Sterilized dogs get infected with deadly canine disease

Surat: After four children died of dog bites between February and March, the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) has speeded up the animal birth control programme to control stray canine population in the city.
However, the neutered dogs are now having to battle with the deadly canine distemper disease.
Not all sterilised dogs are getting infected, a majority of them are surviving too. But experts claim that the disease is highly infectious and can claim lives of many dogs if the highest standards of sanitation are not maintained.
Due to the infection, the dogs die a painful death.
SMC officials claim that all the required standards for sanitation are being followed at the sterilization facility managed by the agency hired for the work.
“It is possible that the dogs might have got infected from some other place as well. There are no established facts that can prove that the dogs are getting infected during sterilization,” said an SMC official.
Following multiple violent attacks on citizens of all ages, and particularly the death of the children, SMC health officials have increased the sterilization capacity. Now, 70 sterilisations are being done daily and five veterinary doctors are on regular duty. The number of cages have been increased to 590 to keep such dogs till they recover after the surgery.
“A dog in pain died three days ago after it was taken for sterilization recently. It is good that the civic authorities are carrying out sterilization process, but should ensure that the animals do not get infected with the deadly disease,” said Rajesh Rana, a resident of Jahangirpura.
“Canine Distemper is a grave disease for dogs and can be prevented by timely vaccination. Any dog having CD symptoms needs to be isolated as the disease is highly contagious among canines,” said Darshan Desai, volunteer Prayas Team Environment.
SMC officials confirmed that they received complaints from citizens of dogs getting infected with CD after a few days of sterilisation.
“We are maintaining high standards of sterilisation at our facility. It is a viral disease and can spread among dogs commonly during its wave,” said a SMC official.