Cat flu can be prevented
Pet owners are urged to vaccinate their dogs against parvovirus.
The virus, which is commonly known as cat flu, affects the intestinal tract of dogs and causes vomiting, diarrhoea, fever and a decreased ability to fight infection.
Local veterinarian Dr Christo van Niekerk says it is severe in puppies.
Parvovirus was first identified in the late 1970s, and is believed to have originated in cats, hence the name cat flu.
It doesn’t, however affect humans or cats.
Infection usually results from exposure to contaminated soil or direct contact with another dog already infected with the virus.
According to van Niekerk, it is impossible to eliminate the virus from contaminated soil.
A careful application of a chlorine bleach solution can be used after thorough washing and rinsing of inside facilities.
He says signs of infection are seen between four and 14 days after exposure.
Oral intake of virus-infected material transmits the infection to susceptible dogs.
Van Niekerk says the virus is sturdy and persists in the environment for at least six months.
The initial symptoms are diarrhoea, depression, loss of appetite and fever, followed by vomiting and bleeding.
These signs progress quickly to dehydration, septicemia and death.
He claims the disease peaks at certain times of the year.
Animals need to be treated very intensively and can take up to 10 days to recover.
Treatment isn’t always successful and animals may die while being treated.
For this reason, it is very important to have dogs vaccinated.
“In my opinion, the biggest present you will ever give your dog is to have it vaccinated,” says van Niekerk.
Puppies should be vaccinated at six weeks old and exposure to infected areas should be minimised until the vaccination series is complete.
Thereafter vaccinations should be given at monthly intervals until 16 weeks old.
After the course of vaccines, the dog must be vaccinated yearly up to an age of at least six years.
There are many other diseases that present the same symptoms as cat flu, and your dog will therefore be tested by your veterinarian to make the correct diagnosis and to treat accordingly.
