Nathan VanderKlippe
Northern News Services

Resolute (Nov 12/01) - Canine distemper has cost the lives of four dogs in the hamlet in recent days. Four succumbed to the disease and another three were shot to prevent the virus from spreading.

"With one dog I looked at, we just touched it and it would start howling," said wildlife officer Tabitha Mullin.

"It didn't want to get up, it was in constant pain. Another puppy, its brother or sister, was less severe. Its hind legs looked like they were stiff. Both of them couldn't hardly hold their balance and they kept their heads down all the time."

The dogs may have been infected by foxes in the area. However, since the virus can be airborne, "it's kind of hard to say where it started from," Mullin said.

None of the hamlet's 85 sled dogs were affected.

Annual vaccines are available for distemper, which kills over half of the adult dogs and about 80 per cent of the puppies that contract it. Mullin received those vaccines Nov. 3, and is now dispensing them free of charge to the public.

Mullin said she is hopeful the virus will spread no further.

"As long as there's no other loose dogs that might be getting close to infected dogs, it should be pretty well under control," she said.

Distemper has many symptoms, making it difficult to diagnose at the outset. An infected animal may show signs of a severe cold. Other signs include squinting, discharges from the eyes, vomiting and diarrhea.

In later stages, the virus often attacks the nervous system, causing paralysis or fits of twitching.