Idaho Falls, IDAHO (KIFI) – Over the weekend, Pocatello Animal Shelter was closed to the public after 4 puppies caught Parvovirus. The virus is highly contagious and attacks a dog’s bone marrow and small intestine. So what can dog owners do to protect their pets?
Parvovirus affects dogs that are not fully vaccinated the most. Dr. Kasey Sweeney with the Snake River Animal Shelter says that Parvovirus is very hardy, and can last for months after a dog sheds it.
With how contagious and hard to kill the Parvovirus is, the best way to protect your dog is to keep them up to date on all their vaccines. If your dog isn’t up to date or isn’t old enough to get the full vaccine, keep them away from other dogs.
“If you have a puppy between eight weeks and 16 weeks, we really don’t want them going to any public spaces meeting any other dogs. just because dogs, even if they aren’t showing signs, can still carry it and shed it, even if they’re a vaccinated, older dog,” Sweeney said.
If you think your dog is sick, contact your vet as soon as possible. With Parvovirus, the sooner you can see a vet, the better their chance at getting healthy again. But that vet treatment does come with a pretty hefty price tag.
“It can be pretty expensive, too. Sometimes I’ve seen vets charge $2,000-$5,000 for treatment, which is why we really recommend that vaccine,” Sweeney said. “Just because that price difference can really make or break families.”
Symptoms of Parvovirus include:
- Lethargy
- Loss of appetite
- Vomiting
- Severe, often bloody, diarrhea
- Abdominal pain and bloating
- Fever or low body temperature (hypothermia)
If your dog gets Parvovirus, it’s very important to clean every surface they’ve touched with bleach to kill the virus.
“If you have a puppy in your house that does have parvo, because it’s so resistant in the environment, you can almost never have an unvaccinated puppy in your house again. Just because it’s so hard to kill, you would have to use bleach pretty much every square inch of your house, and that’s not typically feasible for most people,” Sweeney said.
