DETROIT – The Taylor Animal Shelter has temporarily closed after a puppy was found to have parvovirus, a highly contagious virus that can affect all dogs.
The facility in Taylor shut down on Wednesday, July 12, and will not reopen until next week. Dogs inside the shelter will not be adopted out until the situation has been deemed safe.
A puppy was brought into the shelter this week and later confirmed to have parvovirus. Matt Bonza works for the city, he said parvovirus hasn’t been seen there in six years.
Unvaccinated dogs and puppies younger than four months old are most at risk. The virus affects a dog’s gastrointestinal tract and is spread by direct dog-to-dog contact and contact with feces, environments or people, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association.
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