Vaccination Against Canine Distemper in Corbett Reserve

Canine distemper

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Context:

To protect the wildlife in and around the Corbett Tiger Reserve in Uttarakhand, stray dogs in villages within a two-kilometre radius of the reserve's boundaries will be vaccinated against the canine distemper virus.

About Canine distemper disease:

Canine distemper is a serious, contagious disease caused by a single-stranded RNA virus of the family Paramyxoviridae(the same family of viruses that causes measles, mumps, and bronchiolitis in humans).
Puppies under four months and unvaccinated dogs are particularly at risk.
Besides dogs, CDV can infect ferrets and various wild mammals like foxes, raccoons, and skunks. Cats may also contract the virus but are unlikely to become ill.

Details:

Nature	Canine Distemper Virus (CDV) is caused by the Morbillivirus and affects the respiratory, gastrointestinal, and central nervous systems of animals.
Symptoms	Initial Symptoms: These include fever, nasal discharge, coughing, lethargy, reduced appetite, and vomiting. Advanced Symptoms: As the disease progresses, it can lead to neurological problems such as seizures, twitching, and paralysis.
Transmission	The virus spreads through direct contact with infected animals or through aerosol droplets from coughing and sneezing. Contaminated food and water can also be sources of infection. The highly contagious nature of CDV makes it a significant threat in environments where animals are in close contact, such as shelters and wildlife reserves.
Treatment	No cure or approved antiviral drugs exist. Vaccination is the most effective measure to prevent Canine Distemper. Ensuring that pets receive their vaccinations on schedule is crucial. Additionally, in wildlife conservation areas, proactive measures are essential.
Case Study	For example, recent efforts in the Corbett Tiger Reserve involve the vaccination of stray dogs within a 2 km radius of the reserve’s boundaries. This precaution aims to protect the endangered tiger population from potential CDV outbreaks, given that tigers can also be affected by the virus.

Significance:

Wildlife Conservation: Canine Distemper poses a severe risk to wildlife populations, particularly endangered species.
- - The virus has been responsible for significant mortality events in various species, including African wild dogs and tigers.
Public Awareness: Educating pet owners about the importance of vaccination and responsible pet care is vital.
- - This includes not only regular veterinary visits but also ensuring that pets do not come into contact with wildlife.
Policy and Implementation: Government and non-governmental organizations need to collaborate to implement effective vaccination campaigns and monitoring programs.
- - Policies such as those adopted in the Corbett Tiger Reserve can serve as models for other regions facing similar threats.

Reference

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q. Consider the following statements:

Canine Distemper is caused by a virus that affects dogs but cannot infect other wildlife species.
Vaccination against Canine Distemper is not widely available and is only effective in dogs over six months of age.

Which of the above-given statements is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: d