Mara Mobile Veterinary Unit

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Canine Distemper Vaccination

Category: Dogs, Wildlife | Date: Mar 31 2007 | By: admin

The only way we can control the outbreak of Canine Distemper in domestic dogs and to avoid the spread of disease to wild carnivores is through ring vaccination. Ring vaccination is vaccination of healthy animal population surrounding the already existing outbreak so that we stop the spread of the disease. In our case, the ring vaccination involves domestic dogs surrounding the reserve, working our way towards the outbreak in Lolgorian and Kilgoris area., up to 60 km away from the reserve. I would approximate the dog population in the immediate surrounding of the reserve to be somewhere around 1,000 dogs. Anything less than this would probably do not make impact to the outbreak since the dog population up to the affected area is somewhere between 3,000-5,000.

It is not an impossible task, but it is very expensive operation and involves lot of work. Since we don’t have high titre Canine Distemper vaccine (which only takes one vaccination) here in Kenya, we need to re-vaccinate the dogs after a month. Due to long distance and inaccessibility to some area, I decided to relocate to Mara by mid May. I will be stationed in the middle of the Maasai land and I will not have access to fridge which is the only way to store vaccines (I cannot use the lodge fridge because it would be too far away from the area of vaccination). I would require a solar operating fridge system which can be connected to existing solar panel at where I will be staying. It would take me one months to vaccinate 1,000 dogs due to vastness of coverage area (from Oloololo gate to Tanzania border of the escarpment). The operation would be in two phases and I require vehicle maintenance and fuel fee, as well as community liaison/assistant fee for two months. The cost breakdown of the ring vaccination of 1,000 dogs surrounding the reserve is as follows:

Phase I (First Ring Vaccination)
Canine Distemper Vaccine, Syringe, Needle (USD 4)—USD 4,000
Vehicle Fuel & Maintenance (1month)—USD 1,500
Community Liaison/Assistant (1month) —USD 90
Solar Fridge & Battery—USD 2,060

Phase II (Second Ring Vaccination)
Canine Distemper Vaccine, Syringe, Needle (USD 4)—USD 4,000
Vehicle Fuel & Maintenance (1month)—USD 1,500
Community Liaison/Assistant (1month) —USD 90

If I can get sponsor or someone to fund raise to cover the operational cost, I will approach the lodges to inquire whether they would be willing to sponsor the veterinary service cost for the operation. Please help us so we can avoid the tragedy which happened in the Serengeti. From tomorrow to Tuesday, I will not have any internet connection so I will check on comments Wednesday.

6 Responses to “Canine Distemper Vaccination”

Chris in USA, on 31 Mar 2007

I can donate some but unfortunately I don’t have enough left to cover your costs. I understand your position and appreciate you informing us. Is there anybody else out there who can help? Are you able to contact some of the big charities like World Wildlife Foundation?

Chris in USA, on 31 Mar 2007

I just reread your blog and noticed something… you say if you can get somebody to cover the operational costs, you will approach the “lodges?” to see if they would cover the veterinary service cost. So what would the operation cost be in total and what would the veterinary cost be in total? Would the vet cost be $8,000 and the operational cost everything else, which comes to $5,240?

Chris in USA, on 31 Mar 2007

If there are some people out there who can help donate towards the $5,280 operational cost, I might be able to cover the difference and we can avoid a huge disaster. Is there anybody else who can cover part of the cost if I pick up the remaining amount?

asuka, on 01 Apr 2007

Chris-

Hi, I am at the internet cafe and thought I should check on comments. The listed items are ALL operational costs, excluding my veterinary service fee. I dont raise my personal veterinary fee through this site so the listed amount of $13,240 all goes to operation. It is very expensive operation because it involves vast area and lots of work.

If I can raise the amount listed on this entry through wildlifedirect, that would cover the immediate boundary of the reserve. I am approaching others through my japanese blog so I can cover more than 1,000 dogs so we can get closer to the outbreak area. I just spoke to the Maasai from the area and he told me dogs are still dying.

asuka, on 01 Apr 2007

Cost price of one dose of Canine Distemper Vaccine is USD 3 and price of Syringe, Needle is USD1, so one dog vaccination cost is USD 4. Since you need to revaccinate after one month, total cost for one dog vaccination is USD 8. (USD 8,000 for 1,000 dogs). Then operation would require ‘vehicle maintenance fee and fuel fee’ and ‘assitant fee’ for duration of operation (two months). Lastly and most importantly, if there is no fridge, I can’t keep any vaccine in Maasai land because vaccine would die if it is not kept under refrigeration.

Chris in USA, on 01 Apr 2007

Hi Asuka,
I completely understand. I know everyone over there is working with limited resources and stretching everything they have… I know it is costly and it must be difficult. Personally, I wish I had all the money to help you so I guess all I can do is donate a little bit today and we can hope some kind person or charity is able to help. Thank you for your efforts.

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