To prevent the spread of canine distemper to wildlife in the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR), the Worldwide Veterinary Service (WVS-India), is working with the Forest Department to vaccinate and sterilise the local dog population in surrounding villages.
In a statement, Nigel and Ilona Otter from WVS-India, said that steps are required to protect wildlife from communicable diseases, and that one of the most common diseases that can spread to wildlife from the domesticated dog population was canine distemper.
“As it is difficult to immunise the wild animals, the best epidemiological solution is to prevent a spillover from domestic dog population to the wildlife by immunising the dogs,” their statement said.
WVS-India proposed this project to the Durga Wildlife Fund as a way to increase immunity against distemper among domesticated dogs around the Masinagudi area in the MTR buffer zone.
“In addition to vaccination with DHPPi – vaccine, the so called ‘six-in-one’-vaccine that provides immunity against distemper (among other canine diseases), the dogs were also to be vaccinated against rabies and sterilised. WVS-India has been providing sterilisation and annual rabies vaccination services in the area but systematic vaccination against distemper has not been implemented in this way before,” the press release said.
The “Durga project” is being undertaken by WVS-India along with the assistance of the Forest Department, including K.K.Kaushal, Field Director of MTR. The project commenced on April 8.
The project is to be conducted in three phases beginning with the initial vaccination of the dogs, followed by sterilisation surgeries and by administering a booster vaccine in the final phase. So far, 558 dogs have been vaccinated with the DHPPi vaccine, out of which 202 dogs have also received their booster shots.
“The target through the Durga Wildlife Fund grant was to vaccinate 300 dogs against distemper and to sterilise and vaccinate 150 dogs against rabies. This target has already been reached,” said Ilona Otter.
Ms. Otter emphasised hat WVS-India continues its work in vaccinating and sterilising dogs across the Nilgiris. The Durga project was just one example of such a project, she said. The WVS has an ongoing continuous neutering and rabies vaccination programme. The success of their programmes has ensured that the Nilgiris has not recorded a single case of canine rabies in the last decade.
