IMMUNITY FOR DOGS

Taranaki Daily News, 26 September 1940, Page 2

IMMUNITY FOR DOGS

DISTEMPER PREVENTED CAxMPAIGN IN TARANAKI With the arrival through the Wallaceville research station this week of a first supply of the Burroughs-Wellcome virus serum a determined campaign to stamp out distemper in dogs is being made throughout Taranaki. Already 30 sheep and cattle dogs have been immunised against the disease at Eltham and 31 more were treated at New Plymouth on Monday. The amount of serum received is no' sufficient for all the dogs that are now offering, and' 40 more, for which application has been made, will have to wait for the arrival of additional supplies from England, probably in three months' time. Qualified Man Needed. Largely through the interest displayed by Mr. A. S. Eggleton, president of the S.P.C.A., an animal expert of New Plymouth. the serum was made available to Taranaki dog owners. It can, however, be injected only by a qualified veterinarian, and Mr. A. Leslie, F.R.C.V.S., of the veterinary service of the Federation of Taranaki Co-operative Dairy Companies, willingly undertook to carry out this duty, It is expected that 200 dogs wili be immunised each year throughout the province. The serum has proved 100 par cent. efficient as a prevenrative of the disease in England, and injer.tions have resulted in a most satisfactory diminution of distemper irt the Hawkes Bay district, where it has been tried on some 200 sheep dogs. Among the dogs already treated at Eltham and New Plymouth are many valuable "trial" dogs.

Co-operative Effort. The system in operatiqn in Taranaki is of a co-operative nature. The owner of each dog contributes £1, and, after treatment, the surplus remaining aiter paying for the serum and incidental expenses is returned pro rata to the eontributors. Each dog receives one injection in one side of its body and, about an hour later, another is given. The dogs rarely suffer from the treatment, but a week's care is strongly recommended. A dog that has been inoculated is believed to be immune from the disease Eor the rest of its life.