Veterinarians who serve the residents of Pocahontas County are reporting that they are seeing cases of distemper in neighboring counties.

The disease is thought to have made its way into Greenbrier and Monroe counties by way of Virginia.
Only dogs are affected by distemper.ﾠ Humans and cats are safe.

The best way to prevent your pet from contracting this disease is to have puppies vaccinated at six weeks of age, and every three weeks thereafter until they are 12 to 16 weeks old.
The appearance of distemper is a very unusual occurrence and vaccination is a very simple antidote.

As your pet matures, keep all vaccinations up-to-date to prevent distemper and other pet-related diseases. This goes for all pets, although the emphasis at this time is on distemper vaccination.
When it comes to distemper, the prognosis is poor for those affected.ﾠ Even if a dog survives, it can have lifelong effects, including blindness.

Symptoms of distemper include neurological, respiratory and GI problems.

If you suspect that your pet has distemper, contact your veterinarian immediately.

To prevent distemper and other ailments and diseases, take your pet - from the age of six weeks throughout its life - to the veterinarian on a regular basis for check-ups and vaccinations.
It's the responsible thing to do.

Jaynell Graham can be contacted at jsgraham @pocahontastimes.com

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