‘Highly lethal’ disease with ‘no cure’ is putting Texas shelter dogs at risk, cops say
A Texas shelter is scrambling to keep its animals safe after one tested positive for a “highly lethal” disease with “no cure,” police said.
The Sherman Animal Shelter temporarily closed to quarantine its pups due to a canine distemper outbreak, police said in a May 28 news release.
Distemper is a virus that affects the respiratory, gastrointestinal and nervous system of dogs, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).
“Puppies and dogs most often become infected through airborne exposure to the virus from an infected dog or wild animal. This may occur through sneezing, coughing, or barking. The virus also can be transmitted through shared food and water bowls and other items,” AVMA said.
A vaccine for distemper is recommended for all dogs, according to the AVMA, and is considered the best possible way to prevent the disease.
Dogs infected at the Sherman shelter will be euthanized to prevent the disease from spreading, police said.
“Our efforts in the coming weeks will be aimed at saving as many of the animals as possible,” police said.
The shelter will accept cats and some stray dogs as they slowly reopen, but one of the two dog buildings will be closed for four weeks due to the outbreak, police said.
Distemper also affects other mammals such as ferrets and raccoons, police said. Cats are also at risk of infection from canine distemper, according to the AVMA, but it is unlikely that they will get sick.
Pet owners in the area were also told to keep their pets away from public water and food bowls and ensure any of their own are not accessible to wildlife, according to the release.
Sherman is about a 60-mile drive north of Dallas.
