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Canine virus outbreak may be worst in decade

County Humane Society forced to close for a week, euthanize dogs.

Jimmy Straley, Clark County Humane Society Executive Director/Chief Dog Warden, gets a wet greeting from a friendly dog waiting to be adopted Monday. The Humane Society had to destroy a number of dogs and treat others for distemper after at least 10 dogs tested positive for for the disease. The pup that Straley is holding is one of the lucky ones that was treated and is now fine and healthy.

Staff photo by Bill Lackey Jimmy Straley, Clark County Humane Society Executive Director/Chief Dog Warden, gets a wet greeting from a friendly dog waiting to be adopted Monday. The Humane Society had to destroy a number of dogs and treat others for distemper after at least 10 dogs tested positive for for the disease. The pup that Straley is holding is one of the lucky ones that was treated and is now fine and healthy.

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By Tiffany Y. Latta, Staff Writer Updated 10:12 AM Tuesday, January 10, 2012

SPRINGFIELD — An outbreak of a deadly, highly contagious canine virus forced the Clark County Humane Society to shut down for a week and euthanize nearly two dozen dogs.

The outbreak could be a sign that, due to the economy, many owners are struggling financially and are increasingly not vaccinating their animals and abandoning their pets, said a local veterinarian and the Humane Society of Clark County.

The 20 to 25 dogs were euthanized after 10 dogs that were adopted or placed in foster homes tested positive between Nov. 1 and mid-December for distemper, a virus that attacks the intestines, respiratory and nervous systems and can quickly kill puppies and unvaccinated dogs.

Dr. Dana King of the Northside Veterinary Clinic, who euthanized about 10 of the dogs that tested positive for the virus, said the distemper outbreak may have been the largest of its kind in the area in about a decade.

Clark County Humane Society Director James A. Straley urged pet owners to inoculate their pets and to seek help if they can no longer care for their animals.

“A dog isn’t a throw-away item. When you don’t do what’s best for them, they are going to get sick. Who knows how many other dogs are out there that are sick,” Straley said.

After the virus was discovered, Straley said the facility at 5201 Urbana Road shut down for a week around Thanksgiving.

“It was one of those weeks that everybody in the business hates, because there’s nothing you can do,” Straley said. “If we do nothing, we run the risk of giving every dog that comes in a death sentence.”

One dog — a Cairn terrier named Shooter that was going to be adopted — was treated and saved, but its future owner backed out after learning they couldn’t have the dog for about six weeks due to the medical treatments, Straley said.

King said the outbreak was likely caused by an infected stray animal that was not vaccinated.

“They can pick it up from a fox or a raccoon. It’s very important for people to keep their dogs vaccinated because the vaccine is 99.8 percent effective,” King said.

Distemper causes fever, coughing, vomiting and seizures. It’s spread by bodily fluids and puppies are extremely susceptible, veterinarians say. The virus doesn’t affect humans.

King said the dogs he euthanized were symptomatic and Straley said others at the humane society that had been in contact with those dogs were also put down.

To eradicate the virus, Straley said human society officials used bleach and other chemicals to clean the entire facility.

“We cleaned every square inch,” Straley said. “We couldn’t risk exposure to the other dogs already here or that came in, including dogs from the public.”

The humane society also took additional steps to protect other dogs from the virus, deciding to begin vaccinating dogs found on the street and isolating dogs based on the days they arrive at the shelter, he said.

For more information about adopting a pet, call the humane society at (937) 399-2917.

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