KENNEL NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 21316, 21 January 1933, Page 18

KENNEL NOTES

[By Tail-wagger.]

The London ‘ Observer ’ has the following, under the heading, ‘ The Conquest of Distemper: Triumph of Ten Year’s Work “ Distemper among dogs is now an easily preventable disease, and may be regarded as conquered. This striking result of ten years’ research work was announced by the ‘ Field ’ Distemper Council, and it is a triumph for two British research workers, Dr P. P. Laidlaw, F.R.S., and Mr G. W. Dunkin, M.R.C.V.S., with the resources placed at their disposal by the ' Field ’ distemper fund—including generous private help from British and American sources—and by the Medical Research Council.

“ Ten years ago distemper was regarded as of almost inevitable occurrence in every dog’s life, and caused cither death or serious after-effects in a large proportion of cases. No trustworthy means for its prevention were known, and the only treatment was purely empirical and palliative. The work which has led to a complete change in the situation began by proving that primary distemper was due to an ultra-microscopic, filter-passing virus. With this essential knowledge available, it was possible to study the disease in great detail, not only in the dog, but in ferrets inoculated with the virus. The next stop was the separation and preparation of the virus in a live form, and by destroying it, the production of a vaccine. By repeated administrations of increasing doses of virus to an animal, it has also been possible to produce an anti-serum against the disease which has curative properties. “ The present position may be summed up by the following;—A healthy dbg can be given lasting protection against distemper infection by the inoculation of vaccine followed by inoculation of virus a fortnight later. The anti-serum used alone is of value in lessening the severity of an attack if given early enough in the disease, and it may also be used for giving temporary protection to animals recently exposed to infection. Finally, simultaneous injection of virus and anti-serum (in different places) will confer permanent protection, and this method means only one visit to the veterinary practitioner. An example of the efficacy of the method is given in the present report. The incidence of distemper among GSO inoculated hounds belonging to twenty-three packs was only 1.4 per cent., and the death rate from distemper 0.3 per cent. Without inoculation the incidence among young foxhounds is nearly 100 per cent., and the death rate anything from 50 per cent, to 70 per cent. “ Not only are these striking results of great interest and importance to all animal-lovers, but they have very probably a wider significance. They have assisted in the development of similar methods for the prevention of yellow fever in West Africa, and rinderpest among the cattle in East Africa. It has also been found that the silver fox is very susceptible to distemper, and considerable economies are expected in the silver fox fur industry in Canada when the new inoculation methods are developed. The supply of the necessary material has passed to the commercial laboratories in Great Britain and the United States, and the ‘Field’ Distemper Council, by issuing its final report, indicates that the brilliant laboratory work is now completed. Great credit is due to the skilled investigators who have so satisfactorily shown the way to the conquest of this disorder.” When one remembers that ‘‘ Prevention is better than cure,” the above makes doubly pleasant reading to dog owners and breeders. A few extracts from the chapter on ‘ Distemper ’ in the 1 Dog Book for Australasia,’ by C. Court Rice, also go to prove just how valuable the new “ find ” is. “In Australia, and presumably in all sub-tropi-cal countries, dogs suffer more acutely from nervous disorders than they do in colder climates, which accounts, in a great measure, for the more frequently fatal results from distemper, a disease of so lowering a typo that chorea, paralysis, or convulsions becomes a complication rather than a sequel.

“ Now, it is a mistake to speak of ‘ head,’ ‘ chest,’ ‘ abdominal distemper,’ as the case may, be, because a dog can have, although it is rare, just distemper, pure and simple. Generally one or another of the above-named parts or the liver, becomes complicated, hence the great difficulty of cure and the actual absurdity of the pretty general idea that there are such things as specifics for this variable disease. 'J'h at many dogs recover in spite of the nauseous messes poured down their throats is true, but how anyone can be foolish enough to imagine that any one can be useful in cases of extreme fever and subsequent extreme prostration passes comprehension. Truly a little knowledge js a dangerous tiling, and little knowledge is never more dangerous than in the treatment of the disease under discussion; in fact, it is not too much to say that it is infinitely better to tackle a case of distemper without medicine than to use the wrong stuff or oven the right stuff at the wrong time. “The first symptoms arc a greater or less loss of appetite, decided dullness, intolerance to light, and possibly shivering, and a temperature above normal (which is about lOldeg). The patient must bo put into comfortable quarters, free from draughts, with a bed so constructed that the patient cun be fed and physicked without being pulled about. Short-coated dogs should bo rugged (the/greyhound stylo of rug is useless, as it leaves exposed the underpart of chest), the rug to bo made of stout cloth or horse blanket. Make it 7in or Bin longer than the dog measures from the breast bone to the last rib, and wide enough to bring up and fasten along the backbone. From 3 to Sin, according to the size of patient, from one end, holes must ba cut, throng which to put the forelegs, these holes being from lin to 3in apart. Pass the legs through and fasten along the hack with safety pins ■ The dependent piece in front of the neck must be made to fit by being pinned, or having a wedge-shaped piece cut out and the edges sewn together. Give a light, soft diet, strong broth, eggs, and milk, etc.; make everything as concentrated as possible, and give only a little at a time. “ Tho adage, while there is life there is hope, is more applicable to distemper cases than to any other, because from no other cause can a dog be reduced so low, present so hopeless and often, it must be said, so disgusting a sight and yet recover. So long as no nervous complication supervenes the patient lias every chance, but should chorea or convulsions occur, the case is generally hopeless. As to medicines, they are not of the first moment in this disease. Finally, do not believe that pennies, half-pennies, copper rivets, etc., can possibly do anything else but harm.” Mr and Mrs Tonks are surely persevering fanciers, as they now have, in addition to tho original Scottic hitch Lassie M‘Nnb from Miss Balk’s ken-

ncls in Roslyn, the Irish terrier Gilford Pearl from Wellington; another Scottie bitch, a puppy, by Olympian Adair, from the kennels of Mr Taucher, of Ashnrst; and a Scottie bitch puppy by Totteridge M'Duff given them by Dr Smith Morton to replace the deceased Cnmbrac Kirsty. Mr 1),’ ’FI. Brack’s Loehiol Beve d’or has seven very nicely-marked puppies sired by Distinction of Clermont. The dogs are for Mastcrton, Port Chalmers, and Dunedin, and of the opposite sex two are for Christchurch and one for Mr C. Smith, of this city, who owns Lancer of Lochiel, sire of that good dog Ch. Lochiel Glen Avon.