Airdrie, Alta.-based BARCS Animal Rescue is drawing attention to the importance of animal vaccinations after eight dogs died of distemper in June, and another eight died of parvo in the first quarter of the year as the two diseases are hitting animal rescues in the province.
Distemper is a highly contagious and airborne disease, which can also be spread through contact with an infected animal. BARCS believes the disease entered its facility through a dog in its care who then passed it onto her seven puppies. All eight of them, along with another four dogs, sadly passed away at the end of June.
“Distemper is airborne so they can inhale it,” says Beverly Reid, BARCS general manager and veterinary care lead. “It’s easy to spread through the facility because you have fans running and whatnot, so even to try and keep them separated, we aren’t large enough in this facility to do the kind of isolation we would really like to do.”
The disease targets the respiratory, gastrointestinal and nervous systems of dogs, can cause seizures and tremors, and can cause long-term neurological and health issues.
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Distemper can be prevented through vaccination, and it is one of the core vaccines for dogs according to veterinarians, along with rabies, canine adenovirus and parvo virus.
“Parvo has cost us more money, because if they’re treated, the dogs will survive,” says Reid.
BARCS has also been dealing with parvo infections; 21 dogs got that disease. All were treated, but only 13 survived. BARCS lost another eight dogs in the first quarter of this year.
“It’s very hard to get rid of parvo, it’s very transmittable and attacks the digestive system but … you get about an 80 per cent survival rate if you can get proper treatment,” says Reid.
Reid said treating the 21 dogs cost the rescue roughly $20,000 in care. Volunteers came in twice a day to assist local vets administering medication.
The charity is in need of support after dealing with the financial and emotional burden of dealing with the two diseases. Reid says they can always use donations of towels, PPE, cleaning supplies and dog food. Monetary donations can also be made through its website.
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