Daijiworld Media Network - Puttur (SP)

Puttur, Dec 1: Brain fever has been spreading rapidly among the dogs. Many dogs have died of this illness in Puttur, Sullia, and Kadaba taluks.

Brain Fever is infectious and it is spreading really fast. Street dogs are mainly affected by the disease. There is threat of this disease spreading to pet dogs. The disease can raise its ugly head at any time of the year. Initially antibiotics can block the spread of the disease. If the dogs suffer from vomiting and dysentery, they die faster. It is important to treat the dogs in the initial stages. Giving distemper treatment initially for 60 days to puppies, followed by an injection at the end of nine months and disease resistant injections once every year can protect the dogs from brain fever, experts say.

Dogs affected by brain fever cannot raise their heads and normally they suffer by keeping their heads between the front legs, give up food, suffer from vomiting and dysentery. Other symptoms associated with the disease are nerve disorder, cataract in the eyes, inability to move or even sit. The dogs normally do not show any symptoms for the first three months. Sometimes the dogs also exhibit symptoms of rabies. When other dogs come into contact with the sick ones, the disease spreads.

Medical officer of the veterinary hospital here Dr Pasannakumar says that there is no specific treatment for dogs after they suffer from brain fever. He says that depending on the disease resistance capacity of the dogs, sometimes the dogs get healed. He said that by providing treatment once every three months, dogs can be kept away from this disease.