Vets warn of parvo outbreak

Paeroa vets are warning owners to make sure vaccinations are up to date after several dogs have been infected with canine parvovirus.

Paeroa Veterinary Services veterinarian Danielle Thomson said one dog had died and two others were successfully treated for the deadly virus in the past few weeks.

There were also several more dogs diagnosed with parvo at other vet clinics throughout the region, she said.

‘‘We’ve also had a few people come in that have talked about symptoms that seem like parvo but they haven’t been able to afford treatment for it, so we’ve given [medicine] across the counter,’’ she said.

It can cost anywhere from $1500 or more to treat an infected dog, depending on the size of the dog and severity of its symptoms.

It takes about a week of round-theclock care, including intravenous fluids and medications, with no guarantees that the dog will survive.

‘‘Vaccination is far cheaper in comparison or compared to losing a dog,’’ Thomson said.

The virus causes severe gastroenteritis, affecting mainly black and tan breeds, such as rottweiler, dobermann, pitbull and german shepherd dogs.

‘‘It causes really severe damage to the gut,’’ she said.

‘‘They get profuse vomiting, then diarrhoea after a day or so, a bloody, foulsmelling, disgusting diarrhoea, and then because it damages the tract so much, they’re predisposed to getting bacterial infections.’’

The disease also affected bone marrow cells, reducing the manufacture of white blood cells which lowered the immune system, she said.

‘‘It’s just awful, they’re just absolutely flat.

‘‘And it’s very contagious.’’ Thomson urged dog owners to vaccinate dogs and puppies against the virus, which stays in the environment for months or years.

‘‘If they are vaccinated it should at least mean that the disease isn’t as bad, they’re going to have a much better chance of being protected.

‘‘If they’re not vaccinated, they shouldn’t go anywhere where other dogs have been.’’

Regular worming was also important as a high worm burden made dogs more susceptible, she said.

Thomson said she wasn’t sure why there were so many dogs affected by parvo at the moment, but the ongoing hot, humid weather may have played a part.

‘‘We just have years that are bad and some that aren’t.

‘‘The last few years have been really good but as soon as you have some [dogs infected], because it’s so contagious, it just gets passed on.’’