As you may have seen in the news recently, thirty dogs have fallen ill and died in Michigan due to canine parvovirus. While Michigan is over 700 miles away from Massachusetts, we have seen canine parvovirus here in the past.
Based on the data collected and provided to Boston 25 News by The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources, “In 2019, the state reports there were 77 cases, 73 in 2018, and 97 in 2017. The data represent cases that had been reported.”
The severity of parvo cases can vary and younger puppies are the most vulnerable. Certain breeds of dogs are at an increased risk for the virus as stated by The American Kennel Club:
- Rottweilers
- Doberman Pinschers
- American Staffordshire Terriers
- English Springer Spaniels
- German Shepherd Dogs
- Labrador Retrievers
Important facts to know about the virus:
- It’s highly contagious
- Direct contact with infected dogs
- Objects such as toys, food, water can be contaminated with the virus
The symptoms are bloody stool, diarrhea, vomiting, and fever (or a low body temperature). Experiencing one or more of these symptoms can lead to severe dehydration, and even damage to the intestines.
Normally, parvovirus can be detected through a stool sample test, but the test for what caused the dogs in Michigan to fall ill were initially coming back as negative for canine parvovirus.
As MSU Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory Director Kim Dodd stated, “Screening tests for parvo are done to help guide immediate isolation, disinfection, and treatment protocols. While those tests are valuable in the clinical setting, they are not as sensitive as the diagnostic tests we can perform here in the laboratory. We continue to further characterize the virus in hopes of better understanding why those animals were testing negative on screening tests.”
As stated by the American Veterinary Medical Association in reference to the canine parvovirus, “No specific drug is available that will kill the virus in infected dogs, and treatment is intended to support the dog’s body systems until the dog’s immune system can fight off the viral infection.”
This infection and the parvovirus is considered hardy and survives indoors for weeks and outdoors for months if the conditions are right.
Prevention:
While more information on this particular spike of canine parvovirus is being researched by numerous state agencies, taking precautions is recommended. It’s not easy with a curious pup, but some precautions you could take is:
- Making sure your dog’s vaccinations are up to date
- Picking up after your dog
- Keeping your dog away from any feces and unfamiliar dogs
This sickness should not be taken lightly and if your dog is infected. If you suspect infection, or they begin to display symptoms, you’ll want to contact your veterinarian immediately.