Friday, January 15, 2010
Fatal Virus Prompts Feline Euthanization
WEST VIRGINIA...
Kanawha County-Charleston Animal Shelter Director Donna Pauley Clark has confirmed that 13 to 14 adult cats and 15 to 20 kittens were euthanized this week after feline distemper spread to all three of the shelter's cat holding rooms. Clark says the virus started showing up toward the end of November, but shelter workers did not know what was plaguing the animals and attributed the symptoms to possible upper respiratory infections. The decision to euthanize was made after receiving test results from experts at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va. showed lesions were consistent with feline distemper. Shelter workers have disinfected the cat rooms and all new potential adoptees are being vaccinated upon arrival. The virus is exclusive to cats and cannot be spread to humans or dogs.
Kanawha County-Charleston Animal Shelter Director Donna Pauley Clark has confirmed that 13 to 14 adult cats and 15 to 20 kittens were euthanized this week after feline distemper spread to all three of the shelter's cat holding rooms. Clark says the virus started showing up toward the end of November, but shelter workers did not know what was plaguing the animals and attributed the symptoms to possible upper respiratory infections. The decision to euthanize was made after receiving test results from experts at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va. showed lesions were consistent with feline distemper. Shelter workers have disinfected the cat rooms and all new potential adoptees are being vaccinated upon arrival. The virus is exclusive to cats and cannot be spread to humans or dogs.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 9:14 AM 
