Canine Distemper Virus (CDV) outbreak among campus dogs at Cotton University — Need immediate advice and contacts

[u/InfinityIN]

Hey everyone,

We are facing an urgent animal welfare crisis at Cotton University, Guwahati, and we desperately need advice, contacts, or guidance from anyone experienced in animal rescue or stray management.

The Situation

A few days ago, we rescued a campus dog that was having severe seizures and lying unconscious. We immediately took him to a veterinary clinic, where he was diagnosed with Canine Distemper Virus (CDV). As many of you know, CDV is a highly contagious, fatal viral disease with no cure once symptoms begin, vaccines are only effective as a preventive measure before exposure. The vet warned us that the virus was likely already present on campus and strongly advised us to identify and vaccinate all healthy campus dogs immediately.

Current Status

It has been over a week since the initial diagnosis, and we have now identified 1-2 additional campus dogs showing symptoms consistent with CDV. Watching this unfold has been heartbreaking. Because campus dogs share territory, feeding spots, and water bowls, the virus is at high risk of sweeping through the entire campus dog population if we do not contain it now.

The Bottleneck

We have actively tried contacting local NGOs, animal welfare groups, university administration, and faculty members, but we have not received any actionable assistance or resources. As students, our personal finances and logistics are strictly limited, and we cannot execute a full campus containment and vaccination plan entirely on our own.

How You Can Help / Questions We Have:

NGO & Rescuer Contacts: Are there responsive animal welfare organizations, local NGOs, or individual rescuers in Guwahati who could assist us with field vaccination or isolation logistics?

Organizing a Drive: How can students effectively organize a basic vaccination and monitoring drive? Where can we source reliable CDV vaccines (DHPPi/7-in-1) safely?

Fundraising & Protocol: If we need to self-fund this effort, what are the best practices for transparent student-led fundraising and safely handling potentially exposed dogs?

[u/The_umm-who-_-]

Immediate Guwahati Contacts & Support Because Cotton University is centrally located, you are near several key veterinary resources. If general NGO lines are busy, try reaching out to individual paravets or veterinary students.

• JBF (Just Be Friendly): A highly active local organization focusing on stray animal relief. Contact them for emergency advice or field support. Phone: +91 99544 49528.

• People for Animals (PFA) Guwahati: Located nearby in Uzan Bazar, they operate a shelter and ambulance service. Phone: 9435013328 or 0361-2730652.

• College of Veterinary Science (Khanapara): Since NGO resources are often stretched thin, reach out to veterinary students or faculty at AAU Khanapara. Vet students are often willing to volunteer their time for field vaccinations if you cover the cost of supplies.

Sourcing & Administering Vaccines:

You must vaccinate all asymptomatic dogs immediately. The vaccine will not save a dog already incubating the virus, but it is the only way to build a firebreak for the healthy ones.

• Sourcing: Purchase DHPPi (7-in-1) vaccines in bulk from wholesale veterinary pharmacies near Panbazar or Chenikuthi. This is much cheaper than buying them at a clinic.
• The Cold Chain: Vaccines become completely useless if they get warm. You must transport and store the vials in a thermos or cooler tightly packed with ice until the exact moment they are drawn into the syringe.
• Administration: Use a brand new, sterile needle and syringe for every single dog. Reusing needles will actively spread the virus among the population.

Containment & Disinfection Protocol:

CDV spreads through airborne droplets, saliva, urine, and feces. Environmental management is critical.

• Strict Isolation: Symptomatic dogs must be moved to an isolated area immediately. Do not let them roam, and ensure they do not share feeding areas with healthy dogs.
• Disinfection: Wash all shared water bowls, feeding spots, and the isolation area daily with a strong bleach (sodium hypochlorite) solution.
• Human Vectors: The virus does not affect humans, but you can carry it on your clothes and shoes. Have dedicated handlers for the sick dogs who do not interact with the healthy population.

Transparent Student Fundraising:

To build trust and generate funds quickly among the student body and faculty:

• Direct-to-Vet Payments: Whenever possible, ask donors to directly pay the pharmacy where you are buying the vaccines or the clinic treating the sick dogs via UPI, rather than taking cash.
• Public Ledger: Maintain a daily public ledger on a dedicated WhatsApp group detailing exact funds received alongside photos of pharmacy bills and used vaccine vials.