Vets Called into Action to Deal With Parvovirus Outbreak

Vets Now Saves Parvo Puppies Following Recent Outbreak in Teeside

Vets Now Middlesbrough was recently called upon to perform life saving emergency treatment on two extremely ill puppies under 10 weeks old who were rushed to the clinic suffering from the Parvovirus.

The virus, which can kill puppies within 48 hours, had taken hold of the two young pups, both of whom had earlier been presented to their own vets suffering from severe lethargy and occasional vomiting but in both cases, this quickly escalated to gastroenteritis over the course of a 48 hour period.  One pup, 10 week old Bru, a cross bred Spaniel was diagnosed on the first day of becoming ill and was given intensive treatment immediately.  Thankfully, his condition improved quickly and he was discharged soon after.

Minnie, an 8 week old Staffordshire Bull Terrier unfortunately had a more serious form of the virus and after suffering from profuse vomiting, she was given an exploratory laparotomy at her own vet’s and was found to have a mass of swollen lymph nodes in her intestine.  She was then transferred to the Vets Now clinic where she initially did well after receiving post operative care; however, Parvo was confirmed after her condition began to deteriorate.

The pup was suffering particularly badly due to her small size and her cross species barrier and received intensive treatment over the following two days.  On day three of her treatment, Vets Now performed a life saving plasma transfusion with products supplied by Pet Blood Bank UK, the first national canine blood bank, and her condition slowly began to improve.  She eventually gave a tail wag on her fourth day of treatment, a sure sign that things were improving and following her five days of intensive care, she returned to her local general practice and was soon after discharged when she began to eat and drink of her own accord.

Commenting on the cases, Richard White, Senior Veterinary Surgeon at the Vets Now Middlesbrough clinic said;

“Parvo is a particularly nasty virus and can result in death within 48 hours of the virus taking hold.  Fortunately, the pups’ owners sought veterinary treatment immediately and Vets Now was able to administer the necessary life saving procedures which allowed both pups to regain their health over the days following their treatment.  We’re delighted that we were able to save both of them as not all dogs are so lucky.  It is not unusual to treat dogs who have already been vaccinated against the virus so owners of vaccinated pups should also be mindful of the symptoms of the virus and how quickly it can take hold.”

The recent cases highlight the need for owners to be aware of the first signs of the parvovirus and how to react if the virus is suspected.  Parvovirus is a highly contagious disease which can be spread through contact with the faeces of infected dogs and every day objects such as clothing and shoes and research has shown that particular breeds of dogs such as Rottweilers, Dobermanns and Labradors are more susceptible.  Owners should seek urgent veterinary treatment if their dog is suffering from the following conditions:

·         Severe diahorrea

·         Vomiting

·         Lack of energy

·         Depression

·         Dehydration

·         Fever

To find out if Vets Now has a clinic in your area, please visit www.vets-now.com or alternatively, please contact Vets Now on 01383 627609.

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