Canine distemper spreading quickly in dog population in Mangaluru

Mangaluru: Canine Distemper, a highly contagious disease in dogs is spreading quickly in the canine population around the city raising concerns.

The highly contagious viral infection has been reported in dogs in areas of Kaikamba, Haripadavu, Maryhill, Padil, Bajal, Surathkal, and Kana. Stray dogs are particularly vulnerable than vaccinated pet dogs. Without proper treatment, the disease can be fatal.

According to the Animal Care Trust, about 30-40 percent of stray dogs are currently affected by the outbreak. Without appropriate medical treatment, the numbers could rise further, they said.

The disease can be prevented by vaccinating the animals with DHPPI, a multivalent vaccine for dogs. But, vaccinating stray dogs for the disease remains a challenge, they added.

Further, the vaccine has to be procured from private sources. Currently, the vaccine is not available in government veterinary hospitals. It costs around Rs 600 to Rs 800 for a single dose of vaccine, said Suma Nayak of Animal Care Trust talking to ‘Udayavani Sudina.’

“Animal Care Trust has already rescued some dogs. More than 40 dogs have already been treated in the isolation ward at our facility. Most of them have been cured,” she said.

Though Canine distemper is common for all seasons of the year, it spreads especially quickly during the rainy and winter months. The virus spreads from one dog to another through the air. Humans are not affected by the viral disease, veterinarians said.

Symptoms:

Dogs infected by Canine distemper may exhibit symptoms including fever, nasal discharge, sneezing, coughing, breathing difficulties, seizures, loss of appetite, diarrhea, vomiting, and excessive saliva muscle twitching among others. It may take 4-5 months for the canines to recover from the disease, veterinarians said.