Be alert for distemper when purchasing pets
Arya Abhiseka, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Anita sadly recalled how Rudolf, her three-month-old dachshund, died of canine distemper. She suspects the puppy already had the disease when she purchased him from a pet store in Gajah Mada Plaza, West Jakarta.
"I had no idea that he was infected with the virus because he appeared happy when I brought him home," she said.
After three weeks, Rudolf began to show signs of sickness, refusing to eat and sleeping all the time. Anita immediately took him to an animal hospital, but the vet said Rudolf had the deadly canine distemper virus (CDV). Two days later, Rudolf died.
This story should serve as a warning for those thinking of purchasing a puppy, as many pet stores in Jakarta do not give their puppies distemper vaccinations.
"It's the responsibility of the buyer," a pet store owner in Gajah Mada Plaza said.
The vaccination costs about Rp 30,000, while a puppy at a pet store in the mall costs between Rp 700,000 (US$78) and Rp 5 million.
On average, a pet store sells between one and two dogs a day.
Canine distemper is a contagious, incurable and often fatal multisystemic viral disease that affects the respiratory, gastrointestinal and central nervous systems.
Young puppies between three and six months old are most susceptible to infection from the disease and are more likely to die than infected adults.
"Infected dogs shed the virus through bodily secretions and excretions, especially respiratory secretions," Dr. Gunadi, who works at an animal hospital in Kemang, South Jakarta, said last week.
He added that the primary mode of transmission was airborne viral particles breathed in by dogs.
"Dogs in recovery may continue to shed the virus for several weeks after symptoms disappear, but they no longer shed the virus once they are fully recovered," he said.
"Once puppies are infected, we cannot give them a vaccination but only treatment. The treatment, however, does not guarantee full recovery for the dogs, and therefore we can only leave the matter up to nature," he said.
Dr. Gunadi said all parties should follow certain rules and guidelines in selling and buying puppies.
Breeders should vaccinate their dogs and pet stores should commit not to sell puppies under the age of eight weeks, which is still too young to be vaccinated, he added.
The vet called upon consumers to be sure to get a guarantee from the pet stores from which they purchased their puppies, which should be taken to a veterinarian immediately after being taken home.
"Consumers must also understand the symptoms of distemper. This information can be easily obtained from the Internet, books or from experts," he said.
The initial symptom of distemper is a fever of between 39 and 42 degrees Celsius, which usually peaks three to six days after infection.
"When you buy goods and they break, they are gone and you can buy more. But for living creatures, you cannot just replace them," Gunadi said.