250 dogs put down as distemper spreads

THERE has been an outbreak of distemper in the small Northern Cape town of Calvinia where more than 250 dogs have been put down since November.

Distemper is a viral disease that spreads because of an over population of unvaccinated dogs. The Western Cape SPCA deals with more than two cases of distemper per week, says Cape of Good Hope SPCA Hospital manager Wendy Robinson.

“The cases are township dogs or stray dogs from informal settlements,” said Robinson. “Areas where stray dogs roam have more of a chance of an outbreak.”

Statistics surrounding distemper in Cape Town are static, but Robinson said it was common for outbreaks to take place in “smaller towns or informal areas” elsewhere in the Western Cape and across SA.

“Areas without animal welfare programmes are more likely to have an outbreak,” she said.

A veterinarian working in Calvinia said she had been forced to put down 250 dogs since November.

It is not known how many dogs have had to be put down in the town.

“(The disease) affects a quarter of all the dogs in the area,” a Calvinia veterinarian said.

“It can be prevented by a vaccination, but people can’t afford to vaccinate their dogs.”

Distemper has no effect on humans, but dogs with the virus show early symptoms like coughing and fevers that develop into vomiting and diarrhoea.

This finally results in nervous system issues that attack the dog’s spinal cord and brain. Young dogs are most vulnerable to the disease, and it can cost anywhere between R200 and R300 to vaccinate a puppy, according to Dr Glen Carlisle, an Oudtshoorn veterinarian.

Carlisle’s Oudtshoorn practice has dealt with only 30 cases of distemper in the past year because most of his clients’ pets have been vaccinated.

Aside from issues with cost, Carlisle believes many people do not vaccinate their dogs simply because of ignorance.

“Many people don’t understand how distemper quickly spreads,” he said.

“If a dog with the virus coughs or sneezes, the disease spreads.”

“Ignorance is why many people don’t get them vaccinated.”