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SUNNY Temp: 94 °F Wind: WNW at 14 mph Wednesday, July 9, 2003 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine W3 Magazine Jobs @ Mail Tribune Tempo A & E Oregon CarZone Wellness Connection Real Estate Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend June 20, 2003 Kittens, aged 8 to 10 weeks, peer from their cage at the Jackson County Animal Shelter on Thursday. Shelter technician Donna Patnesky, left, says they will be held for about a week to check for symptoms of distemper before they are put up for adoption. Mail Tribune / Jim Craven Fatal virus outbreak strikes shelter kittens Distemper appears contained, but animal owners warned about contagious illness signs By JILL BRISKEY Mail Tribune Shelter technician Donna Patnesky has seen a lot of sick and dying pets during her tenure with Jackson County Animal Care and Control. But when a recent outbreak of feline distemper wiped out most of the shelter’s kitten population, even the toughest among its employees was shaken. "It’s heart-wrenching, that’s what it is," said Patnesky. "It’s a terrible, terrible way for them to go." The outbreak appears to be isolated to the county’s animal control facility. Officials from the Southern Oregon Humane Society, Committed Alliance to Strays (CATS) and several local veterinarians on Thursday reported that no additional local cases of the disease have been identified. Advertisement Animal control officials are unsure when the highly contagious virus first surfaced, but Patnesky estimates that the disease — called Panleukopenia but referred to as feline distemper — reared its ugly head sometime around Mother’s Day. Healthy, playful kittens would inexplicably sicken and die overnight without presenting any symptoms of the disease. The virus was identified earlier this month when a foster family caring for a mother cat and her nursing kittens for animal control noticed signs of illness and brought the brood in, said Anette Heaslet, a veterinarian at Lithia Springs in Ashland. It’s unclear how many cats at animal control have been infected, but animal control officials estimate at least 20 kittens contracted the disease. Although the disease can strike adult cats, it’s often fatal among kittens, noted Heaslet. "The kittens don’t have the natural immunity yet," she said. "Kittens in the shelter are under stress and more suitable to infection." Although all cats are vaccinated against feline distemper when they come to animal control, Patnesky said the shot to prevent feline distemper isn’t always effective with kittens 4 months old and younger. Although the disease can be treated if detected early, Patnesky said the shelter doesn’t have the resources. Any cat that presents symptoms or tests positive at animal control is euthanized. Kittens under 4 months are destroyed as a precaution. The number of cats euthanized by animal control because of the disease wasn’t available on Thursday. Animal control isn’t like local rescue centers, which have no-kill policies and can turn away sick animals. These facilities have strict intake procedures that involve quarantining new animals for up to 14 days to keep disease at bay. "All we can do is be cautious," said Jan Whetstone, program director for CATS. "It’s deadly and it affects kittens so horribly." Local officials say the outbreak at animal control is unusual but not unheard of. Eight years ago, feline distemper struck the shelter and Patnesky said the entire cat population had to be euthanized. People who spot stray cats showing any symptoms of the disease are urged to take the sick animal to a veterinarian or animal control. Although the cat will most likely be euthanized, Patnesky said it’s the humane thing to do. "Not only are they going to spread it, but they’re going to suffer," she said. Local veterinarians urge residents with young kittens to keep them isolated inside the home until they’ve received their vaccination. Pet owners with older cats are urged to make sure all vaccinations are up to date. Reach reporter Jill Briskey at 776-4485, or e-mail [email protected] Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2003 Mail Tribune. 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