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Donations vital as Humane Society eyes $30K in distemper care

Staffers at the Hill Country Humane Society provide care to one of 111 dogs that have tested positive or come into contact with canine distemper. Courtesy photo

Donations are needed to help the more than 100 dogs at the Hill Country Humane Society in Buchanan Dam that have tested positive or have come into contact with canine distemper, a highly contagious virus that infiltrated the shelter on June 1.

Donations will help defray costs as staff and volunteers work around the clock to care for the dogs, said Paighton Corley, executive director of the Hill Country Humane Society.

“Even at night, when we are trying to sleep, we are thinking of nothing but the pups,” she said in the shelter’s newsletter.

The cost to treat all 111 dogs is over $30,000. A donor has offered to match up to $10,000 of all donations made by Tuesday, June 18.

“Please donate today and help alleviate this financial stress so that our team can focus all our energy on the care and comfort of these amazing pups,” Corley said.

The recent outbreak forced the local Humane Society to implement a system to keep its dogs protected from the virus.

“We have created a lockdown protocol to ensure every dog in our care has the best possible chance of survival,” Corley said.

Donations may be made online or via check mailed to 9150 RR 1431 West, Buchanan Dam, TX 78609.

VACCINATION CLINICS

To help curb the spread of the disease, the Hill Country Humane Society is offering two free vaccination clinics for dogs and cats with shots for DHPPv (distemper/parvo), rabies, and FCP.

Clinics are:

  • Saturday, June 15, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at Marble Falls High School, 2101 Mustang Drive;
  • and Wednesday, June 19, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Burnet County Fairgrounds, 1301 Houston Clinton Drive in Burnet.

SYMPTOMS

Canine distemper attacks the respiratory, gastrointestinal, and nervous system of dogs. It is highly contagious.

Early signs include:

  • runny nose
  • vomiting and diarrhea
  • dehydration
  • extreme salivation
  • coughing
  • loss of appetite
  • weight loss

As the disease progresses, neurological signs such as involuntary muscle twitching, seizures with salivation, and jaw movements, also known as “chewing-gum fits,” may occur.

The mortality rate for canine distemper is 50 percent for adult dogs and 80 percent for puppies. It can take a dog up to two months to fully recover from the contagious pathogen. 

nathan@thepicayune.com