Outbreak of deadly dog virus

Tauranga Veterinary Services Ltd managing director David McDonnell says this is the largest outbreak he had seen in the last decade. Photo / John Borren

An outbreak of the deadly parvovirus in the Bay has veterinarians imploring dog owners to get their animals vaccinated.

Canine Parvovirus is a highly contagious and often fatal viral disease which is easily spread in the environment by infected dogs' faecal matter and can live in the environment for months.

Tauranga Veterinary Services managing director David McDonnell said parvovirus was a seasonal disease. He usually saw one or two cases a season but there had been a huge spike this year.

Mr McDonnell said his practice, which also had clinics in Katikati and Te Puna, had seen half a dozen suspected cases in the past 10 days, and at least one confirmed case of an unvaccinated 6-year-old dog, which was dead when it was brought in to the clinic.

There was also an unvaccinated puppy, suspected of having the virus, which was put down, he said.

Mr McDonnell said there were also confirmed and suspected cases presenting at other veterinary clinics across Tauranga, including one seeing 1-2 cases a day in the past two weeks.

Mr McDonnell said puppies under-12 weeks were particularly vulnerable, especially if the pup's mother had not been vaccinated.

"We are imploring people to make sure they do not take [ownership] of a pup which has not been vaccinated and any dog suspected of having the virus should be isolated and get immediate veterinary treatment," he said.

Mr McDonnell said intensive veterinary treatment was needed in the form of intravenous fluids, antibiotics and anti-vomiting medication.

A Cameron Rd Veterinary Clinic spokesperson said a dozen confirmed cases presented at the clinic in the past two weeks, of which a lot were clients of Tauranga SPCA. It was important owners got their dogs vaccinated and stayed away from public areas and other unvaccinated dogs until they did so, the spokesperson said.

Welcome Bay Vet Clinic and Barkes Corner Veterinary Hospital confirmed they had no cases, confirmed or suspected in the past two weeks.

In a written statement, Western Bay of Plenty District Council's community group manager, Rachael Davie, said one dog recently impounded by Western Bay animal services staff was found to have the virus and another may also have been infected. Both animals were put down as they were unclaimed.

Following this discovery staff had increased their vigilance around handling and cleaning procedures, Ms Davie said.

Tauranga City Council animals and enforcement team leader Brent Lincoln said there had been no confirmed or suspected cases at the city's pound.