Canine distemper virus is a member of the genus Morbillivirus in the family
Paramyxoviridae. Canine distemper has been recorded in domestic dogs for c
enturies. It is now recognized as a worldwide problem of carnivores and has
the second highest fatality rate of any infectious disease, after rabies,
in domestic dogs. The importance of this disease in nondomestic animals has
become evident with vaccine-induced infections in a variety of species and
large-scale epidemics in captive and free-ranging felids. To date, canine
distemper has been reported in all families of terrestrial carnivores: Cani
dae, Felidae, Hyaenidae, Mustelidae, Procyonidae, Ursidae, and Viverridae.
Veterinarians, including those working with nondomestic carnivores, should
be familiar with the clinical signs, diagnosis, and clinical management of
this disease.