Canine Distemper RT-PCR
Canine Distemper RT-PCR is a lab test that looks for the genetic material of canine distemper virus in a dog's blood and urine. It can help detect a current distemper infection, including early cases.
- Sample
- Whole blood & urine
- Quantity
- 3 mL
- Report
- Confirmed when you book
- Collection
- Free in Bhopal
What this test checks
- Genetic material of canine distemper virus in whole blood and urine
- Whether the virus is present in the dog's body now
- The virus itself, not the dog's antibodies
- A positive or negative result for distemper virus only
Benefits of this test
- Looks for the virus itself, so it can help detect a current infection.
- May help find infection in the early stage, while signs are still mild.
- Helps your vet tell distemper from look-alike illnesses such as kennel cough or other gut infections.
- Uses blood and urine, which are simple samples to collect.
- Helps your vet advise how to keep the dog away from other dogs.
Often discussed at these ages:Puppy
When your vet may advise it
- A puppy or young dog has fever, runny eyes and nose, cough and diarrhoea together.
- A dog has muscle twitching, fits or a wobbly walk.
- The nose or footpads become thick, hard and cracked.
- An unvaccinated or partly vaccinated dog has been near a sick dog.
- A rapid kit was negative or unclear, but the signs still look like distemper.
- Several dogs in a kennel or shelter fall ill at the same time.
About this test
Canine distemper is a serious virus illness of dogs. It can affect the breathing system, the gut, the skin and the nerves. Early signs are fever, runny eyes and nose, cough and diarrhoea. Later, some dogs get muscle twitching, fits or a wobbly walk.
This test uses PCR, a method that finds the genetic material of a virus in a sample. The lab tests whole blood and urine and checks whether distemper virus material is present. Here the test is done by PCR. The rapid kit and the ELISA tests are listed separately.
Vets commonly use it because distemper can look like kennel cough or other gut infections. A negative result late in the illness does not fully rule distemper out, because the virus may no longer be in the blood or urine.
How to prepare
No fasting is needed, but tell your vet if the dog was vaccinated recently. The lab lists whole blood and urine for this test; if you collect urine, use a clean, dry, closed container and ask the lab if you need help. In Bhopal the lab collects samples free from anywhere in the city, and from other places your vet can send them by courier or bus parcel.
Reading the result
A positive result may indicate current canine distemper infection, although a recent live vaccine can sometimes cause a positive result. A negative result does not fully rule distemper out, so a registered veterinarian reads it with the dog's signs and history and may advise further tests.
Questions about Canine Distemper RT-PCR
What is the difference between the distemper PCR and the rapid distemper kit?
Can the PCR find distemper before nerve signs start?
Can a vaccinated dog test positive?
How long does the Canine Distemper PCR report take?
Before you book this test
Why this notice: so you know, before you book, how a test is done, what its limits are and who is responsible.
- Where it is tested. Some tests are done wholly or partly by an independent partner laboratory. The lab tells you before booking if this test is sent out, and the report names the laboratory that did it.
- What a result can and cannot tell you. No test is right every time. A normal result does not rule out every disease, and an abnormal result does not prove one. A registered veterinarian should read the report with the animal’s signs and history before any treatment is started, changed or stopped.
- The sample. A sample that is clotted, too small, wrongly labelled, leaking or too old may be rejected or reported with a note, and the lab may ask for a fresh one.
- Reporting time. Confirmed when you book. Times are estimates, not guarantees, and the lab confirms the time when you book.
- Emergencies. A booking or a pending report must not delay urgent care. If an animal has collapsed, struggles to breathe, has fits or bleeds heavily, call a veterinarian at once.
Please read our Terms of Service, Medical Disclaimer, Privacy Policy and Refund and Cancellation Policy. Pashupatinath Vet Lab is operated by Duaji Healthcare and Tech Private Limited. This page is general information and does not replace a veterinarian’s advice.
Related tests
Tick Fever Panel RT-PCR (3 Strain: B. gibsoni, B. canis & E. canis)
Whole blood · Popular
₹2,200
Tick Fever Panel RT-PCR (4 Strain: B. gibsoni, B. canis, E. canis & Anaplasma spp.)
Whole blood
₹2,500
₹2,000
₹2,000
₹2,000
₹2,000
More RT-PCR tests
Canine Distemper RT-PCR: Bhopal and the big cities of Madhya Pradesh
Free sample collection anywhere in Bhopal. From the other cities, send the sample by courier, bus parcel or through your local veterinarian, and the report comes to you online.
Free collection in these Bhopal areas
Read more
What Is RT-PCR in Veterinary Testing?
RT-PCR is a lab test that finds the genetic material of a germ in a sample such as a swab, blood or dung. It copies a tiny trace many times until it is easy to detect. A vet reads the result with the animal's signs.
18 Oct 2026
Why a Negative RT-PCR Result Does Not Always Mean No Infection
A negative RT-PCR result means the germ was not found in that sample on that day. It does not always mean there is no infection, because timing, sample quality and the way a germ behaves can all hide it.
18 Oct 2026
Canine Distemper: RT-PCR Versus the Rapid Test
For suspected canine distemper, the rapid test gives a quick first look, RT-PCR looks for the virus's genetic material and can find small amounts, and the ELISA adds information from the immune side. Vets often read them together.
18 Oct 2026