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Highly contagious parvovirus sickens, kills dogs in St. Clair County

Animal control urges pet owners to ensure dogs are vaccinated

Houston Texans pup (Zach Tarrant/Houston Texans, Zach Tarrant/Houston Texans)

SAINT CLAIR COUNTY, Mich. – Animal control in St. Clair County reported a rise in the last two weeks of dogs dying or becoming very sick from the highly contagious canine parvovirus.

Sick puppies, immune-challenged adult dogs, and senior dogs have been diagnosed after death or while in critical condition with a preventable virus called canine parvovirus. There were 11 cases from areas including the city of Port Huron, Port Huron Township, and the city of St. Clair.

“Parvo is every new puppy and dog owner’s worst nightmare,” said St. Clair County Animal Control Director Melissa Miller. “It is a highly contagious, but preventable disease that causes severe gastrointestinal illness in puppies and unvaccinated adult dogs. Part of what makes the virus so dangerous is the ease with which it is spread through the canine population.”

Parvovirus spreads through direct contact with an infected dog or through feces. An infected dog can begin shedding the virus four-to-five days after exposure and before they start showing any symptoms.

How you can protect your dog from parvovirus

The most important way to protect your dog is to keep up with routine vaccinations, especially if you plan on traveling.

Ensure your dog is vaccinated against canine parvovirus, rabies, canine distemper, adenovirus, parainfluenza, and leptospirosis.

If you have a puppy, make sure it has been fully vaccinated before you allow it to interact with other animals. You should keep all dogs and puppies away from other dogs if they have any signs of illness.

Make sure you clean up after your pet when you’re walking them in public to prevent the spread of illnesses. The virus can spread from place to place on the hair or feet of dogs, or through contaminated cages, shoes or other objects.

Parvovirus is resistant to heat, cold, humidity, and drying. It is known to survive in the environment for long periods of time, which is why it’s so important to get your dog vaccinated.

Parvovirus is not contagious to people or other animals.

Symptoms of parvovirus in puppies

Most deaths from parvovirus occur within 48 to 72 hours following symptom onset, according to the AVMA. There aren’t any specific drugs that can kill the virus in infected dogs and treatment is to support the dog as it fights the infection.

The American Kennel Club said the following are symptoms of parvovirus in puppies.

  • Bloody diarrhea
  • Vomiting
  • Fever
  • Lethargy
  • Anorexia
  • Weight loss
  • Weakness
  • Dehydration
  • Depression

If your puppy has any of these symptoms you should contact your veterinarian.

How to clean after parvovirus

It is very difficult to completely eliminate the virus in your home after an infection has been present.

According to McEwen Animal Clinic, freezing is completely protective to the virus so if your yard is frozen you have to wait for it to thaw before you introduce a new puppy. Shaded areas should be considered contaminated for seven months and sunny areas should be considered contaminated for five months.

According to the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine, bleach works for inactivating the virus. Bleach can be used on surfaces such as stainless steel or sealed floors but another option should be used for porous surfaces.

“Potassium peroxymonosulfate[13] (e.g. Trifectant® or Virkon) and accelerated hydrogen peroxide[14] (e.g. Accel/Rescue®) both have greater detergent properties and better activity in the face of organic matter compared to bleach and related products. Accel/Rescue® in particular has been shown to have good activity even in the face of organic matter contamination. Either of these can be used in carpet cleaners on contaminated carpets and furniture (always check first to test for staining).

Independent studies have repeatedly shown that quaternary ammonium disinfectants (e.g. Triple Two®, Rocal®) do not reliably kill parvovirus, in spite of repeated reformulation and label claims of efficacy.”

University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine

About the Author
Kayla Clarke headshot

Kayla is a Web Producer for ClickOnDetroit. Before she joined the team in 2018 she worked at WILX in Lansing as a digital producer.

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