Concho Valley PAWS will be suspending theirr shelter pet adoptions for the time being as there have been confirmed cases of Canine Distemper in the community, including pets that have been surrendered to the shelter.

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This is not a time to panic or be alarmed, but it is a time to be aware and talk to your veterinarian to ensure your pets are protected and up to date on vaccines. The fact of the matter is that Canine Distemper, like other viruses and diseases (parvo, dog flu, etc), is everywhere and it is important to vaccinate to protect your pets.

The San Angelo Animal Shelter has been very fortunate to not have had a distemper issue in the shelter in the past, but now that it has been brought into the shelter by an exposed dog, they are working with the state to handle the situation appropriately while saving as many healthy pets as they can. While this is concerning for our community because it can be fatal to unvaccinated pets, it is not uncommon.

Many communities such as Midland, Odessa, Big Spring, Amarillo, and Mesquite have seen an increase in Canine Distemper beginning in fall of 2016 and continuing to date. IF YOUR PETS ARE NOT VACCINATED, PLEASE DO SO IMMEDIATELY. PLEASE DO NOT TAKE PUPPIES THAT HAVE NOT HAD A COMPLETE SERIES OF VACCINATIONS (4 SETS OF PUPPY SHOTS) TO PUBLIC PARKS, PETS STORES, ETC. These are the practices that should be followed all the time because it's not possible to know what disease contamination could be in public areas.

Again, this is not a cause for panic or alarm, but it is a time to be aware and a reminder to all of us how important vaccinations are. If you have any questions, please contact your veterinarian. If your pet is showing symptoms of coughing, nasal and eye discharge, diarrhea, lethargy, fever or seizures, please get your pet to the veterinarian immediately.

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