Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Canine distemper infection in pet dogs: II. A case-control study of risk factors during a suspected outbreak in Indiana.
- Journal:
- Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association
- Year:
- 1995
- Authors:
- Patronek, G J et al.
- Affiliation:
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology · United States
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
In Indiana, between 1992 and 1993, there was an outbreak of canine distemper, a serious viral infection in dogs. Researchers looked at veterinary records to find out what factors made some dogs more likely to get sick. They found that mixed-breed dogs were much more at risk compared to purebred dogs, and not getting vaccinated raised the risk of catching the disease by a staggering 350 times. In fact, almost all the cases were linked to dogs that hadn't been vaccinated, and many owners realized that treating the illness was more expensive than getting their pets vaccinated in the first place. Overall, the study highlighted the critical importance of vaccination in preventing canine distemper.
Abstract
The epidemiologic features of an outbreak of canine distemper during 1992 and 1993 in pet dogs in Indiana are described. Risk factors for disease were characterized using hospital records of private veterinary practitioners. The risk of disease for purebred dogs was 85% lower than the risk of disease for mixed-breed dogs. Lack of vaccination was associated with a 350-fold increase in the risk of canine distemper, and 93.8% of all cases could be attributed to the lack of vaccination. For many of the owners, the cost of medical treatment exceeded the cost of a vaccination program.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7634057/