Gloomy times for dogs and owners in Hofmeyr

HOFMEYR NEWS - The past two weeks have been a very sad time for dog lovers and their pets in Hofmeyr.

According to Lin Opperman, a local spokesperson for animal welfare, dogs from the town and surrounding communities are being wiped out by the highly contagious canine distemper virus.

"Because the dogs mostly roam free, the virus is spreading like wildfire. This is a poor community and most of the owners cannot afford to pay R50 per dog annually to inoculate them against this and other diseases. A health crisis is looming as many owners do not bury their dogs, but leave them where they die.

"Some even beat them to death to put an end to their suffering. We have been collecting donations to pay a team of workers to bury the corpses."

The volunteers are now also getting tired, and fed up with dog owners who do not want to bury their animals, and Opperman is requesting assistance, whether it is in the form of involvement or financial assistance during this terrible time.

Cradock State Veterinarian Dr Musundwa Mugodi and a team of vets visited Hofmeyr last Friday and again on Monday to assist. Sick dogs were euthanised, but many dog owners did not want to permit euthanisation, and they were just sent home again.

Dog owners were alerted as to when the vets would be in their area via a broadcasting system and messages at schools.

"Imagine a place where no child can play with a dog, no joyful barking under clear blue African skies. No dogs chasing their tails and no barking at the moon," said Opperman.

"I knew many of these beautiful dogs - some of them mutts of very dubious origin and was always pleased to see that they were cared for, despite the poverty of their owners."

The team of vets visited the area again on Monday, to assist with inoculations of all local dogs for a fee of R50 per dog.

Signs and symptoms
Canine distemper affects the gastrointestinal, respiratory, skin, immune, and central nervous systems. Symptoms can take up to 14 days to show up after exposure and include: fever, nasal discharge, eye discharge, lethargy, sneezing, coughing, difficulty breathing, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, thickening of nose and footpads, pneumonia, skin sores and pain.

Canine distemper may also cause brain inflammation and neurological symptoms, which is often confused with rabies.

Dog owners arrived at the Vet's Umbrella on Friday for assistance.
Photos: Lin Opperman

Neurological symptoms
Muscle twitching, chewing-gum fits, excessive saliva, head tilt, circling, involuntary eye movements, paralysis or partial paralysis and seizures.

At first, you may not notice symptoms of canine distemper, and it can be mistaken for other viruses and infections. Your dog can get a mild or severe case and may have symptoms that only last 10 days. However, neurological symptoms may be delayed and show up months after infection.

Cradock State Veterinarian Dr Musundwa Mugodi Photo: Linkedin