrs then told myself its worth the gamble.
i can be reached at my office phone 09189593343
Thanks, Joyce. With all that I’m going through right now, it is incredibly nice when people, whom I don’t know from Adam, would take the time to help. Hope you are having a nice day.
Joey
We have a distemper outbreak in our subdivision and I’m really afraid. I have 3 babies and I don’t know how can I protect them. Their shots are updated and I’m giving them vitamins everyday. I hate irresponsible owners who just left their dogs outside their houses, I can almost see dogs twitching. I tried to talk to them about the virus but they even laught at me. I don’t know what to do now. As of now there are about 20 dogs died 😦
my dog woolsey was on colloidal silver when bailey was ill. i believe the colloidal silvrr protected him. im not a vet tho so please check with a vet familiar with colloidal silvrr. i gave woolsey a teaspoon in the am in his food and a tsp at night. colloidal silver is sold atvone of the health stores at legaspi market or at VIP.
your dogs’ shots should be enough protection tho. best is to keep them inside until the problem blows over.
For more advice visit Kind Hearts In Action online. Search on google
Yes he is twitching just like bailey in the video. But the vet recommended that the serum is more effective than the spinal tap.. this morning was his last shot. And aftr that he was having a hard time standing up on his own.. Was it difficult to feed bailey? Just yesterday while i was feeding him, i noticed he was having a hard time chewing and his jaw is difficult to open maybe due to the twitching? How about bailey, was he able to chew his food well despite His jaw twitching? Thanks.
Our vet is also from vets in practice in mandaluyong.
Well, from what I understood from Ed Bond, he leads a huge network of vets fighting distemper, once the dog reaches the neurological stage (the twitching) then the serum is no longer effective. You HAVE to do the Spinal Tap. Please contact Mr. Ed Bond because he is the expert in this matter and I’m just blessed to have my dog survive it. Go to his website here and contact him.
Bailey had the Serum when she was already twitching. Two days later, I insisted that we do the NDV Spinal Tap and then we just waited, prayed and cared for Bailey until she slowly recovered. The Tap gives your dog a last ditch effort to stop the virus in it’s tracks. While many dogs respond, there are some that still lose the battle. But please contact Ed Bond asap because time is running out…
Yes, I need to second the two comments above. When a dog is neurologic, the sub-Q injection of NDV-induced serum will do nothing for the neurologic problems. This is because of the blood-brain barrier. It will block the treatment from reaching the nerve tissue where the virus is doing the damage. The spinal tap is needed. You need to either have the straight NDV injected or you could — as was performed in South Africa last year — have the serum injected into the spinal canal. More information is on our websites at http://www.kindheartsinaction.com/ or write me directly at ed.bond.new.york@gmail.com.
Hi Ed, wow, you can inject the serum into the spinal canal!?? Wow, and it worked? Awww, that’s amazing! THanks so much for being a Kind Heart In Action!
The vet in South Africa had misread the protocol, used the serum instead of the NDV vaccine in the spinal tap and the dog is doing well. The pup was also treated early, so that was another factor. Here’s the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2n4ODyEEMUE
Hi. Just read your blog about distemper. My dog has it, and we just finished his serum injection (dog donor) this afternoon. He’s too weak to stand up. I just want to ask how did u assist your dog when every time he would urinate? Was he able to stand up and urinate during his recovery? Thanks a lot
yes, bailey could somehow manage to pee on her own. my question is this – is your dog twitching? because if he or she is, you need to do a spinal tap. the serum doesnt work once the dog starts twitching. that is what i understand from my vet… keep me updated…
i really need help my foster pup had distemper she got the serum shots..its been since feb 5 2012 since she had them and she was doing well but now she is twitching horribly and she has lost extremly alot of weight.. and shes having trouble keeping food down.. i dont know what to do any advice.. u can email me a c a r e b e a r 4 u @ yahoo.com the email is all close together no spaces.. any help will b greatly apperciated
Hi Moira , I was searching the internet for topic about DISTEMPER and it’s cures . My dog is exhibiting the disease , although the doctor ran out of the test kit to confirm it , nonetheless it’s very clear that he has one… I came across the treatment call NDV Spinal Tap… I read some of the posts here …Found out that it will cost me thousands of pesos for my dog to get that treatment . I am heart-broken since I cant really afford to pay that, I think I would need to ask my relatives and friends an AID , many thanks for posting this topic. God bless !
HOping your dog makes it. And I hope you find financial help because it is costly. The Spinal Tap is cheaper tho than the Serum FYI…
Hi Joyce. Moira here again. Hope you still remember me. I was the one who consulted you about my dog a month ago. Well, unfortunately my dog only survived a month after giving the NDV spinal tap. She was given the NDV last February. after that she showed some signs of improvement. Actually, it was a roller coaster ride for her…you may never know if she is improving or not. But nevertheless, we lost her after a month. Her immune system never gained back …though she did not show any twitches and she was on her respiratiory phase of infection, she hard a hard time to cope with her flu-like symptom…and her scabies started to show off. Well, it has been a very challenging experience and interesting battle with this kind of disease. What I have learned is that we really have to strengthen the resistance of our dogs by giving the right amount of supplements to support their immune system specially now that weather is really bad this time. It will be very hot in the morning until afternoon, and suddenly it will rain late afternoon or evening. It is really hard…but I have learned a lot really…I hope that every dog owner will be very patient in dealing this disease…and I mean it, it is so difficult to have this kind of disease on your dogs. Just give them all the love and affection and quality time…Thanks again Joyce for all your thoughts and advices…it helped a lot and more power to Bailey and wish you both all the best!
Moira
Dear Moira: My heart broke when I read your story 😦 I am so sorry you lost your dog after such a loooong battle. And it was also an expensive battle but I salute you for trying. I feel so bad that it didn’t work for your dog 😦 so so bad. I don’t know what comfort to give you because I know what it is like to lose a beloved furry friend and it is just terrible. I had a Fox Terrier that succumbed to a heart murmur. We didn’t know he had been building up fluid in his body because of the murmur. We thought he was getting fat because of age. By the time we discovered, it was too late and the Doctor said all we could do was use medicines to extend his life for several more months. So we did that but even with the extension of life, parang kulang pa din. We eventually had to put Andy down and it was one of the saddest days of my life. I was so sad that I couldn’t sleep for 24 hours. And that’s a major major thing for someone like me who superly thrives on beauty sleep, LOL! But I have GREAT and WONDERFUL memories of Andrew Love and how faithful he was. I even have a song that we sort-of composed for him. And when we reminisce, we sing the song and laugh and remember Andy. My 2 year old Chihuahua Ramses has the same coloring as Andy – we bought Ramses precisely because he reminded us so much of Andy and yet looked like a different dog.
Anyway, my deepest condolences to you and I thank you for sharing your story, even if it ended with loss and pain. I am praying many pet-owners will learn after reading your comment and bringing their dogs to the Vet for complete shots – the best way to prevent illnesses like Distemper, etc. God bless you!
Joyce
I am going through the same battle with a dog as we speak. I have babied her in every way possible and she appears to be improving and her appetite is pretty good, but her hung legs are completely uncoordinated and she can’t get around. She is having the jerking but her eyes and nose has cleared up. I’m taking her back to the vet today and hopefully they will see improvements. I too didn’t get her puppy shots (the only one of our 5 who hasn’t had them) and I feel horrible about it. I am hopeful that she improves because she is a big baby and loves me just like the other rotten 4. Pray Gypsy survives like your Bailey and becomes my happy bouncy little girl again, please!!
Glad to hear yours survived!!!
If your Vet can do the Spinal Tap, it’s going to give your dog a huge fighting chance… please keep me updated. I’m praying your Gypsy rides this one through… I got SO close to Bailey when she was ill and even if I hate myself for not getting her her shots, the one good thing that came out of this Distemper illness was that we became so much closer to each other. I love her more now than ever before 😉
Hi,
This could be my last shot! And i really wanted to thank you i came across to this post. I have my 3 month old Siberian Husky which was diagnosed distemper 3 days from now and was discharged immediately from the hospital. It’s been 4 days now in my care and I’m not giving up on her. I already cost nearly 15K just to make my darling come to her original form. So far i haven’t seen her twitching thou she has this irregular intake of food just like you experienced. One day she’ll eat this and after the next meal she wont. One again I so thank you for this….
God bless always.
Hi James, have you brought your dog to Vets in Practice yet? Hoping you can update me…
now my Labrador STING is still under medication. still fighting for his survival for distemper. Every time i am feeding him with his food, I realized that this is what a parent will do to his child. Kahit binabatikos ako ng Land lady ko at kabilang tenant because they are all against my dogs, I still defend my dog from them. Hindi lang basta labrador si STING kasi, I considered him as my son. I will be with my dog till the end. walang iwanan.
Dear Purpaul, if you want the chances of your dog’s survival to increase, I strongly suggest you go to Vets In Practice or any of their affiliates to get an NDV Spinal Tap if your dog has reached the Neurological Stage – when they are twitching. I am not a Vet, but from the research I have done and the experience I have been thru, the best way to fight distemper is the Tap or the Serum. Right now, your medications are only meant to strengthen the dog but not to stop the virus. That’s just the opinion of a non-vet so please please contact Vets in Practice. Or contact Mr. Ed Bond who has a worldwide campaign to help dog owners fight distemper, his website is edbond.com – he responds quickly to questions so please contact him asap and get his opinion on the matter…
Hi there!
Just a feedback from my labrador dog, STING who is positive for distemper virus when his Vet. Doc Mavel from VET LANE Animal clinic (She’s the vet. before at St. Gabriel Animal clinic in mandaluyong) test his blood. I informed Doc. Mavs regarding the procedure of VIP hospital re: distemper medications. As per my Vet, she will have 3 session shots of IMMUNOGLOBULIN, and ANTIBIOTIC INJECT & VIT.B1,B2,B3 INJECT. though the immunoglobulin is expensive at 2500/shot this would help fight the virus in his body. The Session started March 30,31 & April 1. Doc Mav, went to a homeservice together with Doc Paul, also from vet lane.
