From the Douglas County Sentinel:
Disease closes animal shelter
The Georgia Department of Agriculture has temporarily closed the Carroll County and Douglas County animal shelters due to an outbreak of canine distemper in the West Georgia area.
The Carroll County shelter was closed last week, and the Douglas County shelter was closed Thursday night, according to Wes Tallon, county communications and community relations director.
“Canine distemper is a contagious, incurable, viral disease that affects the respiratory, gastrointestinal and central nervous systems,” Tallon said. “It is preventable in dogs via vaccinations. However, the virus occurs among, and is fairly common, in canine species including raccoons, skunks, coyotes and foxes.”
The Carroll County shelter was closed last week, and the Douglas County shelter was closed Thursday night, according to Wes Tallon, county communications and community relations director.
“Canine distemper is a contagious, incurable, viral disease that affects the respiratory, gastrointestinal and central nervous systems,” Tallon said. “It is preventable in dogs via vaccinations. However, the virus occurs among, and is fairly common, in canine species including raccoons, skunks, coyotes and foxes.”
Infected animals primarily transmit the virus through the air -- close contact is enough. For example, an unvaccinated domestic dog can become infected through an interaction with an infected raccoon while chasing it. Puppies between 3 - 6 months old and unhealthy adult dogs are the most susceptible to infection and disease.
“Officials surmise that an infected wild animal came in contact with a domesticated dog somewhere in West Georgia, and that the virus then began to quickly spread,” Tallon said. “This is not a virus that has occurred due to kennel conditions.”
Tallon said it’s somewhat difficult to identify canine distemper at first due to its mimic of kennel cough, a common and non-threatening occurrence of animals in a close-environment shelter. More advanced symptoms include heavier respiratory symptoms and may include seizures.
“Officials surmise that an infected wild animal came in contact with a domesticated dog somewhere in West Georgia, and that the virus then began to quickly spread,” Tallon said. “This is not a virus that has occurred due to kennel conditions.”
Tallon said it’s somewhat difficult to identify canine distemper at first due to its mimic of kennel cough, a common and non-threatening occurrence of animals in a close-environment shelter. More advanced symptoms include heavier respiratory symptoms and may include seizures.
He said the Douglas County Animal Shelter has segregated as many of the housed animals as possible and is in the process of scrubbing and sanitizing all cages and kennels, as required by the Georgia Department of Agriculture. “Since the virus is airborne, all ceiling tiles and duct work in the shelter are being cleaned and sanitized, as well as the air conditioning system,” Tallon said. “Ceiling tiles not able to be reused will be disinfected to the extent possible, double-bagged and sealed before being appropriately disposed. Countertops and surfaces are being sanitized. The animal control vehicles are also being sanitized.”
Unfortunately, very young puppies and the sick and injured dogs in the Shelter had to be euthanized on the advice and counsel of the kennel veterinarian due to their low immune system, Tallon said. The remainder of the animals are being segregated inside and outside in sanitized kennels with permission by the Georgia Department of Agriculture.
The sanitized outside runs at the Douglas County Animal Shelter will be used on Sunday, May 25, with state approval, for segregation of the stray dogs picked up by animal shelter staff.
Unfortunately, very young puppies and the sick and injured dogs in the Shelter had to be euthanized on the advice and counsel of the kennel veterinarian due to their low immune system, Tallon said. The remainder of the animals are being segregated inside and outside in sanitized kennels with permission by the Georgia Department of Agriculture.
The sanitized outside runs at the Douglas County Animal Shelter will be used on Sunday, May 25, with state approval, for segregation of the stray dogs picked up by animal shelter staff.
No animals will be allowed to be dropped off at the Douglas County Animal Shelter until at least June 6 after the quarantine period is over and an inspection from the Georgia Department of Agriculture, Tallon said. It is anticipated that the animal shelter will reopen at that time.
“Veterinarians in both Carroll and Douglas counties said that they had not seen an outbreak of distemper in about 18 years due to the vaccination program,” Tallon said.
