ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, December 4, 1996 TAG: 9612040067
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: LESLIE TAYLOR STAFF WRITER
The Roanoke Valley SPCA on Tuesday stopped dog adoptions for 10 days after three dogs that had been adopted at the SPCA shelter were returned with symptoms of parvovirus and canine distemper.
John Piedmont, SPCA public relations director, said the three dogs were destroyed this week to prevent the spread of disease to other animals. The dogs had been housed either in the same cage or in adjacent cages, Piedmont said.
The SPCA will not adopt out or accept any dogs until Dec. 14. The shelter will continue to adopt cats or release pound dogs to their rightful owners.
The concern is for the 30-35 dogs housed in the SPCA side of the shelter, Piedmont said. The SPCA also shelters strays brought in by animal control officers from Roanoke, Vinton, Roanoke County, Botetourt County and Craig County, but they are kept in an area separate from SPCA animals - those brought to the shelter by private citizens. The shelter will continue to accept strays picked up by the localities.
"We would like to keep [SPCA dogs] isolated for at least 10 days so that any dog in there that might possibly have this will show signs during that time," Piedmont said. "None will go out. None will come in."
Piedmont said other infected dogs may have been adopted out. Twenty-five shelter animals - mostly dogs, including the three that were destroyed - were adopted last week, he said.
Anyone who adopted an animal at the SPCA shelter during that time should contact the SPCA or a veterinarian if they have questions, Piedmont said.
Parvovirus symptoms include bloody diarrhea, vomiting, high temperature and decreased appetite.
Symptoms of canine distemper include general malaise, fever and neurological signs such as muscle twitching, limb weakness or seizures. In severe cases, the dog may become blind.
One-third of all dogs that contract parvovirus die regardless of the treatment they receive, said Dr. Bridget Quatmann of Roanoke, one of three veterinarians who are members of the SPCA board of directors.
Distemper has a very high mortality rate and is very contagious, Quatmann said. Its fatality rate is second only to rabies, she said. Treatment is costly and often not successful.
Any SPCA dog that shows symptoms of either disease during the next 10 days will likely be "humanely euthanized" in an attempt to avoid further spread of disease, Quatmann said.
Piedmont said the SPCA is increasing its daily routine of disinfecting the shelter several times over. The SPCA also is "reviewing our [disease control and prevention] policies to make sure we are doing everything we can," he said. "We have to be strict with our policies. We have animals coming in all the time.
"We don't know where they've been or know what they have or don't have."
The SPCA is asking that people who planned to give their dogs to the SPCA hold them until after Dec. 14, find another shelter in the area that will take them, or consider finding a temporary home for the dog.
The SPCA shelter's phone number is 344-4840.
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