Im so hopless to see my dog Sting INJECTED for 4 times a day. im just praying that everything will be ok with sting. Now i just have his augmentin antibiotic intake daily plus the vitamins & dextrose powder in water solutions. his appetite increases a little bit but I still went through the spoon feeding for him. he will just eat boiled chicken liver mixed with soft dog food in can.
I love my dog so much, & even though I am financially broke, I still wanted to give my best to STING. even in to his last moment in life.
hi, my puppy who is 10 weeks old was just diagnosed with distemper… she had the runny nose, eye gunk, coughing & diarrea… the vet said it was distemper but that was the only vet visit i could make ending up with a $96 bill that took all my money. trying to get another part time job, but i cant afford another vet visit & she’s now not eating anything i give her. i cant afford to experiment with foods she will eat… is my only option to put her down?
Hi Rebecca, no, you can try to save your dog. There is still hope. Are you based in the US? Please contact Ed Bond – he is part of a big group in the US that helps pet owners and dogs fight distemper. Here is the website of the group – http://www.kindheartsinaction.com/ and you can email ed bond here – ed.bond.new.york@gmail.com
There is hope and you may be able to get financial assistance, just try and ask. Hoping your puppy makes it!
PS And even if you’re not in the US, contact Ed because his network of veterinarians is world-wide…
My 8 month old female yellow labrador died last march 24,2012 because of CANINE DISTEMPER VIRUS. that was a depressing stage in my life when I lose my JESSY girl. now I Suspected my Male yellow labrador having infected by canine distemper virus. please give me advise on this. i want to know how much is the total expenses it cost you. here’s my email address gp_marabayles@yahoo.com.ph
You’re other dog is in danger and I strongly recommend you bring your lab to the VIP Clinic where I brought Bailey. Am emailing you more details now.
Sent you email, please check your inbox and also your spam in case it went there. I am very concerned for your other dog, hoping you can bring him or her to Vets in Practice really soon…
hope she’ll bring her dog immediately to VIP, to lose one dog is really very depressing, so I really wish the other one to survive, Distemper is contagious…I’ll pray for her
Thank you so much for what you posted. my shihtzu has distemper as of now and reading your blog has given me tremendous hope. my vet gave me medicines for kirby but she said that if his immune system cant take it then they will suggest euthanasia. i will be very patient in taking care of kirby. you have no idea how much hope you gave me.
Cha, if your shitzu has distemper, you need to have the serum treatment or the NDV Spinal Tap depending on how far gone the virus is. Taking care of Kirby might not be enough. What kind of medicine are you giving Kirby?
The vet gave me Polynerv, Canitrim and a gel called Nutri tier. She even gave me Plasil and told me to give it to kirby to stop the vomiting but I have not given a single plasil since kirby isnt vomiting. The vet told me that Kirby has distemper just this Monday. Kirby was so weak the first 2 days but today he’s doing good.He sleeps most of the time but he could still walk. Im just worried that it’s just going to last temporarily then he’ll go back to being weak again. How can I tell that a dog is recovering from distemper?
The problem with Bailey, in the early stage of Distemper, was she would seem a little better and then she would start acting sick again. So we thought she was getting better. But she wasn’t. It took us two weeks to figure out what was wrong with her. By that time the virus was deep in her system.
The medicines you are giving your dog won’t stop the virus, IMHO. I am not a Vet so I’m just giving you my thoughts as a pet owner who has researched on Distemper and has successfully fought it together with her dog.
I believe Your Vet is hoping that your dog’s immune system will fight the Distemper Virus with the help of these medicines. Unfortunately, I know of no cure. But there is a way to stop the virus from progressing. And that’s thru either the Serum shots (before the dog starts twitching) and the NDV Spinal Tap (once the twitching has begun)
I have heard of dogs surviving the virus because of a strong immune system but this is rare. I still think you should bring your dog to Vets in Practice and their associated vet clinics because from what i know, they are the only ones who can make the Serum and who have experience in the spinal tap.
im checking http://vetsinpractice.multiply.com/journal right now. thank you for all your help. I still want to know more about how Bailey recovered.
Ahhhh… wow, Bailey’s recovery was VERY slow. The week after the NDV Spinal Tap she was still weak. Her appetite increased but very slowly. It was nerve-wracking. In fact, months after she recovered she was still skin and bones. It’s only in the past couple of months that she’s started to gain a bit of weight. Her spinal tap happened on Mar 22 last year, one year na has passed.
She still twiches all the time and is slightly uncoordinated but she can run well and can jump a bit. But she can’t jump as high as she used to. And she started having seizures in November last year and now she is on daily medication to keep the seizures away. Thankfully the meds are not expensive.
Hoping you bring your dog to VIP soon!
my kirby has twitches already. it seems hes chewing and wont stop even if he’s sleeping. how much did you pay for the spinal tap? is it less than 10k? how many spinal tap are needed. i know i should be asking from vip but i feel comfortable asking from you.
Yes Cha, Kirby has reached the neurological stage, I believe. Although I am not a Vet and you will have to get the opinion of the Vets in VIP. My advice, don’t do the Serum anymore that’s super super expensive and it’s too late for that. Go na for the NDV spinal tap. Its around 4k if I remember correctly. The antibiotics and neuro meds after the Spinal Tap are very expensive also. Only one spinal tap yan. When you get to VIP, go ahead and be makulit. Just do not bring your dog inside the clinic because baka mag spread ang virus. Leave your dog in the car with someone and tell the vets that it’s a distemper case and you want the spinal tap. You might be asked to buy the Newcastle Virus from a Poultry store on Quezon Ave so be prepared to spend the whole afternoon doing this. All in all it will be less than 10k. It is very very expensive but if you can afford it and are willing to spend it then thank God for people like you! Our dogs are almost perfect examples of unwavering loyalty. They deserve loyalty from us too!!!
The Newcastle Virus is what they will inject into your dog’s spinal column. It’s a bird virus that curiously stops the Distemper virus from getting worse. Basically, it pushes your Dog’s system to overwhelm the virus and stop it in its tracks. At least that’s what I understand. VIP might have to do the tap right on the parking lot although I heard that they are supposed to build a separate room to handle distemper cases and other highly communicable cases. Bailey had hers done on a wooden bench in the parking lot of the Vet. It was very National Geographic, to say the least. You are doing the right thing Cha! Please send me photos of your dog. If you can video the Spinal Tap and upload it, please do. Will put it in my blog. I took a video of Bailey’s Tap but I accidentally erased it!!! GRRRRR! Your video will help many pet owners understand what kind of treatment it is 🙂
kindly email me the total cost for the spinal tap. here is my email cccharmae@yahoo.com. im bringing kirby to Vets in Practice tomorrow. I just hope they’re open on sundays. i read your answer around 10pm i tried to call the clinic but obviously there was no answer. Thank you so much again
text my office cp 0918.959.3343
Cha, my laptop is acting wierd and can’t access my email bigla. text my office cp 0918.959.3343
Dear Joyce,
So happy to hear that Bailey is alive and well. Right now me and my family are struggling to keep our 8 dogs alive, having been contracted with the virus earlier.
I’ve come across multiple articles regarding the NDV serum and NDV spinal tap. My brother had contacted Ed Bond and he referred us to a vet here in Jakarta for possible treatment. The vet had tried the serum before with a puppy from an owner who bought the serum in Phillipine. The effort was unsuccesful, but i would still like to try rather than leave it to chances.
As it would be very hard and time consuming to find a donor dog to be injected with the NDV vaccine to produce the serum, I’m wondering if you can share infos on where i can purchase it in Phillipine? How expensive is the serum?
Thanks you for sharing your experience, take care and God bless you!
Regards,
Iskandar
Jakarta, Indonesia
Dear Iskandar:
THe serum is used on dogs that haven’t reached the neurological stage. Once they reach that stage, only the NDV will work. That is what I know but I am not a Vet so don’t take my word for it.
Regarding the serum, I believe you can purchase it from the Vet my dogs go to IF they have left-over serum. They used left-over serum for Bailey so I didn’t have to find a donor dog. Contact Vets in Practice, here is their number – (0632) 5355951 and (0632) 533 7965
Here is the blog – http://vetsinpractice.multiply.com/journal
Praying that you find a way to save your dogs!
Joyce
I had the same experience. Two of my dogs got distemper virus, my dog and his puppy. My pup survive with no muscle twitching and all, and i was so happy. But then my other dog got infected, he was a year older and was given the same treatment with my pup but he didnt survive, he also had the same symptoms as with your Bailey.. ;(
So happy for you and Bailey!
Hi Clare I am so sorry that your other dog did not make it. It is ALWAYS heart=breaking to lose a beloved pet. Sometimes I wish God made our pets live longer but we just have to trust that He knows best. Glad your pup is fine and even happier that there are no post-Distemper symptoms. Thanks so much for sharing!
Hi Joyce.., thank you for your reply. It’s me again.
Right now my dog is still fighting the symptoms brought about by distemper. We have been very patient in dealing with it for almost 3 weeks now. The dog became better last week…but the other day she started again to exhibit flu. So right now, she is having some mucus coming out of the nose but it is controlled however. We started again giving antibiotics, doxycycline. I know that it is really hard and difficult to treat this disease, sometimes you see the dog better, then on the next days, you will see again that the dog seems to be weak and having other infections, really hard. But we are crossing our fingers for the best still. And we know that the NDV given to my dog 3 weeks ago will be a big help to control other possible infections. Right now we are monitoring the flu. Then tomorrow we have received a go signal to give the annual vaccinations of other dogs, because some of them are due now for vaccination.The dog with distemper actually is also due for vaccination but we can not give the vaccine yet since she is still sick and weak. But as soon as she recovers fully, we are giving her the vaccine as she always have it every year. Well. it’s been a roller coaster ride for the almost a month now. Hope this will end very soon and see our dog happy again…
Thanks again and have a nice day.
Moira
Hi Joyce,
Just a question, Mr. Ed Bond recommends giving Karo syrup to stimulate appetite of sick dogs. Is it fine as well to use honey instead of karo syrup? Honey is more natural and proven also to increase the immune system.
