Gainesville —
A Gainesville veterinarian urges dog owners to vaccinate their pets in prevention of a dangerous canine contagion.
Dr. Shelly Gomulak said in a recent release that during summer months in North Texas, the airborne “canine distemper virus” rarely appears in dogs — but is fatal in 80 percent of the cases, even when the sick animal is aggressively treated.
“As a veterinarian of 15 years, have only seen two cases of the deadly virus,” Gomulak said in the release. “In the last three months, I have seen at least 10 cases and maybe more that I wasn’t sure of.”
Gomulak said symptoms include coughing and a running nose plus fever, diarrhea and even seizures as the virus infects the brain. She added, however, that the virus appears to be more subtle in its signs this summer and has been harder to diagnose.
“The dogs may have a cough, much like kennel cough, but don't always run a fever and don't really seem to feel bad,” Gomulak said. “The neurologic entity of the disease does not present itself sometimes for weeks to months after initial signs of respiratory illness. The animals are often without respiratory signs at all and seem to be ‘healthy’ when they start to have seizures.”
Gomulak said that because distemper virus is airborne, it is difficult to contain. When an infected dog coughs, any other animal nearby can inhale traces of the virus and become infected itself.
But she also said a vaccination for the virus — which additionally treats parvo, a disease with many similar symptoms — is inexpensive and effective if pet owners follow the correct protocol.
“If you cannot afford a veterinarian, many of the local feed stores carry the vaccination and you can give it yourself,” she said. “Puppies need to be vaccinated for the first time between 7 and 8 weeks of age, again at 11 to 12 weeks and then a final vaccination at 16 weeks of age. After those three puppy vaccinations, they will need to be boosted yearly.”
During the initial three-vaccination series, Gomulak said, the dog should be kept isolated from dogs that haven’t been vaccinated, and should not be allowed to venture beyond the owner’s backyard.
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Related Photos
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Pictured is a dog infected with “canine distemper virus,” a rare but often deadly contagion currently seen in North Texas during summer months. Symptoms are similar to the parvo virus and include respiratory problems, fever and seizures as symptoms. Dog owners are urged to vaccinate their pets against the virus — which is available in some local feed stores if a veterinarian’s visit is too expensive. Courtesy photo
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