HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS, POTENTIALLY DEADLY PARVOVIRUS DISCOVERED IN CHARLOTTETOWN-AREA DOG
Source: CBC News (Extract)
Posted: October 20, 2021
‘We highly recommend that if you don’t have your dog vaccinated that you do so ASAP’.
The P.E.I. Humane Society is warning dog owners about a highly contagious and potentially deadly virus discovered recently in a dog in the Charlottetown area.
Canine parvovirus is spread from dog to dog by direct or indirect contact with their feces.
Ashley Travis, development and communications co-ordinator with the P.E.I. Humane Society, says this confirmed case is cause for concern for people whose dogs aren’t vaccinated.
For people with vaccinated dogs “you can pretty well operate business as usual,” she said.
Most puppies between six and 10 weeks old are vaccinated, but dogs also need a third shot between 14 and 16 weeks as well as a booster every three years, veterinarians say.
‘We take it seriously when we do see it’
Travis said the discovery of parvovirus is a red flag for any pet owner taking a dog to a public area.
“That could be a trail, it could be the beach, it could be a dog park, anywhere public where other dogs are,” she said.
“If you’re taking an unvaccinated dog into those areas, when there is a confirmed positive case of parvo in the area, it can be very dangerous for your dog’s health … We highly recommend that if you don’t have your dog vaccinated that you do so ASAP.”
The humane society is not able to give any details about the condition of the dog that got the virus, or when it was discovered other than to say it was discovered in the last week or so.
Symptoms can be similar to the flu, but with severe vomiting, diarrhea and loss of appetite, said Travis. She said there are treatments, but those treatments are not always successful.
“And if you do see those sort of warning signs, and you do know that your animal hasn’t been vaccinated against parvo, it’s important that you contact your veterinarian right away.”
The humane society said cases of canine parvovirus are rare in P.E.I.
“We’re very lucky, we don’t see a lot of parvo on P.E.I. but it is still something that when it creeps up it can be very dangerous, so we take it seriously when we do see it.”