My dog is doing fine after more than a week of spinal tap. She is a little bit makulit na and keeps on biting the tubing of the IV fluids. So ilang beses na kami nagkakabit ng dextrose, when we wake up in the morning we can see that the dextrose is either bulged or naputol nya ang tube..hahaha she keeps on biting it. Maybe she doesn’t want to have the dextrose anymore…but the vet advised us to continue it for 5 more days, it is supposed yo be her last day today on fluids but since it is always interrupted we decided to continue until tomorrow, Friday. Yesterday we started nebulizing her. We just have one concern which is her breathing is still fast…even at rest or sleeping. This is the only symptom which she had early during the time she was diagnosed until now. Thickening of the pads and cracking of nose were somehow diminished. Her runny nose were gone…
I hoped that she will continue to improve so that we can start playing around and go back to her normal life with other dogs. By the way, do you have an idea how can we say that she is totally healed? If we see her active, can we say that she is already healed? Do dogs get distemper only once in their lives or is there any possibility that there is chance of having again? Is there a time frame that we have to expect that she is totally cleared from distemper? Because our worriy is that if we mix her with other dogs in the kennel, some dogs might be contaminated…which we definitely do not like that to happen again.
I will keep you updated of my dog’s condition…thank you again for giving us word of hope and inspiring us with your blog. It is indeed a big help.
God bless and more power!!!
Moira
Hi Moira… here are my answers:
1) Honey for dogs – I read a few articles online that say it’s okay for adult dogs but not puppies. Please do more research though on this.
2) Dextrose – when Bailey had her spinal tap, the doctor gave me this interesting type of dextrose – We let the dextrose drip into her with the needle in the skin of her shoulderblades until it formed a big bump of water on her back. Then we removed the needle and the bubble would slowly subside as the liquids sank into her system. This was a 15 to 20 minute procedure that eliminated the need for 24 hours dextrose. Ask your vet about it. Oh, but it’s your last day na pala so just do it the way you’ve been doing it, hehehe…
3) Breathing – not sure if this is bad or good. But with Bailey, her breathing is obviously a bit faster than before. I assume it’s because she has a permanent twitch and that causes her siguro to breathe a little faster and to burn more calories than the average dog.
4) Total healing – Bailey’s nervous system had already been damaged by the Distemper Virus and as a result she still twitches up to now and the vet says she’ll most likely be twitching for life. But the twitching becomes less severe over time. The problem we have now is seizures. Bailey has severe seizures and is on phenobarbital medication everyday. Buti nalang the medicine is not so expensive. The vets say the seizures are due to the damage caused by Distemper but can be managed with medication. Will your dog be completely healed? It depends on how much damage the virus did but the best person to ask would be your vet and maybe also Ed Bond. Email him or visit his website.
5) Mixing with other dogs – don’t mix your Distemper survivor with other dogs until he/she is clear of the Virus. To find out if she had completely shed the virus, you need to bring her/him to the vet for another Distemper test.
Very happy that your doggie is recovering!
today is his 7th day after his spinal tap he but he is still lying but we can see that he really wants to walk but his body cant.. he is still on his roller coaster period.. and yes we do talk to him with positive words and we’re always with him specially when he cries for pain.. we still force feed him coz he still dont have appetite and maybe because of his damage tongue kase nakakagat nia ng di nia sadya because of the twitches on his jaw.. Dr. Dan gave us Gabapentin for neuropathic pain..
we’re not giving up as long as we can see that he is fighting.. we’re just hoping to see him active as bef0re soon..
thanks again for all the info u p0st here.. this really helps a lot..
For anyone having trouble in the post-spinal tap recovery phase, you should check out our discussion board on these issues. Owners are sharing their stories and what works/doesn’t work here: http://www.edbond.com/distemper/discussion/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2410
To improve appetite, try using karo syrup in the drinking water. That’s discussed there.
Everyone guys, Ed Bond here was instrumental in helping me make decisions about the treatment of my dog Bailey. If your dog is showing signs of distemper, please visit the discussion board in the link above. It will HELP YOU MAKE DECISIONS that will be crucial to the survival of your dog. Thanks so much Ed for your advocacy. My dog Bailey is happy and alive today thanks to your hard work online to spread information about how to fight Distemper. God bless you!
Alright, i really appreciate the update 🙂 it took two weeks before my Bailey started showing very clear signs of mild recovery. Keep up the good work!
Joy hi I am so happy to witness how this blog helps a lot of dog owners, and you indeed helped save doggies’ lives. This spinal tap, I am thinking if it was already available way back 1998, or in case it is indeed available will it save my dog’s life then? during those time I only went home on Weekend so it was only then I can see my dog, one thing I noticed about him that I knew was not normal was the lower part of his mouth, it was moving upward-downward, so I brought him to a vet clinic near our place, I was told he was at the final stage of distemper, as compared to cancer he was at the 4th stage.. so is that the stage that you mentioned that is quite too late to heal? well of course those were things of the past, maybe that’s why your blog as well as the feedback of the dogowners are giving me joy because I know dogs now can survive distemper, especially if their humans trully care for them… by the way years ago, I think I saw you at VIP’s Old clinic, I think we even smiled at each other then, but well you know I just can’t remember the situation then, it was one of Peso’s surgeries I know but I am not sure if I bought him there for surgery then or I was about to bring him out… I just remember it… I am not sure LOL
Cel, thanks for sharing 🙂 I am not qualified to answer your question however, just scroll around in my comments section and look for Ed Bond’s comments – he has links to discussion boards and his website where you might be able to get answers. 🙂
Anyway, next time you see me at VIP, you MUST say hi okay? It would be good to meet you!
where can we buy colloidal silver & is it expensive?? Dr. Dan is the vet who made the spinal tap on our dog.. we’re still hoping he can still survive ..
You can buy Colloidal Silver at Vets in Practice. It can help your Dog fight infections of all kinds. Spray it into his food or directly in the mouth. You can also use a syringe but make sure the body is upright when force feeding liquids because you don’t want liquids to enter his lungs. It is a slow recovery for some dogs. Be patient… and be there for your dog. Just your presence alone will lend strength to your dog. I would always whisper sweet nothings and positive words to Bailey when she was sick…. keep me updated..
his 4th day today since he had spinal tap on VIP.. and i d0n’t know whats g0ing on.. he is still so weak and now he bites his tongue and i don’t know what medicine to give.. he cries everytime we force feed him.. maybe because of his damage tongue 😥 the vet there advised to give him pet gel but vet clinic near us dont have it haaayyyzz.. i read about colloidal silver u think this can help for his tongue?? 😥
Thank you. I really hope so that she gets better in the next days. Today we will be at VIP for check up and assessment. My dog is stable but the thing is, she started to get a bit “makulit” on her cage…she responds a bit when called…but she still breathes a little bit fast than the normal. She can open her eyes better than before she had the spinal tap. She is still on her antibiotics and supplements like vit c and vit b…I would like to document it but I have not taken videos, after these, I will find time to make an article about my dog…but I cans ay now that everything is doing well and hope she recovers very soon. Again, thank you. It was really worth the wait and patience indeed is the key word for this kind of disease. 🙂
Those are all good signs, I believe your Dog will get better as long as you guard against secondary illness. Thanks much for being such a loving Dog Friend!
Hi Ms. Joyce. Good day!
I am Moira from Manila and I happen to read your article about Canine Distemper. I have a siberian husky which is inflicted with distemper. We noticed that she became weak like two weeks ago, had runny nose, looks disoriented, and no appetite. We thought that she only had a flu so we gave her antibiotics and bromhexine. But unfortunately, she did not get well. I have noticed as time passes, her nose is getting dry and cracked and the foot pads were getting hard and thick. Her eyes were so gunky, sleepy and breathes so fast. I am so worried. Then we decide to go to the vet and injected her with antibiotics and some shots for flu for 3 days but never improved a bit. Then I have researched diseases about dogs and came across canine distemper and when I was reading about it, the signs and symptoms were exactly the same as my dog’s only without the twitching yet. We decide to go to VIP yesterday and have her a distemper test and turned out to be positive. The only thing that I am thankful was that we discovered her distemper just before the neurological stage, where twitches are very common. So Doc Allison also attended to my dog since Doc Nielsen Donato was on leave. We did the spinal tap outside the clinic and induced NDV to her spine. Right now, after 24 hours, my dog is still sleeping, but stable and from time to time, she walks around her cage…she was given intravenous fluids right now, where we inject Vit. C, Vit B complex and quinolone (an antibiotic) there along with the fluids. She is being forced feed since she has no appetite yet but we are so positive that she can make it. We will be back on Saturday for another check up and see how she progress.
Actually I was inspired by your story about Bailey, and decided to seek medical attention through NDV as what you did exactly with Bailey. That’s why when I have read your article about this, I have no second thoughts to do this procedure to my dog. So I thank you so much for this. And hopefully, in God’s will all will be fine in days to come. Thank you again and please help me pray for my dog to get well very soon.
God bless!!
Moira
MOira, congratulations! I am confident that your dog is on the way to healing! It took two weeks after the NDV for Bailey to start showing signs of recovery. It was slow but we were patiet. The key is to make sure you support your dog with the antibiotics because after a spinal tap, infections can set in and become deadly. I remember how crazy it was for me taking care of Bailey, not knowing what was wrong then after we discovered it was distemper, I went thru a different kind of crazy. Then the post NDV was a whole new set of worries. But it was all worth it. I hope you document your dog’s story and put it up online so that you too can help other dogs survive this disease!!!
The vet didn’t prescribed anti-inflammatory or pain killer after the operation. She’s really in great pain last night and passed away.
Hi Ms. Joyce! I am really amazed and hopeful because of your story about your dog, Bailey. God is really good! I am just curious about the price for the NDV Spinal Tap for distemper? My dog has a distemper and she was diagnosed last Sunday. I really love my dog and I want her to live. I am hoping for your reply. Thank you so much. God bless you.
