By admin 
TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) – The Pima Animal Care Center said it is reopening following a deadly disease outbreak, and it has identified how it happened.
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On Wednesday, June 24, PACC said it was reopening after eight dogs tested positive for distemper last week. One of the dogs did not make it.
PACC said 50 dogs at its main facility on Silverbell were tested, and they do not have distemper, so they can now be adopted. PACC said it is still waiting on test results for other dogs there.
The two parts of the main facility that are now open are the cat room, which was unaffected by the canine strain of distemper, and a section of dog kennels called Harry’s Haven.
“Normal adoption protocols are in place, so the public is able to walk through the open area, meet dogs in yards, and do meet and greets with owned dogs,” PACC said in a release.
PACC said it is still limiting intake of animals to only cases that “pose a risk to the public or those in need of emergency care.”
Staff said they believe the distemper outbreak traces back to two stray dogs that were brought into the Silverbell facility.
“Even though the dogs received a vaccine at intake, they were not at PACC long enough to receive a booster,” PACC said. “They were likely infected on intake but not yet showing symptoms when they arrived.”
PACC’s new Eastside Adoption Center, located at 7225 East Broadway Bouelvard, already reopened this past Saturday.
The hours for both of PACC’s locations are the same — 12 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays; 1:30-6:30 p.m. on Wednesdays; and 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
Distemper is highly contagious
Veterinarian Saman Partow Navid said PACC made the right move by quarantining dogs, given distemper’s fatality rates.
Distemper has a 50% death rate for adult dogs and 80% for puppies. PACC said that because it is a virus, vaccination and quarantine are the primary methods to prevent the spread.
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He said the best way to prevent infection is through vaccines, but stray dogs are less likely to be vaccinated and more likely to be exposed to the disease.
“When wildlife, such as coyotes, do run into our stray pets and spread it, and the disease can go on not necessarily showing a whole lot of symptoms initially and then can be spread amongst the population in a shelter that’s not vaccinated as well,” said Dr. Partow Navid.
By limiting intake as well, Partow Navid said they can help stop the spread to dog populations outside of the shelter.
“Populations of pets in areas that are not high vaccinated areas, it’s really easy to spread in households, and if your dog goes to a pet park where other animals are not vaccinated, it can easily spread there,” he said.
PACC urges caution ahead of July 4
Kozachik is urging people to hold on to any healthy stray dogs they encounter and make sure their yards are protected ahead of the July 4 holiday, which he said often leads to an intake spike as dogs run away from home because of fireworks.
He doesn’t know whether PACC will reopen intake by the Fourth, but he said they’re doing everything they can to make it happen.
“As soon as we can, we’re going to be opening PACC back up for those parts of the shelter where we have the fully protected dogs that are going to be safe going into people’s homes,” Kozachik said.
Signs and symptoms
PACC said that anyone who has fostered or adopted a dog from their facility in the last three weeks should check their dogs for signs.
Common symptoms include:
- Discharge from the eyes and nose
- Fever
- Coughing
- Lethargy
- Reduced appetite
- Vomitting
- Diarrhea
Other symptoms include:
- Walking in circles
- Head tilt
- Lack of coordination
- Muscle twitches
- Convulsions
- Seizures
- Partial or complete paralysis
PACC has asked the public to take in strays they encounter during limited intake.
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