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#1 DRIVE BY SHOOTING
Distemper is a virus that effects many species of animals, but really does a number on dogs, coyotes, and wolves. Canine distemper is a highly contagious & maybe fatal.
Cause: It’s a virus that causes canine distemper. This virus can also infect several other species including ferrets, foxes, skunks, raccoons, even cats and other animals.
Risk Factors: Puppies under four months of age (before vaccinations are fully protective) and unvaccinated dogs are most at risk. Because canine distemper also occurs in wild animals, contact with wild animals may contribute to the spread of distemper to domestic dogs.
Signs and Symptoms of Distemper: Canine distemper causes symptoms in the gastrointestinal tract, respiratory tract, brain and spinal cord. The appearance of symptoms and course of distemper can be variable, ranging from very mild illness to fatal disease. Any but not all of the following symptoms can be seen:
- Fever (1st fever appears a few days after infection & might not be noticed, 2nd fever comes a few days later when other symptoms begin to show up)
- Discharge from eyes and nose
- Loss of appetite
- Lethargy
- Vomiting & Diarrhea
- Coughing
- Labored Breathing
- Hardening of footpads and nose (distemper has been called hardpad disease)
Prevention of Distemper: Vaccination is effective at preventing distemper. Typically, the initial vaccine is followed by a booster shot about two weeks later.
OUTBREAK OF DISTEMPER IN BROWNING, MT.
Even though the team at Kaawa’Pomaakaa rescues and saves animals, they also do what they can to protect and keep animals healthy.
Once it was learned that some puppies & homeless adult dogs were dying in Browning and at other Human Societies where some Browning dogs had gone, and once it was determined “Distemper” was the culprit, the Kaawa’Pomaakaa team got busy. They started setting up vaccine clinics almost immediately.
They took donations, they raised money from benefits and bake sales, and they dug into their own pockets to purchase the vaccine and syringes at discount. Word got around the community and many Distemper Vaccine Clinics were born. Syringes were LOADED and the shooting began.
Since Kaawa’Pomaakaa doesn’t have a building or a place to call home to conduct their business, they rely on the community. It may vary, but most of their clinics are held at the local volunteer Fireman Department Garage. The Kaawa’Pomaakaa team sets their folding table and borrowed laptop up along side two fire trucks, and work starts.
And another
The vaccine clinic is very organized. All owner and dog names are entered into a computer spreadsheet & a vaccine certificate is given to the owner after the 2nd shot or booster has been given. If the dog gets a vaccine, but has NO home, a description is entered, a picture of the homeless dog might be taken, and the certificate is kept on hand. If, for some reason the doggy doesn’t get back to the Fire Hall for the booster shot, a member of the team has been known to go to the owner’s house to administer the vaccine. WOW! Now that’s dedication.
All owners that bring their dogs to be vaccinated MUST stay in their car or hold their dog in their arms well away from other dogs. Since distemper is highly contagious, no dogs are allowed to intermingle with other dogs, just in case.
HENCE, the title of this article: DRIVE BY SHOOTING.
The team works in any weather. It doesn’t much matter if there is a blizzard, or if the weather is below zero, the team comes out in force. There is NO discussion among the members, it’s simply understood that the job MUST be done. There is NO compensation for any member on the team – its 100% volunteer. All services provided byKaawa’Pomaakaa are free to any comer, even if the comer happens to be homeless or have a warm comfy home.
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