East End dog owners urged to vaccinate against deadly disease
DOG owners are being urged to protect their pets against canine parvovirus disease following a suspected outbreak of the deadly disease in east London and Essex.
DOG owners are being urged to protect their pets against canine parvovirus disease following a suspected outbreak of the deadly disease in east London and Essex.
In the last three weeks, veterinary staff at PDSA’s Bow and Romford PetAid hospitals have treated more than 50 dogs with suspected parvovirus and it is feared the disease could spread to the East End.
Rachael Kilroy, PDSA Senior Veterinary Surgeon, said: “This sudden outbreak of cases is extremely worrying. We’re seeing two or three times the usual number of cases and every day there are more seriously ill dogs being brought into us. Sadly, despite doing everything we can, we’ve already had some fatalities.”
The main symptoms of parvovirus are vomiting and diarrhoea. If left untreated the disease can be fatal and is particularly serious in puppies, as they also risk developing heart disease from the virus.
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Ms Kilroy added: “The best way to protect your dogs against parvovirus is to ensure they are vaccinated. Puppies should have their primary course of vaccinations at around eight to nine weeks old, but your vet will advise you of the right time for your puppy. This is followed by booster vaccinations every year to ensure they remain protected.
“So, if your dog isn’t fully vaccinated we urge owners to speak to their vet for advice about arranging a vaccination course immediately. In the meantime, unvaccinated dogs should be kept away from other dogs to prevent them picking up any infection.”
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PDSA advises owners to keep dogs which display symptoms of parvovirus isolated and call their vet for advice immediately.
Owners are warned no to take infected dogs into veterinary practices without calling first as this could spread the disease to unvaccinated puppies and dogs in the waiting room.
