Hi, Lynne.
Yes, I have seen and treated lots of pups with Distemper. Before the days of widespread vaccination - 30 years or more ago- it was very common indeed.
Classically, the disease starts with a soft cough and an aversion to bright light. Next comes a discharge from the eyes and nose, and frequently diarrhoea. The temperature rises and the pup becomes obviously ill. At that stage antibitics help with the seconday infections despite the cause of the illness being a virus. It is essential to maintain nourishment, and to avoid excitement or exhaustion for at least 6 weeks.
Most dogs, with good nursing, survive this stage and appear to recover.
Sadly, about 4 to 6 weeks after onset, nervous signs appear in a high proportion of cases. These signs may vary from a slight muscle twitch, 'tic'. in a paw or in the skin over the back, through mild epileptic type fits -'petit mal' to major seizures, 'grand mal ',or paralysis.
Sedation may help limit the extent of the damage, which in most cases is irreversible.
The occasional case does make a good recovery, even after having several major convulsions. Those dogs which do recover may take fits from time to time thoughout their lives. When they do occur, the dog should be put into a quiet, darkened place to recover. Long term sedation with a suitable sedative, obtainable from your veterinary surgeon' may help reduce the severity and frequency of the fits.
About 4 weeks after infection another sign develops, which gave rise to the term'hardpad', which for a time in the 1940s and 50s was thought to be a variant form of distemper, but it was not the case. The skin on the pads of the feet becomes thickened and hard, and the dog makes a clicking sound as it walks over a hard floor. If the animal survives, this hardening of the pad disppears in time and the feet return to normal.