noun
a viral disease affecting animals, especially dogs
verb
to cause to become sick or disordered
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The veterinarian diagnosed the dog with distemper.
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My neighbor's puppy got distemper and had to stay at the animal hospital.
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I heard distemper is going around the neighborhood, so make sure to keep your pets vaccinated.
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The political unrest in the country is like a distemper spreading among the population.