Canine Parvovirus still a threat in Randfontein
'However, it will not infect humans' — veterinarian
One of Randfontein’s local veterinarians, Dr. AD du Plessis has confirmed that the Canine Parvovirus is still doing the rounds in the area.
Canine Parvovirus is a contagious virus mainly affecting dogs, and is said to have originated in cats. The current belief is that the feline panleukopenia mutated into Canine Parvo Virus 2.
Parvo is highly contagious and is spread from dog to dog by direct or indirect contact with their faeces. Vaccines can prevent this infection, but mortality can reach 91 per cent in untreated cases. Treatment often involves veterinary hospitalization. Canine parvovirus may infect other mammals, however it will not infect humans.
Dogs that develop the disease show symptoms of the illness within three to seven days. The symptoms include lethargy, vomiting, fever, and diarrhoea (usually bloody). Diarrhoea and vomiting result in dehydration and secondary infections can set in.
Due to dehydration, the dog’s electrolyte balance can become critically affected. Because the normal intestinal lining is also compromised, blood and protein leak into the intestines leading to anaemia and loss of protein, and endotoxins escaping into the bloodstream, causing endotoxemia. Dogs have a distinctive odour in the later stages of the infection. The white blood cell level falls, further weakening the dog. Any or all of these factors can lead to shock and death. The first sign of CPV is lethargy. Usually the second symptoms would be loss of appetite or diarrhoea followed by vomiting.
“This time of the year it is especially bad and we are also getting a lot of cat flu cases, another virus that is more active in summer. We have vaccinated a lot of animals for cat flu but people should remember that even with the vaccination, they can still contract the disease. It is just easier to treat them with the vaccination in their system.” said Dr du Plessis.
A diagnosis of parvovirus can be made with snap-combo tests, available at most veterinarians. There is no cure for parvoviral gastroenteritis as it is caused by a virus. Veterinarians can only treat the symptoms and try to keep your dog or puppy alive by preventing dehydration and loss of proteins.
The only way to prevent parvovirus is through vaccination. Puppies should receive their first vaccination at six weeks with two more vaccinations thereafter at nine and 12 weeks. Dogs are then usually vaccinated on an annual basis thereafter. The parvovirus is included in the combination vaccine.
With Parvovirus, as with many other viruses that effect dogs, prevention is better than cure.
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