Distemper outbreak shutters venues, pounds

• Dani Wolff of Hill Country Humane Society administers a vaccine to a pet, during a June 15 drive-through mobile clinic at the Burnet County Fairgrounds in Burnet. Organizers also hosted additional free clinics this week in Granite Shoals on June 26 and in Burnet on June 27. Contributed/HCHS

A dog which tested positive for distemper, followed by a handful of others showing signs, tipped off a mass shutdown of local shelters, pounds and dog parks in the Highland Lakes.

Since mid May, entities who limited or halted intakes altogether included the Marble Falls City Pound, the Buchanan Dam-based Hill County Humane Society and other municipal and rescue animal holding facilities.

“We’re limiting (intakes) to emergencies and bite quarantines,” said HCHS Executive Director Paighton Corley. “It is so rare, and it is so highly contagious that we have to shut down intakes or every new dog coming in would get this sickness and it would be a nev- er-ending cycle. “We’re going to shut down until we can get everybody healthy,” she added.

The disease – which infects dogs, raccoons, skunks and foxes – can infect the brain, lungs and eyes, suppresses the immune system and causes serious illness and death.

“The reason we were in such a predicament is because when the dog came in with the severe systems that were obviously very contagious that was the same time we brought in 35 dogs in three days,” Corley said. “Although they got vaccinated on intake, it just wasn’t enough time to get complete protection from this virus.”

On June 6, the shelter reported one positive distemper test and reached out to the county and municipal entities in which it has contracts to update them on the issue.

“We have to strictly follow the protocols of testing, so that we can ensure no dog will be leaving our building when they’re shedding the virus, can expose other animals.”

Shelter officials conduct multiple tests which can be costly to ensure the virus is gone.

Without following such procedures, the alternative would facility would involve mass euthanizing.

Instead officials opted to raise funds and accept donations to test 111 dogs multiple times each.

“That testing is very expensive; and on top of that medications we’re providing,” she said of the cases in early June. “We have five in our ICU that we're treating.”

As of June 27, officials continued limiting intakes. The cycle may take at least two months before officials consider to be in the clear.

“Our dogs that have been here long enough to receive their vaccinations are doing great right now,” Corley shared.

To help, HCHS is sponsoring drive-through shot clinics in local communities with their newly-acquired mobile vaccination vehicle to offer free vaccinations. Stops have included Marble Falls High School and the Burnet County Fairgrounds.

“So absolutely vaccinate your pets. It’s the only way to avoid distemper,” she added.

For more information, call 512-793-5463 or visit hchstexas.com.