Canine distemper was known as a severe systemic infection of dogs and other carnivores for some centuries now. Symptoms of the gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts are particularly prominent. Nervous symptoms are also regularly observed. A paper on canine distemper by J.C. van der Slooten appeared in Tijdschrift voor Veeartsenijkunde en Veeteelt in 1894, in which a number of features of this disease was discussed. This paper was also published in the present issue of Tijdschrift voor Diergeneeskunde (see page 309). On the basis of this paper, several developments are described, which contributed to our current knowledge of canine distemper. Particular attention is paid to the aetiology, pathogenesis and epizootiology as well as the prevention of distemper by vaccination.