Profiling of canine distemper virus infection from Small Animal Veterinary Clinics in Cities of Nueva Ecija, Philippines

Canine distemper virus (CDV) is a highly contagious and lethal pathogen that affects domestic and wild mustelids. This retrospective study analyzed 267 CDV cases from veterinary clinics in Nueva Ecija of Philippines over three years (2020-2022). Data including age, sex, breed, vaccination status, and clinical signs were analyzed using the chi-square test. The highest infection rate (38.95%) was observed in dogs aged ≥ 13 months. Females showed higher clinical signs (53.18%) than males (43.82%). Toy breeds were the most affected (38.58%), and 68.54% of the cases were unvaccinated. Nasal discharge was the most common symptom (46.44%). The incidence of CDV peaked during the rainy season, with Cabanatuan City reporting the highest number of cases. A significant association was observed between age (p=0.003), breed (p=0.042), and CDV infection.