Vaccinate your pets, owners are urged

Animal owners are urged to vaccinate their animals after a recent deadly outbreak of canine distemper and parvovirus.
Four dogs in the Dannhauser area have already died in the last two months as a result of the viruses.
Canine distemper is highly contagious and symptoms include fever, vomiting and diarrhoea while Parvovirus affects the intestinal tract that results in vomiting, diarrhoea and blood in the stool.
It attacks white blood cells in young animals that have been exposed and also attacks the heart muscle that could lead to heart damage, eventually killing the animal. The infections usually prove fatal, so pet owners are strongly urged to have their animals vaccinated against the virus.
Canine Distemper is a relative of the measles virus which affects humans. The virus is spread through the air and by direct or indirect (such as utensils or bedding) contact with an infected animal. Being a virus there is no antibiotic cure for it. Puppies must be vaccinated from six weeks of age, with a booster every three weeks until age 12 – 16 weeks, and thereafter yearly, especially breeding females. Parvovirus is also highly contagious and is spread from dog to dog by direct or indirect contact with their faeces. “Pets should be taken to a vet immediately should the owner suspect or notice any sudden change in your pet’s health,” said Taariq Khan, State Vet for the Amajuba District.
The virus takes between five days or up to two weeks to kill a pet. However, even with hospitalisation, there is no guarantee that the animal will be cured and survive.
Canine Distemper can also affect humans, but Parvovirus can’t. The Canine Distemper virus can last a few hours in the environment, outside the body, at medium temperature, so it is important to ensure it disappears by disinfecting the soil and all the surroundings that may have been in contact with the affected area.
Parvo can live in the environment for six months to one year, so once again, disinfecting the area is vitally important as well as having pet vaccinated against the disease.