Puppy owners are being warned to get their animals vaccinated before taking them out and about after several cases of parvovirus in the region in the past month led to deaths.
Di from Stoke Veterinary Hospital says other regions have reported a significant increase in the number of parvovirus cases and it was only a matter of time before it reached the Nelson Tasman region.
So far, she knows of two local families who have lost animals and she says it is a nasty disease that is not easy to treat.
Parvovirus is a highly contagious viral disease that causes severe gastrointestinal symptoms. It is particularly serious for young dogs up to about six months of age that are unvaccinated or not yet fully vaccinated.
“It just strips them from the inside and the cost of treatment is prohibitive for most people.”
Di says the disease can even be brought home on shoes, so owners need to be vigilant about where their animals go and puppies not fully vaccinated should not be out where other dogs are around.
She says vaccination is the key to keeping young dogs safe. Older dogs are not usually as susceptible and she says their immune system is more developed.
“Prevention is better than cure because the cure is very hard and a puppy is not likely to survive.”
