Attention, Dog Owners

Charlotte Observer, The (NC)
1995-04-21
Section: METRO
Edition: ONE - FOUR
Page: 1C

Vets see surge in parvovirus

   DEBORAH PARKHILL MULLIS, Staff Writer

Veterinarians are warning pet owners - particularly those with puppies - to beware of canine parvovirus.

Parvo is a highly contagious virus that is transmitted from dog to dog through feces. It attacks the lining of the intestines and initial symptoms include listlessness, diarrhea and lack of appetite. Young adult dogs and puppies are most susceptible to the disease, which can be prevented by vaccinations. 

Veterinarians at Animal Medical Hospital on Monroe Road said they have seen more than the expected number of parvo cases in the past two months. The hospital has six puppies, all of which have the disease, in isolation.

``It is uncommon to see so many cases so early,'' said Dr. Richard Coe of Animal Medical Hospital. He said he was sad to see a puppy with a preventable disease die in his examination room Sunday. The owner didn't get treatment soon enough, he said.

``It seems we are seeing an epidemic right now,'' Coe said.

Dr. Bob Messenger, a veterinarian at Emergency Veterinary Clinic on Elizabeth Avenue, said the clinic ran out of test kits after seeing 10 dogs with parvo symptoms over the weekend. It's normal to see a seasonal increase in the disease, he said.

``I'm of the opinion . . . it's pandemic,'' said Messenger. There are more cases of parvo because of the ``spring crop of puppies,'' he said.

``We have seen a few more cases than usual,'' said Lori Bond, office manager for Dr. K.T. Armstrong of Monroe Animal Hospital in Monroe. ``Recently, we had an older dog come in with parvo, which is very unusual,'' she said.

If owners know what to watch for, they may save some puppies' lives.

A pet's reluctance to eat is one of the first symptoms. ``Dogs may not want to eat much and may start drooling,'' said Coe. Later they become listless and develop diarrhea. Pet owners may mistake these signs to mean a puppy simply has an upset stomach. But if your pet has these symptoms and has not been protected, putting off a visit to the vet isn't a good idea.

``A lot can happen in 12 to 48 hours,'' said Coe. If it's parvo, vomiting and foul-smelling bloody diarrhea will follow the initial symptoms. Infected dogs are in danger of dehydration and need to be hospitalized.

``If the owner brings them in fast enough and we start treatment . . . we're able to save 85 percent to 90 percent,'' Coe said.

Parvo is an expensive disease to treat - $350 to $700, Coe said. Hospital stays typically last five to seven days and patients must be isolated. Dogs must be fed intravenously 24 hours a day, given antibiotics for infection and injections to stop the vomiting and diarrhea.

Muriel Williams didn't pay attention to the recommendations of veterinarians and ended up paying $610 to save the life of Hershey, her Labrador retriever.

``They tell you your dog needs this, your dog needs that, but the only thing I gave a lot of credence to was the rabies shot,'' Williams said.

Williams did have Hershey vaccinated against parvo. What she didn't do was keep Hershey out of public places until she was fully vaccinated.

``I took her to the park. I let her play with other dogs. . . . We had even started obedience school,'' she said.

It took a while for Hershey's personality to return. ``She came home really mad and really scared,'' said Williams. ``She was in a cage; she had needles in her constantly. I thought she'd be happy to see me, but you can't explain to a dog we're doing this in your best interest.

``You feel so sorry for the dog. . . . We should have been a little more careful.''   

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Canine parvovirus

The virus, which is highly contagious, attacks the lining of a dog's intestines. Young adult dogs and puppies are most susceptible to the disease, which can be prevented by vaccinations.

Symptoms as the virus progresses:

* Lack of appetite

* Listlessness

* Diarrhea

* Vomiting

* Severe bloody, foul-smelling diarrhea

How to prevent canine parvovirus

* Have your puppy vaccinated about every three weeks beginning at 6 weeks old and ending at 16 weeks old.

* Don't take your puppy to the park or places frequented by dogs who may not be vaccinated until your puppy is fully vaccinated.

* Treatment for canine parvovirus includes: hospitalization, isolation from other animals, antibiotics, injections to stop vomiting and diarrhea, and intravenous feeding.

- Compiled by Deborah Parkhill Mullis  

Staff photo by MARK B. SLUDER: IV treatment: Little Boy, a 6-month-old pit bull mix, receives an intravenous feeding as part of treatment for canine parvovirus at the veterinarian's office. Little Boy is Steve