SAN DIEGO — Officials with the Humane Society of San Diego say they are no longer accepting surrender from the public after seeing a recent uptick in canine pneumonia virus cases in animals in the area.
All dogs confirmed to be infected have been placed in mandatory quarantine, but officials say the virus has been able to spread within regional shelters due to the proximity and incubation period.
All animal return services are currently suspended due to the Humane Society of San Diego’s efforts to stop the spread of Canine Pneumonia Virus.
“The virus is often spread through kennels because of the large number of dogs in one location. In a shelter setting, it’s critical that we isolate sick dogs for 14 days so they can rest, recover, and we can prevent the virus from spreading to other people in the shelter. people or communities,” said Dr. Zarah Hedge, chief medical officer and vice president of sanctuary medicine for the Humane Society of San Diego. “In order to protect the space, we are asking for public support to limit the number of dogs brought to our shelters.”
Respiratory infections can cause pets to experience cold-like symptoms, including coughing, sneezing and runny nose, and even develop pneumonia in “a small number of dogs”, Dr Hedge said.
There is no vaccine against canine pneumovirus, and dogs typically hatch with the virus for three to five days and should be isolated from other animals for seven to 14 days, officials said.
For a list of community resources provided by the Humane Society of San Diego, click here.
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