Dog Hard Pad Disease

Along with the classic distemper, a very malignant disorder can appear: the numbing of the hard pads ("Hard pad disease"). In this case, the second appearance of fever (which is common in distemper) is missing. If your dog survives the second week of illness, his pads and snout begin to harden, hence the name. The virus of distemper can appear in the fecal matter in a period of up to two months (it can be contagious to other dogs). Out of the dog's body the virus stops being active after one day in temperatures of about 20 degrees Celsius, and even more if it is exposed to sunlight. Therefore, the main source of contagion would be a sick dog.

Important: Treatment should be a last resource; distemper should be avoided at all costs by means of a guaranteed injection.