Distemper dog's head twitching, dry nose, and eyes closed. Why?

I am so sorry to hear that her disease has progressed. Unfortunately if distemper starts to cause neurological symptoms then it is unlikely that she will recover. Typically seizure activity will follow in the near future. I am so sorry to relay this poor prognosis. However, every patient is different and there is always a chance of improvement. I would encourage you to consider having a follow up appointment with your veterinarian for a reassessment . Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Typically dextrose is given when their blood sugar is low. A low bloo sugar is a result of not eating and it can cause weakness and seizures. Distemper can be fatal. It has potential to cause respiraory symptomas and GI problems and in advanced cases it attacks the nervous system and cause a head bob and seizures. It is not always a fast progression, so they can be sick for weeks before getting better or worse. It is a viral infection so suportive care is all you do to wait for their body to fight the virus off. make sure the secondar bacterial infections stay under control with antibiotics, keep the fever under control and make sure they are eating and drinking well

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Distemper can cause upper respiratory, GI and neurological signs. If Jasper has been completely and properly vaccinated, meaning completed his puppy series and is up to date then it is unlikely he has distemper. Dogs twitch for many reasons, a lot of them are normal. If he isn't eating well, breathing heavily, feels warm, starts vomiting or having diarrhea or is lethargic then I would take him in for a recheck. If your Vet is concerned about distemper then they can send out the appropriate tests. I hope this helps and I wish Jasper the very best!

This is such a difficult decision to make, and ultimately I think it would be a better question for your vet. They know the particulars of her case and have probably noticed trends in her recovery. Distemper is a devastating disease, and sometimes dogs that make it through the acute respiratory phase go on to develop devastating neurologic symptoms. If she has truly shown no improvement it may be best to end her suffering. On the other hand she may need a little more time to improve. Distemper can also be very expensive to treat, so if finances are (understandably) playing a role you should let your vet know this as well. You could also give an arbitrary time frame to see if she improves 24-48 hours or so. There are no wrong answers in a situation like this.

That is very unlikely as neurological signs are late signs in distemper infection and come after respiratory ones (such as discharge from eyes and nose and sneezing and so on). Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. Please find the time to give us a feedback about the consultation as that will be used to improve our service.

Unfortunately, distemper is a seriously debilitating disease and there is no cure. We can only try to limit the damage done by the virus. This often entails nerve and brain damage, and upper respiratory problems. The upper respiratory problems can often be alleviated, however the nerve damage is permanent. When it is mild, the dog can have a good quality of life. At this time supportive care is the only option and you will have to wait it out and see what damage will be permanent. It is a nasty disease, and I am very sorry your pup is affected.

Oh my. His symptoms sound like possible distemper infection, toxini ingestion, or even rabies. I would highly recommend taking Sky to your local vet IMMEDIATELY for medical attention and some testing to determine the underlying cause. I really do hope that your pet Sky can make a full recovery! Best wishes and take care.