Grace , hello, I just got online now after several days of being on hiatus. I am sorry about your dog. WHat exactly happened? Did u go to VIP, the same vet I took Bailey too?
hi.. j0yce.. our d0g chiechie is suffering on distemper now.. he is sick f0r almost a m0nth now.. we went on vets near us but they are so useless they giving us wr0ng med. though they can clearly see the symptoms of distemper on him.. so we went to another vet but they give us less hopes.. but we’re still fighting as we see that chiechie is still fighting.. we’re giving him the vitamins and food he needs.. and as i read your story you give us more strength and more hope that he can be cure.. thanks for the info. your page really helps others.. we’re planning to go to the said hospital but not for now maybe the day after tomorrow or on the other day coz we can’t afford it for now.. but as soon as we get money for his medication surely we will go there.. i just hope it still not late.. haaaayyyyzzz… seeing him like that is really heart breaking ='( tnx again.. and happy for you and your dog bailey..
Hi Joy, were you able to go to VIP? Hoping that you found the funds. It is an expensive procedure. I had to put it on my credit card. In fact I cried so hard when I saw the cost because mahal masyado but I could not turn my back on Bailey. Thankfully, i was able to pay off the credit card debt in a month so all’s well that ends well!
Congratulations and I am so happy to see one distemper patient survive, I had dog that died because of distemper and it took years for me to recover from pain. I promised myself that my next dogs will not suffer the same and what ever my shortcomings to my previous dog I will pay in full to my next dogs…and you know what happened, my beloved dog Peso did not get distemper but was diagnosed to have perineal hernia…. He is also a survivor undergone six surgeries… You’ve been to the best vet clinics, because Peso’s first two surgeries was done in Animal Care Specialists and the next four at Vets in Practice. True enough God sent these dogs to us because HE knows we will take care of them at all cost….and we can tell that in spite of, your Bailey and my Peso are our Angels in Disguise… Nice to know you…by the way in case you want to check about my dog’s ailment here is the link http://maria-cecilia.hubpages.com/hub/Perineal-Hernia-in-Dogs. thanks
Cel, I just visited your site, wow! Another person who loves her dog so much! Ang ganda ng ‘coverage’ mo kay Peso. I encourage other people to be journalistic like you when it comes to pet ailments (even human ones!) – take photos, keep an online journal, show videos and give insights. Such articles become a great resource for people who are going thru the same problems with their furry friends. God bless your heart Cel, you are a wonderful soul!
Hey our dog is going threw same stuff. Can you email me? All our vet has done is give antubotics. We adopted her like a month ago. It kills us to see her in such pain
Brandon please scroll through the comments and look for the email addy of Ed Bond. He is very active in thefight against distemper and will be able to answer yourquestions better than I can. Please keep me updated, praying for your dog…
Congratulations and I am so happy to see one distemper patient survive, I had dog that died because of distemper and it took years for me to recover from pain. I promised myself that my next dogs will not suffer the same and what ever my shortcomings to my previous dog I will pay in full to my next dogs…and you know what happened, my beloved dog Peso did not get distemper but was diagnosed to have perineal hernia…. He is also a survivor undergone six surgeries… You’ve been to the best vet clinics, because Peso’s first two surgeries was done in Animal Care Specialists and the next four at Vets in Practice. True enough God sent these dogs to us because HE knows we will take care of them at all cost….and we can tell that in spite of, your Bailey and my Peso are our Angels in Disguise… Nice to know you…
Hi joyce, do you happen to know if they have vets practicing the NDV spinal tap here in Cebu. My dog has been diagnosed yesterday to have such virus(distemper) and I am hopeless as all of the vets i approached would suggest euthanasia, I just can’t afford taking a life that i did not give to begin with…
Louis, please contact the Vets In Practice group. Here is the number – look for Dr. Allison – 4707987. also look for Dr. Neilsen Donato – he’s like the main dude there and will be able to hopefully point you to someone in Cebu. They might even be able to walk your own Vet thru the steps of doing an NDV Spinal Tap. When Doc Allison did it to Bailey, it looked REALLY simple but of course, that’s because she’s really good. I’m sure there are risks involved and the Vet needs to have a really good hand.
Here is the blog of Vets in Practice –
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I’m so sad, my dog name (Jacquelou) also has a distemper, he is died now few hours ago, my mom decided to go him in sleep as the vet suggested then they vaccinated him with euthanasia, at first i’m against, I said just go back to the house than going to die,. but when I see him having the symptoms of distemper, having epileptic movement, twitching the arms, the teeth is shaking, and his head something moving like just moving the bones, I also decided to do the euthanasia, while holding him and seeing him dying, it so hard for me..
2 days ago he is strong, apparently days come, my dog slowly show the symptoms of the distemper. at first i think its just a simple illness, then the next day, i tried to do some research on the net about dog illness, i just conclude that my dog, has a epilepsy, because one of the symptoms of distemper is shaking,. last night when i saw him shaking I’m just always at his side to give comport and love to him,. and this day my mom and I decided to go to vet together with Jacquelou to know what happening to him,. and then the vet said he has a distemper, and it is fatal, that it is already in his nervous system, the vet said that even having a supplements it is fatal. and he suggest to do a sleep on Jacquelou,. thats all,. so sad,. (hard to english waah.. hehehe = change mood dont stay on sad feelings,.. but im still sad)… thx
Michael, nag nose-bleed ako sa yo, LOL! But super sorry ako about your dog. I know how it’s like to lose a beloved pet. Nung namatay ang Fox Terrier kong si Andy, di ako makatulog for more than 24 hours sa sobrang lungkot. THe vet had to put him to sleep also kasi grabe na ang kanyang symptoms and pain. Huwag kang mag-alala, we have a God who loves his creation and even if hindi sinasabi ng Bible na may animals in heaven, I’m trusting that God has a place for our pets when they die.
One of my dogs also had distemper. While she was fully vaccinated and cam out alright for the most part. She cannot walk in a straight line and she seems to have short term memory loss. I am sorry that you had to go through all of this, but it made me feel better to read this and learn that I am not the only person who has dealt with this. Most people don’t have a clue what distemper really is and this story is a testament to vaccinating your dog and to not giving up.
Dear Joyce
Thank you very much for your help.
I finally found vets who does spinal tap in malaysia. It is called yeoh veterinary. My dog did spinal tap on Sunday and I am praying for the best for her now.
Take care.
Hello Joey, how did you find that Vet? Please give me an update on your dog, I am believing that your sweet little pet will survive. I am so happy that you are a pet owner who will go out of his way to find a cure for his dog…
Hi Joyce
Congratulations to Bailey.
My toy poodle Cha cha just diagnosed with distemper. It’s stage 2 which seizures occurs quite frequently.
I’m from malaysia and the vets here never heard of ndv spinal tap. To them distemper is fatal.
Just to check with you, will you be able to provide the contact of the doctor who treated Bailey for distemper?
I feel so helpless now as there isn’t a single vet in Malaysia that treats distemper seriously.
Thank you in advance.
Dear Joey… Yes the Vet Hospital is called Vets in Practice phone number is +632 531 1581 or +632 533 7965 you can have your vet call them up for questions.
You should also contact Ed Bond – he heads a group (in the US) and they help distemper dogs survive the disease – he has connections to vets all over the world. Contact him – he might know of a Vet in Malaysia who does the NDV Spinal Tap. You can email him here ed.bond.new.york@gmail.com email him ASAP. There is time to save Chacha!
You can look for Dr. Neilsen Donato. The one who did the Spinal Tap on my Bailey Girl is Dr. Allison. Vets In Practice has about three or four vets who know how to do the spinal tap….
http://vetsinpractice.multiply.com/journal that is the blog site of Vets in Practice… you can visit it for more information!
Thanks, have done so.
Tanya,
I just heard last weekend from a vet in South Africa who successfully treated a dog with neural distemper. She is in Darling, but I don’t post the info for vets online. If you need the info, PLEASE e-mail me directly at ed.bond.new.york@gmail.com.
Hi ed, thanks so much for your response. Unfortunately, I’m in South Africa and this treatment hasn’t once been offered to us. I will ask about it when she goes for her check up later today.
It worries me that you say the fight is only just beginning. She appears otherwise happy but just a bit slower and less eager. However, the twitch is prominent in her back.
We actually had our other Scottie, William catch it to too but the doc said it was caught early and he’s completely healed. They said the same about Bailey I suppose. They even started doubting whether the dogs truly had distemper? Could it be anything else? See, in South Africa, it’s mostly dogs found in townships that have this disease. It’s not common in residential areas (the doc says).
Right now, we’re relying on prayer for our Bailey.
Tanya, email Ed Bond asap. He has connections all over the world and might be able to point you to a vet in South Africa who does the NDV Spinal Tap. Praying alongside you…
Tanya,
The reason why they can’t find the virus in your dog’s blood is because there are two battlefields in the dog’s body. There is the nervous system and then there is the rest of the body. They are separated by what is known as the blood-brain barrier. Your dog fought and survived the virus while it was in the rest of the body, but now the virus has crossed the blood-brain barrier and infected the nervous system. The virus has moved on.
But now, you are facing the more dangerous stage of the disease. Very often the neural problems will continue to advance until you see seizures, paralysis and eventually death. The NDV spinal tap, which is what treated the Bailey on this blog, can help. It has shown a 50 percent survival rate, and it is explained here: http://www.kindheartsinaction.com/archives/88
You should explore the rest of our website to get an idea of the possibilities and the limits of these treatments.
I’m the project director on canine distemper for Kind Hearts In Action and I can let you know if there is a vet near you who can help. You can e-mail me directly at ed.bond.new.york@gmail.com for more information.
Ed Bond
Ed, thanks so much for this! You know Distemper much better than I do and I appreciate all the information you are giving to help save dogs dealing with Distemper… bless your heart!
I’m so glad I found this blog. My dog (Scottish Terrier), also named Bailey, also got distemper. We were in and out of the vet’s practice for about three weeks and eventually, after a lot of touch and go, she recovered.
