 Parvo Season is Here It is heartbreaking to talk to devoted pet owners who have lost a puppy to Parvo, many of whom had never heard of this deadly disease. Parvo is a highly contagious disease that affects a dog's intestinal tract, immune system, and sometimes heart muscle. It can be transmitted to dogs on clothes, hands, and shoes and through fecal matter. It can be especially severe in puppies that are not protected by maternal antibodies or vaccinations. Signs of a Parvo infection include severe vomiting and diarrhea; these can arise quickly and treatment often requires extensive hospitalization. The best way to prevent the spread of this virus is to vaccinate your puppy or dog. Once the disease is contracted it can be treated, but the treatment is complex, and is not always effective if it is started too late. Mortality rates can reach 91% in untreated cases. This is a very fast-acting disease, your puppy can become sick and can die within a matter of hours. The Canine Parvovirus can live in the soil for months, puppies contract it easily just by playing in an area where an infected dog was six months ago- often making it impossible for owners to know that their puppy has come in contact with the virus. The way to ensure puppies don't get this deadly disease is to vaccinate them every 3-4 weeks from the time they are 6 weeks old until they are four months old, and to follow up with yearly boosters after that. Please help us protect the puppies in our White Mountain Communities- spread the word and vaccinate your pets today! |
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