Distemper outbreak at my local shelter *sad story* (shih-tzu, vet, stomach)

[usc_gal98]

Families struggle with stricken dogs - Local - Myrtle Beach Online (http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/news/local/story/703970.html - broken link)

So many dogs have been put down over the past week since this outbreak has happened.

[teatime]

Sigh, this happened to me. Our city shelter doesn't do vaccinations or screen the animals well. They just shelter and feed the animals. If you adopt, you have to sign an agreement to get the vaccinations and spay/neuter done and they give you coupons you take to the vet of your choice to cover the cost.

When I adopted my Weimaraner, I noticed an adorable shih-tzu mix that was just crying and begging for attention. It was within a day of being euthanized. I asked about her and they said her time was up but they didn't advise about any health issues, so I adopted her, too. When I took the dogs to the vet for injections and to arrange for spaying them, I noticed the vet spent a lot of time studying the shih-tzu. He asked me about her stomach/bowel issues and if I had noticed the tremors and weird facial expressions she was making. I had, but I thought it was just from being nervous. Turned out that she had distemper.

Since I had no vet or medical history on the Weimaraner, I was worried that she'd caught it, too! The vet said some research shows that innoculating the pets within 3 days of exposure greatly reduces the chance they will contract distemper, so I kept my fingers crossed. My Weim was fine, thank goodness, and my other dogs were obviously up-to-date on their vaccinations.

Unfortunately, though, the puppy had to be put down and it absolutely broke my heart. The vet notified the shelter but I don't know what was done. She had been at the shelter for almost two weeks so she likely infected a lot of dogs!