Sooke Veterinary Hospital, on Vancouver Island, has put out a warning about an outbreak of parvovirus in pets after seeing 11 cases of the disease in just the past month.
This virus is extremely contagious, and puppies are at high risk of infection. Earlier stage symptoms include profuse vomiting and diarrhea. Hospital staff told media they are aware of eight deaths related to the disease.
"The largest problem with parvovirus is that it survives in the environment for years, potentially, so direct contact with a dog is not required," head veterinarian at the Sooke facility, Dr. Deborah Lambert, told CTV Vancouver.
Although the virus is deadly, the disease can be prevented with a vaccine. Puppies can be vaccinated as early as six weeks of age and should be vaccinated no later than eight weeks according to the veterinary hospital. The hospital also recommends keeping unvaccinated puppies away from parks, kennels, and public places.
To learn more about parvovirus, check out this article from PetMD.
