Canine parvovirus is spread to dogs through direct or indirect contact with an infected dog's faeces. Photo / 123rf
A spike in parvovirus cases in Whanganui has vets warning of its potentially fatal impact on dogs.
Whanganui Veterinary Services (WVS) veterinarian Hein Stoop said there had been five cases at his clinic in the past three weeks.
“There tends to be a little bit of a peak in the warmer months,” Stoop said.
Fellow vet Aodhan Wildbore said he had seen additional cases on farms in Waitotara and Fordell.
“It’s not just the ones in town,” Wildbore said.
“There seems to be a bit of an outbreak happening.”
First Vets Whanganui vet Nicola King has not seen any recent cases at her clinic but said there was a high prevalence of parvovirus in Whanganui.
“It’s always around in Whanganui, even during the winter we still see it,” King said.
“Sometimes when we see these little puppies, they’re so incredibly sick that putting them to sleep is the only treatment.”
The SPCA said canine parvovirus was a highly contagious and often fatal disease.
It is spread by direct or indirect contact with an infected dog’s faeces.
There are currently no cases of parvovirus at SPCA Whanganui.
The warning signs of parvovirus are bloody diarrhoea, vomiting and dehydration.
Symptoms can also include a loss of appetite, fever and lethargy.
Whanganui sees recurrent spikes of parvovirus due to infected dogs, who are typically unvaccinated, spreading the virus through their excrement.
The virus can survive on surfaces such as lawns, carpets or soil for up to six months, or even longer in resilient strains.
There was a significant spike in parvovirus cases in the Hawkes Bay earlier this year.
King said, unfortunately, there was a large population of unvaccinated dogs in Whanganui.
“You get pockets of it in places in town, and people might have had it on their section and it gets into the grass.”
The cost of vaccinations for puppies could be a barrier for some pet owners.
But King said it was vital for dog owners to understand that paying for treatment for parvovirus was a much worse position to be in.
The top-tier treatment for parvovirus which gives the highest survival chance involves providing IV fluids, anti-nausea medication and antibiotics to prevent secondary bacterial infections.
“Nobody has a spare $1000 to put a dog on IV fluids to help with parvo,” King said.
Stoop said for puppies with parvovirus who did not get treatment the mortality rates were as high as 70-80%.
“I can’t stress enough that once your dog has signs, you’re too late.
“Even with the best care you still lose 10-20% of your patients which is enormous – there’s not a lot of diseases that do that.”
Parvovirus kills the gut lining which prevents the absorption of food and water and causes diarrhoea, he said.
It also attacks the bone marrow which stops the production of white blood cells.
Wildbore said even if dogs recovered from parvovirus, they could face ongoing difficulties due to the scarring of the gut lining.
Early vaccination in puppies is the best prevention against parvovirus.
Wildbore said farmers were also not exempt from the need to vaccinate, even though their dogs could be living in more rural, isolated areas.
Puppies can be vaccinated anytime after they reach six weeks old.
Although puppies develop immunity to illnesses by drinking their mother’s milk, they also need to be vaccinated due to the maternal antibodies running out between birth and up to 16 weeks.
“That’s why we vaccinate puppies a few times,” Stoop said.
New puppy owners with unvaccinated pets shouldn’t be afraid to walk their dogs outside.
Stoop said dogs that were kept inside and were not socialised in their early life could become aggressive and develop behavioural issues.
“Protecting your puppy against parvovirus is really important, but socialising your puppy in those early stages is also really important.
“It’s fine to socialise your puppy with other puppies or dogs that you know are vaccinated.”
The SPCA said until puppies were fully vaccinated avoid walking them in high-risk areas and prevent contact with unvaccinated dogs.
Wildbore said if pet owners suspected their dog had parvovirus it was important to warn their vet clinic before bringing them in for treatment.
“From a biosecurity perspective, it’s very much like dealing with Covid, possibly worse, just because of how long it lasts in the environment.”
Eva de Jong is a reporter for the Whanganui Chronicle covering health stories and general news. She began as a reporter in 2023.
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