Northern Michigan had an outbreak of canine parvovirus infection this summertime that sickened respective dogs. Before the illness was confirmed done further investigating successful affected patients, veterinarians were near wondering astir the origins of the illness.
But parvovirus is nary mystery. The infection, amended known arsenic parvo, is simply a highly contagious illness that tin impact each dogs and tin beryllium deadly if near untreated. It causes diarrhea, abdominal symptom and vomiting, according to the American Animal Hospital Association. The microorganism chiefly arises successful puppies who person not received each doses of the parvovirus vaccine, which was the lawsuit successful Michigan.
Vaccination is the champion prevention against parvo. “Make definite your animals are getting their vaccines connected clip and boosting appropriately,” Amy Nichelason, a canine and feline practitioner and objective adjunct prof of superior attraction astatine the UW School of Veterinary Medicine said connected a recent episode of Wisconsin Public Radio’s The Larry Meiller Show.
The parvo vaccine consists of 3 doses fixed each 2 to 4 weeks erstwhile a puppy is betwixt six to 16 weeks old. Complete vaccination is indispensable to parvo immunity.
Until your puppy has received their afloat dose, “make definite your puppies aren’t exposed to high-risk situations,” Nichelason says. Such higher-risk situations see canine parks oregon encounters with different unvaccinated dogs.
If you are unsure if your canine is vaccinated, nary substance their age, dainty them arsenic though they are not vaccinated, and speech to your veterinarian astir starting the parvo vaccination process.
Britta Wellenstein
English (US)