When operating a pet shelter, it is essential to be aware of contagious diseases that can affect the animals in your care. Understanding the modes of transmission, symptoms, necessary actions, and proper disinfection methods can help you prevent the spread of these diseases.
In this blog, we will explore three common contagious diseases diseases in pet shelters – panleukopenia, calicivirus and distemper – and provide information on how to avoid them.
Panleukopenia: One of the common diseases in pet shelters
Panleukopenia is transmitted by the fecal-oral route and by fomites, which are inanimate objects capable of carrying the virus. Kittens may experience vomiting, diarrhea and loss of appetite. Newly vaccinated or adult cats with uncertain vaccination history may vomit. Administer parvo immediately SNAP test for diagnosis. If the test is positive, consider yourself contaminated.
Minimize contact with objects and move the infected cat to a sink to wash its hands. Disinfect the sink, clothes and shoes using effective disinfectants such as Bleach, Trifectant, Rescue (Accel), Pool Shock or Wysiwash. Let people know the chat’s previous location. Isolate the cat and carefully disinfect the affected area.
Effective disinfectants include Bleach, Trifectant, Rescue (Accel), Pool Shock and Wysiwash.
Beware of calicivirus
Calicivirus manifests itself as mouth ulcers, sneezing and runny nose. A limp without trauma can also be a symptom. There is no in-house testing available for calicivirus. Treat mouth ulcers like calici and assume contamination. Minimize contact with objects and head to a sink to wash your hands.
Use a disinfectant like Trifectant to disinfect the sink, clothes and shoes. Let people know the chat’s previous location. Isolate the cat and disinfect the affected area. Disinfectants effective against calicivirus include Bleach, Trifectant, Rescue (Accel), and Wysiwash.
Distemper is one of the badDiseases in animal shelters
Distemper can present with symptoms such as a green/yellow runny nose, crusting around the eyes, pneumonia, muscle twitching, seizures, fever, and dandruff. It can affect multiple body systems.
Promptly isolate the affected dog from other dogs. Take necessary precautions, such as wearing gowns, gloves and shoe covers if necessary. Move the dog to an isolation area separate from dogs without distemper. Ideally, consider placing dogs with or suspected of having distemper into foster homes. Disinfectants effective against distemper include Bleach, Trifectant, Rescue (Accel), and Wysiwash.
Conclusion
Preventing the transmission of contagious diseases in animal shelters is essential to the well-being of the animals in your care. By understanding modes of transmission, recognizing symptoms, taking appropriate measures, and implementing proper disinfection protocols, you can minimize the risk of outbreaks. Ensure the health and safety of animals by following these guidelines and providing a clean and safe environment within your animal shelter.
Ensure your pet’s well-being – Explore the Doobert Store for essential health products today!
At Doobert Store, we understand the importance of providing your pets with the best care possible. That’s why we offer a wide range of pet health products to meet all their needs.