She had all the same symptoms as your Bailey.
Only yesterday, about two weeks after being told she was healthy, has she started with the twitch. It’s on her left hand side of the body and is very noticeable. It’s frantic and occurs continuously. We took her to the vet last night and they simply said it’s because of the distemper but carried out no tests or proper examination. We rushed her to anotehr veterinarian who did a few tests and a check up and said she has gastro. He could find no traces of distemper in her blood.
This is so worrying, how can two vets have different diagnoses and which one is accurate?
Does your Bailey still twitch?
Tanya, once the Distemper reaches the Neurological phase and your dog survives, the twitching won’t ever go away. It can lessen but unfortunately your dog’s coordination will be hampered. My Bailey twitches constantly even when she’s asleep. Don’t worry about the twitching too much as long as your Bailey is happy. You do have to watch out for her teeth – if she is clenching her jaw, like she’s chewing gum, and can’t control it, she’ll wear down her teeth. You’ll have to see a Vet who can work on your dog’s teeth or give advice. I’ve heard of dogs who are unhappy over or irritated about the twitching; if that is the case then you can see a Dog Physical Therapist – they can help your dog manage the twitching better.
Your first Vet is correct altho it is possible that the 2nd vet was right – maybe your Bailey also had a gastro problem at the time. Just to remind all readers, I am not a Vet and I am just talking from experience and from the knowledge I have accumulated. It is still best to seek the advice of a Veterinarian when in doubt!
Thanks so much for dropping by and leaving a comment – this will be helpful for other Owners of Distemper Survivors!
Tanya, please check out Ed Bond’s response to your query… I think his answer is much much better than mine.
I am so happy that your dog beat the odds. I made the same mistake as you thinking that because my dogs were house dogs they did not need all the vaccines. I spent a couple of thousand tryinto save my beagle and it just had hold of her to much. My lab mix got it also but 3 months later the infections have cleared up except she is wobbly in her back legs. She is happy and playful but when she tries to jump on me, she is so uncoordinated,she falls but thats ok as long as she is happy and well. I hope she has been through the worst of that horrible distemper. Our pets are so much a part of our lives and there is nothing I would not do for them. Take care.
Thanks so much for confirming what I discovered – that vaccinating your dog is imperative even if they stay indoors all the time. I am So sorry about your sweet Beagle… Distemper is such a terrible and slow disease but I am glad your mixed Lab survived and is fine. My Bailey too tried to jump on me and is a bit uncoordinated, but she is extremely happy because I am so much closer to her now after going through that terrible month of fighting the illness. I was her nursemaid and fixed my schedule around her during that time. I too would do all I can to make sure my pets are happy 🙂
Hello po. I have a 3 month old lab that has distemper. he’s been for almost a month now. will it still be too late to get him a spinal tap? He’s showed all signs of distemper like thickening of the pads, eye discharge, motor skills failure, chewing gum and head twitching. I have been giving him antibiotics to prevent more infections and vitamins to support the loss of appetite. the spinal tap is way beyond my budget but im thinking of going for it. will it be too late already? it has been 2 weeks since he was diagnosed of distemper. I was hoping that the virus would die if it stayed in my dogs body for that long and that he would recover. please help…
Go to the vet at VIP asap. I believe it is not too late. I understand the cost is high but the spinal tap is much much cheaper than the serum. Besides its too late anyway for the serum since neuro stage na your sweetie. Don’t waste time, the money can be earned back. But your dog’s life can’t. Its worth the risk. When I did the serum and spinal tap I cried so hard at the expense but my hubby told me that even if Bailey still died, at least we have the comfort that we did our best to fight for her life. She is a fierce guard dog and protects our home from strangers… It was the least we could do for her… Please keep me updated!!! Praying for finances for u!!!
Btw, Distemper is a virus, anti biotics won’t kill it, they wil just prevent secondary infections. Make sure to tell the vet you’ve bern giving your dog antibiotics because after the spinal tap is done the virus will hopefully be stopped but your dog wil be susceptible to secondary infections like pneumonia and u will need to administer antibiotics. But since u have ben giving antibiotics your dog might have a resistance to them. Tell the vet so he or she can give a stronger antibiotic… God bless…
just want to share lang po nagspinal tap din before yung dalmatian ko sa vets in practice,kya lang cguro hes old na kya di nya nkayanan,,then my 2 month old shih tzu had symptoms kya po nagresearch ako,,i tried po yung 4 life transfer factor plus 1 bottle and nkasurvive din po sya it strengthens immune system daw po to surpass the infection,,sayang lang tlaga kasi dko na-save yung dalmatian ko late ko na kasi naresearch yung medicine 6 times a day. ok nmn yung puppy kaso di na tlga nawala yung head bob,,but the chewing gum fits disappear po. and now mag 1 year old na sya.share ko lang po to help yung mga hindi afford yung spinal tap…thanks..
our princess 5 mos old lhasa apso has been consistently fighting the battle against distemper since more than a month ago which the vet didnt diagnose earlier. It started first week of June when she was confined in a nearby vet clinic and was just diagnosed with anemia and worms. Antibiotic therapy and all supportive treatment were made. It was costly but she got better until she had a relapse. She has her high and low days but now i donot think she will be able to recover. All symptoms somehow have manifested such as the eye discharges, wobbly legs, twitching and so forth and I was about to give up and let go of her sufferings but the vet told us to treat her with antiviral meds. Until I read your blog while searching for answers. I think the virus is already in her nervous system. Would spinal tap still work for her? I really would like to see her jumping on me again…
I think you should take her asap to Vets in Practice. Asap. Even if it is in her nervous system, the virus can be stopped. The chance for her survival is high with the NDV spinal tap. I am not a Vet but after my experience and learning more about the disease, I believe you should go for it. While nothing is 100% sure, the NDV will give your dog a big fighting chance. But do it asap… and keep me updated Tel… God bless!
HI po Ms.joyce, im done.. n dala ko na po yng Dog ko in vets in practice , thanks you so much po for sharing us your experience together with bailey’s..
pro my ilang concern p dn po aq, mdyo n late po kc aq ng pag dala s knya in vets, mga 8 days ago n po simula nung ma diagnose sya about distemper may twitching and eyes discharge ok lng po ba yun? and ngyn po 1 day post spinal tap nya kso d p dn xa gumigising pero she’s still breathing and a bit rapid.. ilang days po ba bago nka tayo and nag start kumain ulit si bailey? 😦
Regards
Norman
If you are giving your dog nuerontin, a medication that they usually prescribe for post-spinal-tap then your dog will really be groggy. It took Bailey a long time to recover after the Spinal Tap. Be patient. And make sure to give the anitbiotics and all the meds they prescribe. You don’t want your dog to catch a cold or some secondary illness. Give a lot of love, tell your dog you love her and touch her a lot. WHen Bailey was ill, I wouuld spend hours with her sitting beside her on her beddings. I would be reading with one hand on her all the time. I would whisper in her ear for her to be strong. TLC is very very important and can build up a dog’s fighting spirit… God bless and keep me updated… you should see her improve a little after a week… just be patient because sometimes it takes longer for certain dogs to recover. Don’t worry…
Bailey’s so lucky to have you! I didnt like that vets in practice didnt give her a spinal tap right away since she was twitching already (it means that the virus was already in her nervous system). If Bailey’s not a puppy then they could have administered the NDV vaccine directly, no need for a donor dog.
which would have been cheaper.
Hi there, yes I was a bit miffed that they did not suggest the NDV since she was already twitching. But I got a big discount on the cost so that made up for it. The Vet that suggested the serum was one of the newer guys so I guess he made the wrong judgement call. Oh well, I know better now and Bailey is better now so, I just let it go.
Oh, and I didn’t need a donor dog since they had some extra left-over serum from a previous dog donor….
And also, I’d like to add not all dogs go through all the stages.. Sometimes, older dogs don’t exhibit the respiratory symptoms. If ever, very minimal. Some dogs also skip the digestive phase. So it’s respiratory then Neuro right away. You should take your dog and get her titer tested right away and figure it out from there. I suggest you take the test in VIP because they know how to use the titer best. Some vets use the discharges or the blood of the dog to test which MAY garner false positive results. In VIP they create a serum in which the manufacturer of the titer tests say is most effective in getting precise results.
hi.. i forgot to ask the costs.. uhm.. pero sana kaya siya ng budget ko..coz as of now, medyo mahigpit sa budget coz i also have 2 kids studying.. please email me po how much ang mga treatment para malaman ko and mabudget ko na din.. and kung alin treatment ang pinakamaganda. ask ko na din about the vitamins na binibigay mo, if ilang mg ang vit.B etc.. thanks
Hey! I hope Joyce doesn’t mind that I’m answering your question but, the survival rate is higher when the NDV serum is induced as opposed to the spinal tap. The reason behind this is that the serum need only to be injected in their skin as to the spinal tap needs to be injected in the spine, to reach the brain IF the virus has already reached there. What you want to do is to stop it from getting there. Basing from your description, your dog is only in the respiratory stage.. You can have her tested in VIP. They will use a titer test. Something like a pregnancy test except a blood serum is used. That’s 950 pesos. the survival rate when the NDV serum is used during the respiratory stage is a whopping 90%!!! And the spinal tap at the neuro stage is at 50%.. Bailey was lucky enough to have her master all throughout and to survive. I hope this helps.. The serum works faster. It’s been 2 days since the last shot was administered and my dog looks like a totally different puppy!
You know Luis, I had both the serum and the NDV spinal tap done. 🙂 but thanks for the information, as long as it helps other dogs and dog owners then comment away!
good day, my name is Mrs. Abigail Sandoval, from the Philippines, I have an 8month old female Siberian Husky, who was suspected by her vet last July 8, 2011 to have distemper because of the following symptoms:
– high lymphocyte count
– eye discharge (right eye only, she had light pink eyes that is slightly swollen, i treated it with an eyedrop, that is given by her vet and it cured her right eye now)
– coughing (very often last week, at least 3-4x a day, but stop coughing for the past 5days after giving Ceelin Plus, vitamin C and Zinc 5ml, 1x a day.
