NEWCASTLE KZN: Why it’s essential to inoculate your pets and prevent spreading deadly viruses

Under South African law, an animal keeper has a duty of care to his/her animals and is required to take reasonable steps to protect their welfare and prevent suffering.

This, according to Heather Gero of the Newcastle SPCA, is the legal responsibility of the animal’s owner or keeper.

“Inoculating your pet helps reduce the spread of disease and prevents epidemics, especially in areas where animals live in close proximity with each other,” explained Gero.

The only way to eradicate some of the viruses that threaten our pets, she added, is to ensure they are inoculated timeously and correctly and everyone involved has to be on board with the program.

“Deadly viruses such as Canine Parvovirus, Canine Distemper and Rabies are invisible and can be spread by simply touching a surface that it is on, and then touching another surface. They can live on a dry surface for up to a week and on a wet surface for over a year,” she warned.

Gero mentioned that weather conditions do little to deter these types of viruses as freezing or hot weather does not kill them. She said the only defense available was to have pets inoculated against it.

“The advantages outweigh the risks for both animal and human,” she explained.

Find out more about these deadly viruses below:

Rabies – this is considered to be the most deadly of the viruses to both animals and humans, so protecting your dogs with yearly inoculations is essential.

“Rabies can be transmitted when an infected animal scratches or bites another animal or human, or through the saliva from an infected animal if the saliva comes into contact with a mucous membrane of another animal or human,” said Gero.

The rabies virus travels to the brain and can only be diagnosed after the start of symptoms. By this stage, warned Gero, death is nearly always inevitable.

Canine parvovirus – this is a highly contagious virus that can affect all dogs, but unvaccinated dogs and puppies younger than four months old are most at risk.

“Dogs that are ill from canine parvovirus infection are often said to have ‘parvo’. The virus is spread by direct dog-to-dog contact and contact with contaminated stool, environments or people who handle infected dogs.”

Gero added that the virus is resistant to heat, cold, humidity and drying and can survive in the environment for long periods of time.

Canine distemper – this highly contagious virus is spread via inhalation and is fatal 50% of the time. 

“The virus infects the gastrointestinal tract, respiratory tract, the brain and spinal cord.”

Common symptoms can include a high fever, watery discharge from the eyes and ears, vomiting and diarrhea, hardening of the footpads and nose, paralysis and seizures (of any part of the body, but seizures that look as if the dog is chewing gum are unique to distemper).

Canine distemper is not transmittable to humans.

“Pet owners need to educate themselves on what inoculations their pet needs and be responsible enough to keep their pet protected. A pet depends on its master for food, dental care and health issues. We have some pretty awesome vets in our area, but they are not miracle workers… we have to get them involved before the pet is sick or infected,” said Gero.

She concluded by urging the community to be responsible and do the right thing by inoculating their pets to keep them, and the environment, healthy.

For assistance and more information, contact the Newcastle SPCA on 034 318 2346 or visit the organisation on Samson Drive in Barry Hertzog Park.

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Email: Reveshni Douglas (Editor) at reveshni@caxton.co.za

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