KOLKATA: More than 250 street dogs – a majority of them pups – were found dead in the last three days at Bishnupur in Bankura. Veterinary doctors said the deaths were possibly due to canine parvovirus – a highly contagious disease that spreads from dog to dog by direct or indirect contact with their feces.
The virus -- that generally affects dogs during this time of the year – has also led to multiple canine deaths across the state, including Kolkata, but nowhere else, has the numbers been so alarming.
According to data provided by the Bishnupur municipality, 62 dogs had died on Wednesday, 96 died on Thursday and till late on Friday, more than 100 were reported to be dead. Arrangements are being made to burry all the carcasses at Katadhar dumping ground in the outskirts of Bishnupur town, officials said.
“We have reported the incident to the district and state health department authorities. From Saturday, large scale miking would be conducted across the town, to make people aware of the disease and to drive out this air of panic among the residents,” said Dibyendu Banerjee, the chairman of the Bishnupur municipality.
Almost all the dogs had similar symptoms of severe diarrhoea, vomiting and coughing blood, locals said.
Speaking to TOI, senior doctors of Bishnupur Veterinary Hospital said they are yet to analyze the dead bodies but the symptoms point at a canine parvovirus outbreak in the area. The doctors however assured that disease doesn’t get passed on to humans and is limited to dogs.
“Canine parvovirus is common during this time of the year when the weather fluctuation is at its peak,” said Mrinal Kanti Dey, a senior doctor at the hospital.