– as of now, i noticed that her foot pads are different because it is slightly thickened, and she breathe faster than normal even if she’s sleeping.
– she became a picky eater, although her appetite is still good
She didn’t have fever, nasal discharge, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea, has not reached neuro symptoms yet.. She is still active and playful, I really wanted to have her test for distemper, but I’m really scared of the possible result, that’s why i started surfing the net to know if there are survivors and if there is a possible treatment for this. then i found your site, i really wanted to save my dog, i love her very much, i treat her as my youngest daughter, but what should i do? Please help me.. i can’t afford to see her suffer in the next days or months… i can’t help but cry seeing her happy but deep inside her happiness is a traitor disease…please help..
P.S. is it possible to request if she can undergo spinal tap rather than NDV serum even if she’s still in her early symptoms? i’ve read that NDV serum is expensive and spinal tap is much more affordable yet effective..
Thanks and God bless you and Bailey!
Do not be afraid. Get your Husky checked. Because it might not be Distemper. But if it is Distemper here are your options –
1) Getting the Serum shots. They are more expensive, like 5 times more expensive than the NDV Spinal tap. AND it is only effective before the twitching begins.
2) Once the Twitching starts, foget the Serum and instead get the NDV Spinal Tap.
You might want to wait until the twitching starts, if your budget is tight. But be warned that if you do this, your dog will most likely be twitching for the rest of her life. Once the virus reaches the twitching phase, you can’t undo the damage to the nerves of your dog. But she will live and her life will be a good one. She won’t be a well-coordinated as before, but she will still be able to run around and play.
Once again, please remember that I am not a vet and that my advice here is solely based on my experience and on material that I have read on Distemper. It is alwyays best to get the opinion of a Vet and I highly recommend the Vets at Vets in Practice.
nagtest n po si bella ko.. thank God its negative! maybe sa mata nya un viral infection.. ginamot ko na un eyes nya before kme nagpatest… i’m so happy.. thanks po sa help!
Ay, that is good news! THanks for the update Abigail, I am so very relieved 🙂
Hey! I just got back from VIP earlier and Sabine was just injected for the 3rd time. The vet told me that since she hasn’t reached the neuro stage, a spinal tap would not be necessary. The virus hasn’t gone too far to begin with. I’m glad we were able to catch it early on. We are hoping to see improvement in the next 2 days..I’m worried about my dogs at home though that came into contact with her too
the past few days have been dreadful. Please pray for her recovery and for my other dogs’ safety too! Thank you again for the blog. I will let you know if anything significant comes up 🙂
THe Serum cure is very expensive, far more than the NDV spinal tap, but you have the budget for it so I am VERY happy!!!! I am glad it did not reach the serious stage where the dog twitches uncontrollably. And I am SO happy that I was able to help somehow…. I hope you can also document your experience and share it online for the benefit of other dogs and dog owners… hoping the serum works and the virus is stopped!
Haha! The price is pretty steep! I had to sell a few prized possessions but it’s a small price to pay for Sabine’s health. It’s been 2 days post administration of the NDV serum and I can’t believe it. The Sabine we got used to, lying around is now all over the place!! She runs after everyone gets tired, sleeps, wakes up and does it all over again!! I know it’s too early to say but I see a lot of improvement! I will surely share my experience online!
And yes! You did help very much! When I saw the Kind Hearts in Action website, I thought that the treatment wouldn’t be available here. But when I searched “Distemper Treatment Philippines” your blog post was the first one to show! Thank you! 🙂
Will keep you updated on Sabine’s recovery then eventually make a blog post about it too! 🙂
Luis, I trust Sabine is on her way to recovery! Yes price is steep but you did the right thing by selling stuff. Me, I put it on my credit card. Haaaay naku, for the love of dogs! I am happy this bog post has helped save your darling Sabine. I truly encourage you to make a similar post on your facebook or on your blog. Please put the link in my comments section and I will link Bailey’s story to yours. I am happy for you and Sabine!
Hey! I’m really glad I got to read this post. I got a puppy last saturday (July 9, 2011) that I gave to my girlfriend. She told me about how she isn’t too playful and she doesn’t eat too much. I took her to the vet this morning (Animal House in Alabang) and I told the vet about her cough and colds. She asked if we wanted to take a test just to rule out distemper. She came to us saying that our puppy (Her name’s Sabine a two-month old chow chow) was in the clear..Then came back after 2 minutes saying that the 2nd line was very feint.. We plan to bring her to Vets in Practice soon. Hopefully we find a way to kill the virus before the succeeding stages.. Hopefully all goes well.
Oh..so yes she confirmed that it was distemper..
Hey Luis, I am sorry that your puppy is confirmed for distemper… get the NDV spinal tap asap… at VIP… you will have to buy the virus though at a poultry supply – we bought ours on Quezon Ave… so save an entire afternoon for this. VIP can give you the phone and addy of the poultry supply… wishing you the best… please drop a note to tell me about Sabine’s progress… not so sure how puppies respond to the treatment, but I am praying that age doesn’t matter… God bless…
Im glad and so blessed when i read this, nag karoon po aq ng pag asa n ma save ulit yng dog q, ask q lng po mam kng sa mag kano po yng inabot ng lhat kay bailey esp. yng spinal tap ? kc yng n save q before n gamit q n nung last n ma hospitalize yng dog q, 😦 3 times n aq nag punta ng vet for 3 consecutive mons for 3 dfferent case or reason an dami nyang naging sakit like diarrhea and food allergies and now distemper nman wre i worried most, i dont want to lose her, pls help po mam and Congratulations po for having your precious Bailey’s back..
Norman
Norman, will email you nalang about your query re:costs…
I’m happy to hear that Bailey has fully recovered. We are going through a similar situation with our Labrador retriever, Maxy. But the difference is our dog was diagnosed with Ehrlichiosis and distemper. We took him to the hospital last Sunday night and left him there so that the vet could treat him because he was not eating, taking his medicines and even moving as much as before. The doctor gave her shots but I don’t know the name because it was my aunt who talked to the vet (The shots costs a lot. It’s 3k per shot.) We brought him home from the hospital. He’s now okay but I noticed that he’s breathing fast/short and he pants a lot (even if he’s not doing anything). Is that normal? I’m really worried. I hope my dog can recover from it as soon as possible.
When you say that he or she is okay now, what do you mean? THat the appetite has returned? The problem with distemper is that if a dog survives it, the twitching does not completely disappear. I want you to understand though that I am speaking from my experience and what i’ve researched – I am not a vet. ANyway, Bailey still twitches to this day. It’s less prounounced when she is running and playing but when she is at rest, even when asleep, the twitching is non-stop. This is normal for distemper survivors. So does your dog still twitch? Or is it just the breathing that is fast? Just so you know, a dog’s breathing is really fast compared to humans. Recovery from distemper is slow ha… you have to monitor your dog constantly and make sure that secondary infections, especially respiratory infections don’t set in. I am not acquainted with Ehrlichiosis though so I can’t say anything about that and how it affects distemper dogs. But your best bet is to keep watching Maxy and bring her back to the vet once a week until she is totally clear of distemper.
Thanks. He’s way better than before. His appetite has returned already, but he breathes really fast even if he’s just lying down. I didn’t notice it before so I thought it was kind of weird. Anyway, he doesn’t twitch because my aunt said that the disease was diagnosed before it got worse.
Good for you and your dog! From my research, it takes the distemper virus 1 to 3 months to be completely shed by a dog that was infected. In the case of Bailey, the Vet did a distemper test on her one month after she got her NDV Spinal Tap. You may want to take your darling back for a test to see if she is clear. 🙂 and you might want to ask your vet about the fast breathing. But if your dog has good appetite that is excellent 🙂 I am very happy for you both !!!
Hi Charm! Would you know the name of the shots that were given to your dog? My shih tzu, Sweetie, has recently been diagnosed with ehrlichiosis and distemper but i think she’s in the very early stage. Thankfully, she hasn’t shown any signs of neurological distemper. Hopefully she can recover quickly too.
soo happy to hear that Bailey has fully recovered. i went through a similiar situation with my sweet boy Alex. first…kennel cough. then….pnuemonia lastly…we think its distemper and you should put him down aa theres not a lot of hope. i said i will take him home and cal you with my decision tommorrow…… six hours of redeyed internet surfing later. I had ordered 2 bottles of the ndv vaccine and went to the 24hr walmart for pedialyte and vitamins c,d,and a as well as a large thing used to inject flavor into turkey. while waiting for the vaccine i feed him huge doses of the vitamins and fed him pedialyte and dog food smoothie(an awesome recipe invented by my hubby:-) as well as 2 doses of cipro per day. When the NDV came i read the instructions,scrubbed up,gloved up,prayed and stuck him right in the butt. within 36 hrs he was obviously recovering, it took uim another day or to to not be wobbly be he is a healthy, shiny wild boy of a dog. I am so happy to read about your determination to save Bailey ,she is lucky to have you:-)
Hi there! Just wondering… did you say that you gave the NDV shot into the dog’s butt? It’s supposed to be a spinal tap where the virus is injected into the spine after a small amount of spinal fluid is withdrawn. Weird…
Joyce,
I was relieved by your story although there is still a feeling of fear that’s inside me because our pet dog, Caramel is now battling that dreaded canine disease now. All the symptoms that you mentioned are all present now in our dear dog. We love Caramel so much and we don’t want to give her up. I will contact VIP at once to inquire about the NDV Spinal Tap. I hope that we are not yet late. Thank you for the info you shared with us.
Danny thanks for sharing about Caramel. There is a big chance she can be saved. Don’t do the serum anymore if your dog has the twitching symptom. Go for the ndv spinal rap, its cheaper and easier to do and very effective. Vip in mandating is 24 hours but they do charge steep emergency room fees. But if money is not an issue, bring Caramel as soon as possible. Keep me updated!
