Stray Rescue of St. Louis is an organization that has been saving animals lives for over 20 years and a staple in the community rescuing tens of thousands of abused and strayed animals. But as any shelter in America, diseases can pose a threat to even the best of the best.

On Saturday, October 29th Stray Rescue of St. Louis had multiple test results confirming that the shelter is experiencing an outbreak of distemper.

Distemper is a viral disease, which affects the gastrointestinal, respiratory, and central nervous systems in dogs. The canine distemper virus (CDV) causes the disease. It is highly contagious, and can be fatal. Vaccination against the virus is the best defense.  The primary symptoms include high, reddened eyes, and a watery discharge from the nose and eyes. An infected dog will become lethargic and tired, and will usually become anorexic. Persistent coughing, vomiting, and diarrhea may also occur. In the later stages of the disease, the virus starts attacking the other systems of the dog’s body.
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