BENGALURU: It rarely ever happens but a two-year-old rescued dog, named Jhoomer, survived canine distemper. The chances of a pooch surviving this virus is usually only five per cent, according to vets, and the doctors say that there is an outbreak of the infection over the past couple of months.
If detected in the early stages, recovery is possible, says a city-based veterinarian Dr Lohith H D, adding, “But in my career of 15 years, I haven’t seen this severe an outbreak of canine distemper. I get about ten cases a day.”
Dr Ashwin, who practises in Kammanahalli, says that the number of infected dogs visiting his clinic this year hasdoubled from last year. “I used to see 15 a month, now I get 30 sick dogs,” he says. December through February is the season for this infection to strike and this year has been particularly foggy, so aerosols (carriers of the infection) cover a larger area. “There is a 60 per cent mortality rate with distemper,” says Dr Ashwin.
It is like polio in humans, says Dr Lohith. “This viral infection is seen only in canine species. It starts off with respiratory infection and conjuctivitis. These are the initial stages which are easy to spot. Once, it affects the nervous system, it could lead to epilepsy and they may lose balance in their movements permanently.”
Prevention is the only way, adds Dr Karthik. “There is no treatment for any viral disease in canines. Hence, prevention is the only way. The dog should be vaccinated at the age of 45 days and annually throughout his life.”
Symptoms
The early symptoms of canine distemper incude fever, vomitting and diarrhoea. Dr Karthik says, “It affects the puppies mostly as the immunity levels in them are low. The viral infection further reduces the immunity. Hence, we just provide them with supportive therapy to prevent viral multiplication and secondary bacterial infection with antibiotics. We also prescribe nervous stimulants, if it has affected them neurologically.”
Attending to such cases in a clinic or a hospital is also difficult as the doctors fear it may spread to the other dogs. “All my boys have been trained to detect canine distemper in the patients that come in. So that before they enter, they are taken to an isolated room and the contaminated area is cleaned. We need to take many precautions,” says Dr Lohith.
Dr Nanjundappa says, “Though it is common among the Indian stray dogs and puppies as they are not been taken proper care of, I have also been getting cases of owner (pet) dogs for the past three days. They are affected as they have not been vaccinated or due to some failure of vaccine.”
Vaccine Failure
Five to ten per cent of such cases could be due to failure of vaccine, adds Dr Lothith. “They may not have been vaccinated regularly or the vaccine would not have been good.” Dr Karthik says, “It is a combined vaccine for distemper and hepatitis.” Once a dog survives, there is 99 per cent that it will not be infected with this virus again, says Dr Nanjundappa. “But they will have like post cure effects such as twitching, paralysis and continuous jaw movements (chewing gum fits). They need to be on supplements lifelong.”
Brave Survivor
A rescuer Surya Singh found the two-year-old dog, whom he later named Jhoomer, dumped near his shelter Save Animals India in Kundanahalli. Surya Singh says, “I took him to a vet in Indiranagar. He underwent minor surgeries for the removal of blood clots and had to take medicines three or four times a day. After two and a half months, he is fine now. He stays with me in my shelter in Yelahanka now.” He was kept in isolation in his shelter until his recovery. “We had to wash the vessels we used to feed him in thoroughly because it is contagious, and took him for regular check ups.” Surya says Jhoomer is now “completely cured, with no side effects... He is very active”.