29/02/2024
Hi,
I am a genuine pet lover since I was a little girl.
I grew up in a home with what I guess was at that time the traditional treatment of Filipinos in the province of their dogs - the tie your dogs outside with old plates, old leash, made up dog houses of unfinished wood and limited walks, no vaccine, do it yourself medications when they get sick, eating after we have finished our meals whatever that time is.
When I had my own place and happened to have adopted a street kitten during my college years despite not being a cat lover at that time (not having enough experience with them other than the scary stories of my godmother that a cat bit her brother and they could not remove the cat from his arm), I treated that kitten differently. I took her to the vet with what limited allowance I have and read about how to take care of her. I failed during my first attempt to own a cat. She was worm infested and veterinary practice back then was the don’t spend too much for an animal type of treating. My kitten suffered tremendously. In the end, worms migrated to her lungs and she couldn’t breath properly and the vet clinic never gave her oxygen help as she was gasping for air til her death.
In fact, I failed many times when I was younger. I would buy dogs and my mom and our household help would have control over what and when to feed, shower, treat, observe them. I was young, I didn’t know what to do when they get sick. My brain was occupied with school, sports and extra curricular. The dogs are extra activities. A source of happiness. Something to own maybe. Or they are so cute that you must have them.
I went out (since our dogs are not indoor dogs but dogs that live outside in our garage or garden) during my free time to play with them (which would look cute and would probably identify with love) but now that I know better - loving is not looking good on camera or playing with them but it is being responsible and it is giving them what they need and understanding them.
To cut short. After several years, I made sure that no pet of mine would die unless it was a natural death and it is due to old age and boy do I have a lot of pets. Diverse in nature.
Come now to my Canine Distemper Virus experience. I have plenty of dogs and I always encounter patients at the clinic. During one of the visits of my house staff at the clinic, they accidentally brought home the virus that affected my pets - more than 20 of them. My house staff touched the infected dog without washing his hands. Hence, we are very keen and heavy and we allocate high amounts on disinfectants and our staff are highly disciplined.
The effect was different for each pet. Some would vomit once. Some had no symptoms at all. Some would cough. Some would have nasal discharges. Some ocular discharges. It was not the same for all my pets.
Medications are expensive - yes - because medications were imported, the medicine set is plenty, the dogs that got infected was many and some of them were big dogs and the dosages were bigger but we managed to save them all. Not one died.
We diagnosed quickly. We gave them the complete set of medications and it was given on time and I didn’t get mad because of the money I had to spend even when I was still in school at that time and the money I was spending is what I had earned from working while being a student at the same time (the last time I did that - got stressed out and furious of the money I had to spend - my dog died on me. I guess if our pets see us fighting and getting mad over the money we have to spend for them, they give up. They give their lives up probably so as not to make us suffer anymore).
I don’t speak dog language but I understand them and they somehow understand me. I have been a responsible pet owner for 2 decades. I assume that there can never be no more purer love than what they can give for their owners. It’s so pure that they are able to sacrifice their lives for us.
For pet owners who own pets who have been diagnosed with CANINE DISTEMPER VIRUS, don’t treat them without a vet, who was able to handle many distemper cases, to guide you.
They can survive the disease. It is not hopeless. Do not waste time.
At the earliest sign of anything different - have them tested for distemper- it’s not a loss of money, it’s a gain if they happen to be negative.
Our pets love us so much despite what treatment and what little time we give them. I know it can sometimes be heavy financially - but spending for what they need is just part of our responsibility and it is part of loving them.
My frustrations back then financially can never compare to the lasting pain I felt in not being able to be with my pet dog who have relied on me to take care of them and who I have picked and bought to be responsible for.
A choice to buy them is also a choice to protect them and spend for them while they are living.
If you want to avoid the high expense of saving them, bring your pets in immediately. The lesser the symptoms, the fewer the medications. The faster they would heal.
No pet wants to rest and die. All beings fight for their life and survival.
Domesticated animals rely on their owners to shape their destiny. Please fight for their life as animals in the wild fight for their lives to survive.
If you happen to choose Brettonwoods Veterinary Clinic and Distemper Center (106 Hillcrest Condominium Hillcrest St. Barangay Immaculate E. Rodriguez Quezon City or Animals Medical Center (Lot 1 Block 2 Yellowwood St. Phase 8 Greenwoods Executive Village Sta Ana Taytay with Pasig entrance ) with contact number : 09682737441 as your clinic - be honest with your vets and try to ask help from the team, the admin, the secretaries to help customize the treatment to help your pets. Everyone is a pet owner and a pet lover at the clinic and with the proper dialogue, I am sure you will come up with the right plan to save your pets.
Don’t lose hope.
