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PHOENIX – The Maricopa County Shelters limit the contact that the public and other dogs have with dogs already in the shelter due to the occurrence of two contagious diseases for dogs.
According to Maricopa County Animal Care and Control, the number of cases of canine parvovirus (commonly known as parvo) and distemper has increased recently. Officials have therefore decided to remove dog contacts from shelters with the outside world in order to prevent the spread of infections.
In response, the East and West Shelters of the County have suspended all transfers from their owners until June 11. The staff will contact those who have made an appointment for them to return their animals and offer them other options.
Meetings between shelter dogs and those seeking to adopt and who already have pets at home have been suspended for 30 days. Owners who bring a new dog home will be asked to quarantine their current animal and introduce them slowly. Officials say that this suspension will prevent parvo or tempera from spreading to the animal owned by its owner or those seeking to be adopted.
The county has also temporarily put an end to public dog walking, where people can come and help shelter animals to stretch their legs on walks around shelters.
Parvo and distemper are both highly contagious viruses that infect dogs through contact or contact with excrement or infected surfaces, such as a shared water bowl. Parvo infects the gastrointestinal tract and its symptoms include loss of appetite, diarrhea and vomiting. Death can occur within 48 to 72 hours of the onset of symptoms.
according to the American Veterinary Medical Association.
There is no specific medicine to eliminate the infection. The treatment consists in strengthening the immune system of the dog to fight against the virus.
Distemper infects the respiratory and nervous systems, in addition to the gastrointestinal tract of the dog. It can spread by air when an infected dog coughs or sneezes,
according to AVMA.
Dogs infected with distemper can spread the infection for months. Symptoms include watery eyes, fever and vomiting. As the disease progresses in the nervous system, dogs begin to adopt circular behaviors, head tilts and convulsions.
Vaccines are available for parvo and distemper vaccines, which makes puppies too young to be vaccinated at the highest risk of contracting the disease.
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