I don’t think it’s too late Danny. Go for it. Don’t do the serum anymore ha, just ask for the NDV spinal tap na. The serum is very very costly but useless once the twitching starts. The NDV is also costly but way cheaper than the serum. Remember, the post-spinal tap period is a crucial one – your dog can still die if he/she is not pumped up with antibiotics to prevent respiratory illness. Expect seizures in the days right after. It will seem like the dog is getting worse, but give it a week and you should see some improvements. Would love to hear your success story so please send me photos – jaedeelight@yahoo.com
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Hi Joyce, greetings from Indonesia & congrats for Bailey!!! I came across your blog as I searched thru another solution for Bejo, a 5 months old puppy being looked after by a member of Animal Friends Jogja, a small animal welfare group in Yogyakarta. Bejo is now lying helpless at an animal clinic, suffering from distemper, oxygen & infusion supports are the only things he got. His legs twitch all day long & he’s still awake, in sleeping position, cannot do anything. His temperature keep going up & down between 39 – 40 degree Celcius. [i’ve uploaded his pic at the clinic on twitter: @AnimalFriendsYK if you want to see how he’s doing].
He’s been vaccinated, but it was just too late as he caught the virus first from a new dog coming from the street. Bejo has been not well for around ten days, yesterday morning [May 15], after being weak for days, suddenly he could run around fro a while but then he fell, fainted with strong twitches on his legs, we rushed him to the clinic. He got a high fever, too. All the vets could give were only infusion to keep him hydrated, oxygen support & ice to cool down the heat.
Today [May 16 2011], he’s still the same, except that feces coming out & urine, too.
Your story about Bailey’s struggle has really gave us spirit to keep the hope high. However, I don’t know if there’s NDV here in my town. The vets have never mentioned anything, they only say we just have to keep him strong, and we’ll see…I will search now if there’s one.
Thank you for reading, and let me share my sadness & confusion. Thank you so much for your inspirational words…
Give my kisses & hugs for Bailey.
ina
Dessy, I am so sorry for the suffering Bejo and you are going through. Don’t give up, please email ed.bond.new.york@gmail.com ASAP and ask Mr. Ed Bond to put you in touch with a vet in Indonesia who can help you. He is in touch with a network of veterinarians all over the world. I believe that NDV is fairly common among chicken populations all over the world, you can try calling up poulty supply businesses in your area. The vets here who have seen Bailey tell me that they have seen dogs in worse condition survive. Praying very very hard for Bejo…
Hi Ms. Beauty Queen.
I stumbled upon this blog because I am searching for reviews about the VIP. Bailey is so lucky to have a human master like you. It really takes a genuine heart to love dogs like that.
In behalf of Bailey, thank you for loving her unconditionally. Your story left me teary-eyed and inspire me to take good care of my dogs more.
God will definitely bless you! 🙂
Bailey is next to me as I type this, I am SO glad she is alive today. The whole distemper episode brought me closer to her and to my other dogs and I hope that whoever reads my story will also have the same reaction – to take better care of their pets and to give them love and attention. One thing I hope owners will never do to their dogs is CAGE them. It is inhuman to leave dogs in cages all day. They were built to run around in packs and not be isolated in cages. As dog owner, you are your dog’s pack leader and your dog wants to be with you. So to all you dog owners, never cage your dogs and find time to play with them too! Thanks for you note Abbie, hoping you choose VIP…
Hi,
My dachshund was recently diagnosed with distemper, I would like to know how much it cost you to get the spinal tap and other medications? I love my dog – Queeny so much and I cry a lot when she experience seizures and twitching. She have complete shots but for some reason she still got the virus. I hope you could give me more information on the cost of medication because I have already spent a lot on the medicines and laboratory tests. Thank you.
You need to get her the ndv spinal tap right away don’t wait anymore. You did not say if you were in metro manila but if you are call vets in practice, the number is in the blog post, and ask them where you can buy the newcastle virus, the poultry shop is on quezon avenue. Buy the virus first then go to vip’s mandaluyong clinic. The spinal tap plus post spinal tap meds and iv will cost around 5k. Costly but worth it.
Please keep me updated on your dog’s case. Praying that it goes well…
Hi,
My demale boxer got the distemper virus exactly same time as your dog. Only difference, the virus was injected into her. My dog was given three distemper vaccines before and on March 9th, it ws time for a renewal dose. But, now it comes out that the vaccines given to her last year were not of good quality, so when on march 9th the doc injected him the vaccine, it lead to the virus filling her body.
She got fever by 15th March and her head has been twitching since 25th March. But I did not know it was distemper till 2nd April, as the doctor kept telling me it’s teak fever, it’s worms, it’s because of season changing from winter to summer, etc. Now, I am completely devastated. I live in India and there’s no place where I can get a NDV done. I did send a mail to Ed, but I think it’s already quite late now.
My dog has been bed ridden for about a week now, hardly able to move. I feed her liquid food using a bottle and I have absolutely no clue what to do next.
Mohit I am very sorry that this is happening to your dog. The only suggestion I can think of is to ask ed bond and your vet or another vet to work together thru skype or telephone. You can try looking for ndv or the newcastle vaccine from a poultry supplier in your city. Then ask the vet to do a spinal tap using the bird vaccine. Have the vet communicate with ed bond if they are not familiar with how to do a spinal tap. It is worth the effort and risk. There is still time, distemper is a very slow disease, it is terrible but it does give you time to find a solution. You also
Wow- first of all-Im glad Bailey is ok :=)
Second, your dedication to Bailey is amazing… and seriously admirable Ms Joyce…. dogs do love us unconditionally and I am always always touched when someone loves their dogs the same way :)… Another great reason why I am your fan 🙂
Thanks jay 🙂 sometimes I feel like a fool for loving my pets too much but I just can’t help it… thanks much for supporting my love for animals !
I love my pets too much too…. 🙂 I’ve decided to become a vegetarian for that reason
Joyce!!
I’m so glad and happy for you that Bailey is ok now. And I’m glad you found out about Kind Hearts in Action. A dear friend had told me about them in Feb because two of her dogs got distemper a few years ago, and she found them online when she refused to accept the choice to put them to sleep (Ed Bond also helped her, she said). But for the life of me, it just kept nagging at me that I should know something about doggie distemper that would help you when I first started seeing your prayer requests on FB…I could not remember it!
I’m gonna be keeping an eye on our Roodie and praying hard that he doesn’t catch the virus. He’s really BIG now. We hope he can visit Bailey and Ramses soon…^_^ Love you! ^_^
ps: a group of Vets from QC came to our subdivision last December and offered shots for animals for a minimal price (at least, I thought P400 for 2 shots – anti-rabies and anti-fleas good for 1 year – is minimal, considering it was a house call). My katiwala says they come every year. They’re a blessing to our community! ^_^
I hear that PAWS at the Marikina overpass has great prices for pet vaccines and other vet services. I’m taking my collection of pets to them in April!!! They are nearby and I think cheaper than going to a commercial vet. 🙂
What would we do without heroes like that?
Well, here is something else that is interesting… something that deserves it’s own blog post: I have another dog in the same area where Bailey Girl is. It’s actually a puppy whom I have confined in our cattery because he had been exposed to Bailey for 6 days before we found out she had Distemper. I can’t move him to the back because I have 3 dogs there. So I just gave him a teaspoon of colloidal silver in every meal. Guess what! The puppy (5 months old) has not caught distemper even if Bailey and he have sniffed noses over and over again through the cattery barrier.
I don’t recommend though that pet owners mix a sick distemper dog with healthy dogs. If they can keep them separated, they should.
Hi Joy –
First of all, belated happy birthday! May you have more birthdays to come!
Second, thank you for sharing your story with Bailey. It is indeed very inspiring, emotional and touching! I wish more pet owners had the patience, perseverance and love like you!
Many years ago, I had two cats (Sasha and Marvin) and it was during a time when I didn’t know much about cat vaccinations. I let my cats out whenever they wanted, but since they didn’t have shots, both contracted feline leukemia from other cats in the neighborhood. Marvin suffered the worst; he rapidly lost weight and then one day just dropped dead. Sasha lived for another two years, until her condition got worse and I had to put her to sleep. It was one of the most heartbreaking moments of my life.
Anyway, I promised myself that the next time I would have pets, I would make sure to really take good care of them and never procrastinate on having their required shots. Now, I spoil my dog Bosco to death, and with my partner Daniel, we make sure that Bosco receives the best care and of course a lot of love and affection from the two of us!
I am sure Bailey will be back to normal at no time, thanks to your amazing TLC!
Best regards,
Rafa
Dear Rafa,
Thanks so much for reading my EXTRA LONG POST! I was just telling my hubby this morning that my longest post on my beauty queen blog is about a DOG!! LOLOLOL!!! But I was moved by a comment I saw online yesterday urging all dog owners whose dogs have battled Distemper to document and upload their experiences online for the benefit of someone out there who needs the info badly. My desire is that dogs will be saved because their owners read Bailey’s adventure.
I am sorry about your cats. I have about 6 cats now and they are all puskals with no shots. Since I have learned my lesson with the Bailey incident, all pets will be getting shots in April. I never knew that Feline Leukemia ws contagious. Thankfully, all my cats are indoor cats except for Max who is not a wanderer and seems to be happy just staying in the porch and garden areas.
Yes, we’ve got to be more responsible with getting shots for our pets whether they are pure-bred or not. While it’s easy to spoil a pet (like you do Bosco) it’s easy to be remiss with getting them shots. So I hope people reading this will learn from us and get their pets vaccinated 🙂
Much Love
(and More Power to Critical Beauty)
Joyce
So pleased that you had a good response with the treatment.
Well done and hoping that you continue to see a steady improvement.
THanks 🙂 hoping my story will help Vets manage CAnine Distemper patients better 🙂 and hoping to see more and more dogs recover from the deadly disease…
Congratulations! I was thrilled when I read your story as a “pingback” on our site: Kind Hearts In Action. To attempt to explain a question you asked about why a chicken vaccine would help a dog, we think it somehow shocks the dog’s immune system in a way that releases a previously unknown disease fighting material. It will take a lot of research to find out how that works, but it still works. When my dog was saved by Dr. Sears years ago, we used vitamin A ointments to help his eyes recover. As to the NDV spinal tap, it is our hope that the virus has been stopped neurologically, which will give the nervous system a chance to repair over time. But it takes a while for that to happen. It is a long-term issue.
