Dubbo's puppy population is experiencing an outbreak of a devastating disease that is potentially deadly but entirely preventable, a Dubbo vet is warning.
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The Duncan McGinness Veterinary Surgeon practice has issued a parvovirus alert after an influx of cases, mainly in young dogs up to one year of age, in recent weeks.
Its vets are pleading with owners to ensure all dogs have their vaccines up to date.
Dr Julia Darlington said the surgery was seeing about 10 cases a week.
"This is quite a concerning number, we are currently experiencing a parvovirus outbreak in Dubbo," she said.
Parvovirus, often called 'parvo', is a highly-infectious viral illness that causes vomiting, bloody diarrhoea and weight loss in dogs.
Dr Darlington said unfortunately they did see deaths among patients in some cases.
"They are critically unwell patients and require intensive therapy to get them through the illness," she said.
Unfortunately in some cases the disease is so severe that they do die despite our best care.
- Dr Julia Darlington
"Unfortunately in some cases the disease is so severe that they do die despite our best care.
"This is very distressing for owners and our staff, particularly because these pets are dying from a preventable disease."
Parvovirus is "definitely treatable in most cases", especially when vets "catch the disease early", Dr Darlington reports.
"We have many patients recover from this disease each year, while we occasionally lose patients who we have attempted to treat," she said.
"Unfortunately we euthanise a number of very unwell pets with parvovirus as well, as treatment isn't affordable for everybody, and euthanasia is the most humane decision in this case."
Vaccination is the key to preventing a grim outcome.
Dr Darlington says all dogs must have their vaccines up to date.
"Please contact your vet if you are unsure of your pet's vaccination status," she said.
Puppies and unvaccinated dogs should be quarantined at home until they have their vaccinations updated and the full vaccination course completed, she said.
Owners should contact their vet for their pet's vaccination schedule.
The cases coming to the surgery are "mainly puppies who are anywhere from six weeks to one year of age", Dr Darlington reports.
They all had either no vaccination history or were overdue with their vaccinations, she said.
"Occasionally" they saw parvovirus in adult dogs, "usually with no history of vaccination", she said.
Parvovirus was always present at Dubbo, but outbreaks tended to happen in mild weather and after rain, Dr Darlington said.
"The weather conditions we have been experiencing for the past month are perfect for a parvovirus outbreak, as we have seen," she said.
Faye Wheeler
I have been a journalist for more than a decade and in that time I have been keeping Daily Liberal readers up to date about issues affecting them and what's happening in their community. Throughout my career I have covered a range of rounds and most recently I have been focusing on the business round.
I have been a journalist for more than a decade and in that time I have been keeping Daily Liberal readers up to date about issues affecting them and what's happening in their community. Throughout my career I have covered a range of rounds and most recently I have been focusing on the business round.
