DISTEMPER CURE FOR DOGS

Southland Times, Issue 23794, 17 April 1939, Page 11

DISTEMPER CURE FOR DOGS

VACCINE A BOON TO OWNERS SATISFACTORY PROGRESS / MADE Most satisfactory progress had been made and gratifying results achieved as the reward of several years of intensive work at the Serum Laboratories, Parkville, in the humane effort to produce a vaccine for the prevention of distemper and serum for the cure of the complaint in sick dogs,' said Dr F. G. Morgan, director of the Commonwealth Serum Laboratories, Melbourne, in an interview in The Melbourne Argus. Briefly, the preventive vaccine is used to confer an immunity. upon healthy dogs previously susceptible to the disease, by giving them a mild and safe attack of the disease. 'Hie serum treatment of the complaint is directed toward the saving of dogs suffering from the infection, which may be. so serious that in certain severe epidemics, unless treated by serum, as many as 50 per cent, of the dogs affected with the naturally occurring disease may succumb.

The curative serum has been issued by the laboratories for nearly two years, and, when properly used, has been very successful in reducing the mortality due to distemper. It consists of a specially treated portion of blood removed from dogs, which are highly immune to the disease. It has been amply shown that the serum so prepared is capable of saving 100 per cent, of infected dogs, provided that an adequate dose be administered promptly after the first appearance of symptoms. Local experience confirms that of workers in other countries, in that a good chance of success attends the administration of suitably large doses of serum, if given within seven days of the appearance of the first symptoms.

PREVENTION 1 METHODS

I asked Dr Morgan if he did not consider the method of preventing the disease in normal, healthy animals superior to the treatment of the disease when established, particularly as there was need for early treatment by skilled persons such as veterinary surgeons. Dr Morgan was quite in accord with this point of view, but stressed the fact that canine anti-distemper serum must be regarded as a most effective means of saving greatly treasured pets and other valuable dogs, and should not be neglected.’

“Research carried out at our laboratories,” said Dr Morgan, “has confirmed for Australia the work of Laidlaw' and Duncan in England on canine distemper, and has shown that in this country the disease is caused primarily by the virus of Carre. Th.is is an ultra-microscopic'organitem, which is highly infectious for dogs. Two methods of immunization of healthy dogs were advocated by Laidlaw and Duncan; one known as the ‘vaccinevirus’ and the other as the ‘serumvirus’ method. We have had extensive experience during the last few years of both methods, and have adopted and now recommend the serum-virus method as the most suitable for use here and in New Zealand, mainly because the two injections can be made on the same days. The period of observation is consequently less, and we believe the method to be safer. CREATING DISTEMPER “The serum-virus method, as . the name implies, requires two injections. The first of these is the administration to the normal healthy dog of a measured quantity of living distemper virus. This injection is capable of giving an attack of genuine distemper to a susceptible animal, but the attack is modified because of the treatment previously given to the virus in the laboratory and because it is injected intradermally. “The second injection is a dose of the curative serum, and is given between one and two hours after the virus. The serum then confers a temporary protection upon the animal, which is of sufficiently long duration to prevent the development of more than transitory mild symptoms. “As is well known, an attack of naturally acquired distemper confers an almost certain immunity for life upon those animals which recover from the disease. Experimentally, it has been proved that the _ serum-virus method of vaccination similarly confers a lasting immunity upon the inoculated animals in the great majority of cases.” SOME RISK It was pointed out by Dr Morgan that the administration of a living vaccine, or virus is attended by some degree of risk to the inoculated. The majority of vaccines given to animals or human beings are what are known as “killed” vaccines, and not capable of multiplying in the animal body, nor of reproducing the specific diseases of which such living organisms are the causes. It must be admitted therefore, that a few animals, when big numbers are inoculated, might die if living virus be used. Skilful supervision by trained men and the administration of more curative serum if unfavourable symptoms should develop, practically ensure the safety of the method. If one adopts a balanced view and considers the enormous number of dogs which every year succumb to the naturally occurring disease, one will readily appreciate the wisdom of the adoption of such methods on the big scale to reduce mortality among our canine friends. Nevertheless, it is considered necessary to inform dog owners before the inoculation of the slight risks attendant upon a vaccination by living virus. The inoculated dog may show clinical symptoms of distemper and, in rare cases, death may ensue. Moreover, an inoculated dog is infective to other dogs for a certain period after inoculation, and should, therefore, be isolated from susceptible animals during this period. The laboratories cannot accept responsibility in the event of untoward effects developed after the injection of the virus. Occasional occurrences of this sort are inherent to the method. In the interests of the animals and their owners, and to ensure the correct method of vaccination, the policy has been adopted of restricting the issue of the serum-virus to practising veterinarians, less-experienced persons being considered incompetent to carry out the operation. “It might appear to the casual observer,” added Dr Morgan, “that the dangers of this method outweigh its advantages. If I have given you that impression it is far from what I intended, nor do I wish to exaggerate the difficulties of having the inoculation performed. The position is very simple and straightforward. The dog owner who wishes to protect a valued animal consults his veterinary surgeon, who will do the rest for him. As there are dangers attendant upon the improper use of this agent, it is essential that the work be performed by„an experienced and qualified person.” The problem of deciding whether the expense of inoculation is worth while or not is a matter for the individual dog owner. The serum-yirus outfit supplid by the laboratories is comparatively cheap. The professional fee mav

be learned on inquiry. Preventative vaccination has been adopted with enthusiasm in other countries, particularly in kennels of valuable sporting dogs, and in the case of individual dog owners who value their animals for sentimental and other reasons. •