But we at Kind Hearts In Action http://kindheartsinaction.com/ are always happy to hear of another success story.
Take care,
Ed Bond
Hi Ed, I just want to thank you for all the effort you have put into informing people online about how Distemper can be fought succesfully! This is such a big miracle for Bailey, me and my family and your sharing of information was a wonderful guide and at the same time a big comfort. Bless your HEARTS IN ACTION!!! To anyone reading this, please please visit the Kind Hearts in Action website to get accurate information on how to deal with Canine Distemper!
CONGRATULATIONS Ms. Joyce!!!!!
This news is greatest and wonderful Birthday gift from our God the Father in your Birthday!!!! I know the feeling of triumph and Joy that “Bailey” survived:-) God is really GOOD and his LOVE is never ending…… We just have to believe in what he can do:-) I’m very happy for you Ms. Joyce!!!!!!!
Ave thanks much for sharing my joy 🙂 God is SO good and His love is amazing. But when Bailey was at her lowest, I had told God that I will not withhold anything from Him and if it was her time, then so be it. But he granted my birthday wish and I am ecstatic!
Hi i actually wanted to speak with you because your story really gave me insite and im going through what you did but my dog has not yet been told it was distemper can you please email me
Sending you email now…
Hi, i have a 6months old Siberian Husky and is currently fighting Canine Distemper. I am so desperate to save her. She is a fighter and i won’t give up. I know that she still wants to live. Any advise? Badly need help. she just got home yesterday from confinement. She is currently has an IV fluid. Thanks in advance.:c
Are you in Metro Manila? If you are then here is what you do.
1) Buy the New Castle Virus from a poultry supplier. There is a link to a directory in a previous comment of mine. please look for it.
2) call Vets in Practice to find out when the vets who can do a spinal tap are available. theres a link to the website of VIP in the post or just search them thru google. when u talk to them ask how much it costs.
3) bring your dog and the virus to vip for the tap. but dont bring the dog inside bec distemper is very contagious. other dogs might catch it.
4) post-tap care is important. you will have to give your dog powerful medicines to prevent seizured and secondary infections.
5) Pray. the tap will give your a strong fighting chance but its not a guarantee of survival. some dogs still dont make it after the tap. but im praying yours will.
Keep me updated!
Farmbreed Poultry Supply – 316 Quezon Ave., QC (near Pantranco, beside Meralco – Q. Ave.) 372-5019 / 372-5027.
You can call them and ask to order the Lasota Strain of the the New Castle Virus.
that was so inspiring, i have my 2 dogs just diagnosed with this virus yesterday but the only difference is that there’s still no episodes of seizure yet and both of them are vaccinated but even so i still got worried and hopeless because i know that this virus is really fatal and no cure until i saw your story, and i have my spirit boost up. just wanna ask if how much the treatment cost? is it very expensive? honestly i already spent all my savings in buying my dogs meds and a lot of check ups. is there any charity institution there you know you can recommend that could probably help me? i don’t want to see them dying doing nothing knowing there’s a cure. hoping for your fast reply.
I tried to email you but it bounced back. So let me just put my response here:
Dear Paw:
Im sorry to hear that your dogs have
Distemper.
If they are not Neurologic yet, (no twitching)
then go for the Serum treatment. However,
it’s very expensive – The whole thing is like
12 k and you will need a donor dog – two dogs
to donate the required blood to make the serum.
ONce the dogs are Neurologic (with twitching)
you have to do the Tap which is cheaper –
like 4K during Bailey’s time. You ahve to
buy the Newcastle Virus Lasota Strain from
a Poultry supply for the tap but that’s like
P200 or less.
Supportive meds will cost you a lot of money
as well… three hundred a day for around one
or two weeks. So it is costly indeed.
I am not a vet ha, so this info I’m giving you
is info from research and personal experience.
Also, unfortunately, I know of no charities that
help in such cases.
God bless and keep me updated!
PS try visiting the Kind Heart in Action
website, click thge contact tab and
get the email addy of Ed Bond.
He’s spearheading the global fight
vs Distemper… He is very helpful
and can give you better insight than
I can.
thanks for your reply ms Joyce, yeah there is no neurologic signs yet but it is really hard and made me cry each time seeing them in labor breathing which you know they are really suffering from that virus.ok i will do your suggestion i hope they could help me. all i can do for now i to pray the will survive this thing
Okay… hoping and praying for the best…
hello, i just want to update you guys that after my dog had her NDV vaccine direct IV shot last February 9 she’s finally out of distemper as she had her follow up check up and some laboratory test last Thursday April 18. that news really lighted up my feelings about my dog condition.i also want to grab this opportunity to say thank you to all the people who helped me during my dogs weakest days and to our LORD GOD ALMIGHTY who really hears and grant my prayers .
Hi Paw, I’m so glad you dropped me an update 🙂 so happy that it all turned out well for you and your dog! God is good!
hi! had my dog vaccinated too as recommended by the vet since there is still no signs of neurological phase. did you see improvements within a week. thanks! i am praying that my dog can recover as well with the body shot.
Thank you for sharing your amazing story and for not giving up. My dog is a distemper survivor too. And he is my best friend.
peace-love-pets.hubpages.com/hub/How-I-got-my-Dog-through-Distemper-a-survivors-story
that was so inspiring, i have my 2 dogs just diagnosed with this virus yesterday but the only difference is that there’s still no episodes of seizure yet and both of them are vaccinated but even so i still got worried and hopeless because i know that this virus is really fatal and no cure until i saw your story, and i have my spirit boost up. just wanna ask if how much the treatment cost? is it very expensive? honestly i already spent all my savings in buying my dogs meds and a lot of check ups. is there any charity institution there you know you can recommend that could probably help me? i don’t want to see them dying doing nothing knowing there’s a cure. hoping for your fast reply. here’s my email add pawvilladedios@yahoo.com, thanks
Writing you now…
my dog is suffering from destemper from last 15 days, Dr. saying very less chances of surviving.
Can we give Baytril & colloidal Silver to our Dog also. are these medicines available in India also?
Vismita, please search “Kind Hearts In Action” on Google, asap. Click on the contact us tab and you’ll find the email addy of Ed Bond. Email him ASAP because he has a list of Indian vets who can perform the tap on your dog. I am not sure about the availability of C Silver in your nation but knowing India to have great medical practitioners, I have a strong feeling you can find it if you search hard enough. Ed Bond is an amazing source of info as well, please contact him… no time to lose.
Hi I have a dog who has distemper as well, he was diagnosed last Sunday, almost a week now.
I would like to have him treat in vets in practice same as your dog, but my worry is whether he can still stand the treatment. His condition is really bad, he can’t stand so long, he is just sleeping all day, he not eating on his own, but we forced-feed him, he cries a lot because of abdomen pain. He also started to vomit yesterday. Is his condition really worst at this stage or his distemper can still be treat?
WEll, it’s really hard to tell because the Vet has to see the dog before they give a diagnosis. If you can make the trip easier by using an aircon vehicle and driving carefully. Or if there’s no aircon, then maybe travel at night. Just don’t go too late because they charge super high after 10 pm. Their emergency fee is like P2,500 nakakaloka.
Do they accept credit card for payment, because I might not have enough money here if it would cost a lot. Thank you so much for your help and advice.
I used my credit card with Bailey and they accepted it. This was at the Mandaluyong clinic…
Hi, Franco already had NDV body shot last Saturday, but no signs of improvements and just getting worse. The only symptoms of neurologic stage we can see with him is his sensitivity to pain or touch but he is now so weak, barely accepts the food and water we force feed him but he still has a dextrose. Can he still undergo the Spinal Tap despite the weak condition?
Go for the tap. i really hate to say this but stats show that its 99% sure a dog with distemper will die. With the tap, your dog has 40-70% chance of survival depending on several factors like age, breed, overall health and how far the virus has gone. Bailey did the Serum, it did not work so we did the Tap and it saved her. Hoping so hard that your dog makes it because every dog is different and that makes it difficult to predict what will happen. But right now it looks like a choice between 1) the 1% chance that he may survive without the tap or 2) the 40-70% chance that he MIGHT survive.
its your choice… and im praying with u…
Ako po ay nalulungkot na ibalita s inyo na iniwan n po aq ng bunso ko ( my dog) umalis po aq knna ng 3:30 bumili ng gmot nya s vet (laguna) dali dali po aq umuwe cguru hr lng po aq nwla. Pg dting ko tngnan ko po sia dali dali aq ng bihis . Nlpitan q sia at knausp.. kinarga at aun n po unti unti n po nwla ang pintig ng puso nya.. gnwa ko po lht pro wla n po tlga.. cguru hnnty nya lng tlga aq mkauwe at myakap sia.. mhal n mhal ko po sia pro pagod n cguru tlga sia … npklungkot at nkkaiyak pro icpin ko n lng cguru n hnd n sia mhhrpn .tpos n un misyon nya n pasayahin aq . Wla ng ggcng skn at ingungudngod ang ilong nya s muka ..
Ngyn po my dog p ko n mgppsya p skn. Glng n po cla s dstmper.
Slmt po .
Hi Jane, I’m so sorry for your loss. 😦 Not all dogs survive Distemper, even after the NDV treatment. I’m so heartbroken for you. Ako din, I have lost many dogs in the past and it always always hurts. The pain is terrible. THat is why I always have more than one dog. Right now I have 3 dogs who are very very close to me and sleep in my room. If I lose one dog, I will have other dogs to comfort me and to live for. It is too bad that they live such short lives. Its not fair. Sana they live as long as we do diba? I am almost 50 and I have had dogs all my life. So I have lost so many dogs na. It never gets easier. But I am thankful anyway to God because having dogs in my life makes me happy, losing them makes me compassionate. I hope and pray that our good Lord comforts you and that you will see your dog again even if only in your dreams….