Animal shelter remains closed after outbreak of distemper

NWA Democrat-Gazette/DAVID GOTTSCHALK Dogs, including Captain (right), a three-year-old American Bully, are housed Monday at Springdale's Public Works building, 269 E. Randal Wobbe Lane in Springdale. Springdale's Animal Shelter is temporarily closed because of an outbreak of distemper.
NWA Democrat-Gazette/DAVID GOTTSCHALK Dogs, including Captain (right), a three-year-old American Bully, are housed Monday at Springdale's Public Works building, 269 E. Randal Wobbe Lane in Springdale. Springdale's Animal Shelter is temporarily closed because of an outbreak of distemper.

SPRINGDALE -- The Animal Shelter remained closed Monday after an outbreak of distemper last week.

Courtney Kremer, director of animal services for the city, hopes to open the shelter later this week.

"We're waiting for test results and sending more samples off," she said. "We're waiting to find out which direction to go."

The shelter housed about 45 dogs last week. All dogs at the shelter during the time of the outbreak have been receiving antibiotics and close monitoring, Kremer said. Shelter staff also immediately vaccinated incoming dogs, which is part of the normal operation at the shelter, Kremer said. The incoming dogs spent the week in the city' public works building next to the shelter to limit their risks of exposure.

Staff kept sheltered dogs in kennels to keep them seperated from sick dogs. Staff housed together dogs that seemed to have low risk.

"You do anything you can to minimize the virus," Kremer said. "You don't know who's at the most and least risk."

Kremer said Friday she and her staff were no longer seeing signs of the disease that concerned them. Distemper in dogs causes nasal discharge much like a human cold.

Staff disinfected kennels and other surfaces in the shelter last week after it closed.

NWA Democrat-Gazette/DAVID GOTTSCHALK A statement is posted Monday, April 29, 2019, on the door of the city of Springdale Animal Shelter at 321 E. Randall Wobbe Lane. The shelter is temporarily closed because of an outbreak of distemper.
NWA Democrat-Gazette/DAVID GOTTSCHALK A statement is posted Monday, April 29, 2019, on the door of the city of Springdale Animal Shelter at 321 E. Randall Wobbe Lane. The shelter is temporarily closed because of an outbreak of distemper.

Kremer said two dogs had to euthanized related to the disease.

The first dog to show signs of the disease was a stray puppy brought in by a resident. One of the final stages of the disease induces facial seizures, and the puppy suffered these, she said

The second dog showed signs of distemper and was "sicker than all the others," she reported.

"We tried to make best decisions concerning the animals, as well as the public," Kremer continued.

Dogs infected with distemper easily can pass the virus through their respiratory systems, said Kate Williams of St. Francis Animal Hospital in Springdale, representing the American Veterinary Medical Association.

NWA Democrat-Gazette/DAVID GOTTSCHALK Dogs, including Captain (right), a three-year-old American Bully, are housed Monday at Springdale's Public Works building, 269 E. Randal Wobbe Lane in Springdale. Springdale's Animal Shelter is temporarily closed because of an outbreak of distemper.
NWA Democrat-Gazette/DAVID GOTTSCHALK Dogs, including Captain (right), a three-year-old American Bully, are housed Monday at Springdale's Public Works building, 269 E. Randal Wobbe Lane in Springdale. Springdale's Animal Shelter is temporarily closed because of an outbreak of distemper.

Skunks, racoons and other wildlife can carry distemper and can pass it to dogs not been protected by vaccinations.

Keith Stephens, chief of communications with the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission, said the game wardens have reported nothing unusual among the region's wildlife this spring.

Dogs infected with the virus likely will develop fever and seem lethargic, Williams said. In the next week, pet owners might notice secretions from the nose and eyes and vomiting and diarrhea.

All dogs are at risk, but puppies younger than 4 months old and dogs that haven't been vaccinated are at increased risk.

Springdale voters approved a $5.2 million bond project in 2018 to build an animal shelter currently in the design phase. The facility will have an isolated containment area for preventive care when animals arrive at the shelter.

NW News on 04/30/2019

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