Parvo and distemper outbreaks affecting El Paso animals

The City of El Paso Animal Services Division is warning the public about a high number of cases of animals with parvo and distemper being brought to the shelter.

Animal Services officials say that shelter animals frequently predict and mimic what is going on in the general population of area pets.

Both the City of El Paso Animal Services Shelter and the El Paso Humane Society are seeing cases of both canine diseases in their shelters.

Animal Services Shelter procedures for movement of the animals and cleaning have been developed to decrease the disease spread.

Animal Services officials remind the public to vaccinate for both parvo and distemper and avoid public areas such as off-leash parks.

“Even if that dog your pet plays with looks ‘healthy’ he may be incubating one of the diseases,” city officials said in a news release.

Once the weather warms up the cases will drop dramatically, City officials said.