During the quarantine period, the Douglas County Animal Shelter will replace some of the ductwork in the building -- a renovation planned for later this year, but which has been moved up on the schedule due to this occurrence.
“Veterinarians in both Carroll and Douglas counties said that they had not seen an outbreak of distemper in about 18 years due to the vaccination program,” Tallon said.
During the quarantine period, the Douglas County Animal Shelter will replace some of the ductwork in the building -- a renovation planned for later this year, but which has been moved up on the schedule due to this occurrence.
The shelter staff is coordinating efforts will shelters in other areas to accept pets needing to be turned in by their owners since no animals can be accepted at the Douglas County Animal Shelter at this time.
No visitors will be allowed in the shelter during the quarantine. Humans most likely cannot be infected, but can be a carrier of the virus and then can pass it along to their personal pets. Dogs that are pets of animal shelter employees and volunteers were all previously vaccinated against the virus, but employees are taking precautions of washing clothes and personal items immediately after leaving the shelter, Tallon said.
No visitors will be allowed in the shelter during the quarantine. Humans most likely cannot be infected, but can be a carrier of the virus and then can pass it along to their personal pets. Dogs that are pets of animal shelter employees and volunteers were all previously vaccinated against the virus, but employees are taking precautions of washing clothes and personal items immediately after leaving the shelter, Tallon said.
I am out raged I believe it should be the shelters fault for not vaccinating all animals they pretend to care!!!!!!! I got a puppy from the douglas county shelter on the 10th of June. I WAS WATCHING MY SISTERS DOGS WHILE SHE WENT ON VACATION ...BECAUSE OF THERE CARELESSNESS OF NOT THINKING IT IS NECESSARY TO GIVE VACCINATIONS the first shots (which do not cost much compared to what we pay them so we can give them a home) I had to put my sisters dog asleep tonight... Does anyone care. I still have the pup and one more dog that we might lose.
ReplyDeleteI care. We adopted a puppy on 4/29. He died from distemper on 5/24 a horrible horrible death and left my daughters broken hearted. No one wanted to call it distemper and no one wants to be responsible for reporting it.
ReplyDeleteI think the shelter should repay the vet bills endured due to their negligence and lack of concern. Or the vets should refund the money. They refuse to report it to the Dept of Ag because they might make someone upset. What about the poor animals and the broken hearted children?
There needs to be a change made and someone should be held accountable.
We too adopted a dog on 5/17/2008. Not one person from the shelter contacted us to let us know there could be a problem or that they had an outbreak. We had her at home for a week and half with no symptoms and vet exam with our other pets(thankfully older and vaccinated and healthy) The dog we adopted was two years old and became very ill. We had her in the hopital for a week where she got worse and had to be euthanised. We couldn't even test for the distmper virus as we just had her vaccinated. Could the shelter at least have notified everyone who had adopted recently that there was an outbreak? We took this dog to the park and exposed her to all of our animals at home. I know there are risks in adoption, but I feel it was their responsibility to let caring adopters know what was going on. We spent alot of money and were emotionally heartbroken due to the loss. We also paid $125 for the adoption fee, since she was spaid, you would think they would have included a distemper vaccine. Please notify the adopters in the future when there is an issue.
ReplyDeleteI know this is old but I am APPALLED! I JUST got off the phone with this MORON who works there. I asked him questions like, "Is this a no-kill shelter?"..."What is the adoption rate for cats/kittens?"...etc. I found and am hand raising two kittens. I was ASKING legitimate questions to help me decide where to take them or if I should go ahead and keep them myself. The idiot answered one or two things I asked and then...CLICK! I actually spoke with this same uneducated loser a few days ago too so it's not like the idiot didn't know what I was talking about. It's my guess this moron only has (as is the case with most who work there probably) a fourth grade education and so cleaning up dog poop all day long was the best he could get. They don't care about the animals. They just couldn't get a job at Burger King! Disgusting bunch of losers.
ReplyDelete