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What is Canis?

What is Canis?

The Canis Virus is an infectious disease originating from a cancer treatment used for a variety of cancers affecting small children. The treatment was developed quickly, in response to an outbreak of the type of cancer in 2041. This cancer treatment incorporated DNA from common household dogs, who showed a surprising resistance to the virus.

The treatment was developed, like other modern cancer treatments, as an engineered, pacified virus. This proven strategy involves taking a engineered virus base, and inserting instructions or DNA into cells throughout the body. The viral treatment is then administered to a patient, wherein the treatment spreads throughout the body, inserting new DNA into existing cells to teach them how to fight a specific type of cancer.

While most treatments of this type take many years to develop and test before moving into wide scale adoption, the frightening circumstances of the cancer epidemic led to many risks being taken, and the treatment was sped through this process. The third through fourth iterations of the virus were the first to be widely administered, and it was not until the fifth iteration that the virus was altered to remove the elements that would later become the canis virus, though this was not known at the time.

While the descendant iterations of this original treatment make up the majority of its use, and are confirmed to be safe, the first four iterations were still received by as many as several million people around the world, mostly in developed countries.

In January of 2058, adolescents who had received these versions of the cancer treatment began to report strange physical changes, which advanced quickly to large scale mutations. By the end of the month, it was revealed to the world that when run their full course, the former cancer treatment would alter these individuals to become human-canine hybrids. These hybrid individuals would come to be known colloquially as canids, or canis people.

While the virus left these people drastically changed in terms of physical appearance, their minds had little significant change, and despite now having fur and various canine features, many canis individuals have been able to exist in normal society without too much difficulty.

Following the initial revelation of the virus's effects, it was further discovered that the virus had mutated to become infectious through the exchange of DNA, most commonly saliva. This resulted in major lockdowns across the world for several months, during which many millions of people contracted Canis, the majority contracting it before the disease was widely known.

In the years since, society has mostly been able to adjust to these developments, though discrimination of Canis people has remained widespread, despite their prevalence. Still, Canids can be found in all areas of society, as leaders in politics and business, artists, and STEM. For those who have been affected by the virus, there are many resources available online and in your community to help.

[Read Further  -> Do I have canis?]