Why has the fox lost so much weight? | |||
Thin, sick-looking foxes may be suffering from distemper, a disease caused by the distemper virus. Since 2009 the number of distemper cases recorded in Switzerland has been increasing. Humans and domestic cats are not at risk. But dogs can become infected with the virus. So dogs should be regularly vaccinated. | |||
< questions | links > | Distemper is one of the main diseases affecting predators and occurs all over the world. Up till 2008 cases of distemper in our native wild animals such as foxes, badgers or beech martens, were rare. However, since early 2009 distemper has been spreading westwards from the east.
Distemper is caused by the Canine distemper virus. It is usually trans-mitted from one animal to another through droplets in the air or contact with contaminated droppings. Contagion results from close contact with an infected animal. Typical symptoms of distemper are a slimy discharge from nose and eyes, coughing, fever, vomiting, diarrhea and severe loss of weight, accompanied by motor disturbances. Infection with distemper is not always fatal. But it often weakens the animal, making it prone to other diseases. The virus cannot be transmitted to humans. Nor to domestic cats. Dogs run a certain risk of infection through contact with wild animals. The symptoms are the same as with foxes. If untreated, distemper in dogs is fatal.
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