CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCIV) — A contagious disease in dogs has popped up in the Charleston area. A local veterinarian is warning pet owners about an uptick in cases of canine distemper.
Distemper is a serious viral illness that’s highly contagious and often fatal for dogs.
Dr. Kristin Welch, DVM, DACVECC, at Charleston Veterinary Referral Center, said cases don’t come into their clinic very often, as it’s preventable with a vaccine.
“In the nine years that this hospital has been open, we had previously only seen two or three cases and in the last few months, we’ve had four,” said Dr. Welch.
The news is concerning for new pet owner Eliza Doddington. Doddington and her husband purchased a puppy from a pet shop less than two weeks ago. She said his first trip to the vet was fine, but she was surprised to learn he wasn’t fully protected from distemper.
“Everything looks fine as far as his health is concerned, but we did notice that he was getting a vaccine for one month and then it stopped for about almost a month and a half,” said Doddington.
She said the paperwork that came with her dog showed a lapse in his vaccination schedule from when it left the breeder to its duration at the pet store. She said they’ve spent hundreds of dollars getting the pup back up to date on his shots. While it doesn’t not appear the dog will have any problems, Doddington said the risk itself was an eye-opening experience.
“When we see canine distemper cases, they’re often these young puppies that haven’t yet had the ability to be fully vaccinated,” Welch said. “The purpose behind booster vaccines is that you want to be able to give a boost to the immune system when it’s required.”
She said people should be wary of where they adopt, rescue or purchase pets.
“We see it a lot more in puppies that come from group environments, so things like shelters or breeding facilities, pet stores, things like that,” she said. “In those environments, it’s very easy to pass the virus back and forth with very little contact at all, just sneezing and contamination of the environment. It’s also passable on people’s clothing too.”
Dr. Welch said if a dog shows any signs of coughing or sneezing, people should consult a veterinarian immediately. While distemper is not a health risk for humans, it is often fatal in dogs.
