HEALTH - At-Home Treatment for Canine Parvovirus

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Every spring veterinarians see cases of parvovirus in dogs.

In fact, the Calgary Humane Society recently closed their doors temporarily for an intense shelter cleaning when a pair of dogs came into the shelter infected with the disease.

Pet owners with sick dogs are faced with hospitalization of their pet - inpatient care that can cost thousands of dollars.

For the longest time, the only other option for those unable to afford the treatment was euthanasia.

Fortunately, a study at Colorado Springs University (CSU) tested in-home treatment for pups suffering from the disease with positive results, providing a cheaper option for dog owners.

Hospitalization will always be the gold standard of care and the Colorado study demonstrated a 90% recovery rate.

The subjects that received intensive at-home care, which cost approximately $300, had a recovery rate of 80%.

The at-home treatment relies on two drugs from Pfizer Animal Health (which funded the CSU parvovirus study): Maropitant, a strong anti-nausea medication given under the skin once a day; and Convenia, an antibiotic given under the skin once, and lasting two weeks; as well as administration of fluids under the skin three times daily.

"Rather than being hospitalized, our research shows that puppies can be successfully treated with a protocol that can be replicated at home," said Dr. Lauren Sullivan, who conducted the research in 2012.

A total of 40 dogs were admitted to the study group, randomized to one group that received traditional gold standard care and one group that received the at-home protocol.

"What we showed was that it is possible to treat dogs with parvovirus on an outpatient basis,” said Sullivan.

“If owners have the willingness to provide care at home, it’s a reasonable alternative. It’s not ideal and we still recommend inpatient care, but having this protocol as an option could help save the lives of thousands of dogs across the United States every year."

Puppies must meet criteria to be good candidates for being treated at home, such as being relatively stable cardiovascularly and able to tolerate injections.

The at-home treatment protocol is available on the CSU website.

Canine parvovirus can be prevented through vaccination and limiting puppy socialization until the vaccination cycle is completed.

HEALTH - Keep Your Dog Safe From Parvo

Veterinarians are cautioning dog owners to be mindful of their pet’s vaccinations – particularly puppy boosters, as there has been an increase in Canine Parvovirus this spring season - a highly infectious disease that is easily transmitted between dogs.

In 2016 there has been an outbreak in Alaska and increased incidence in Calgary and surrounding area.

According to Dr. Danny Joffe, national director of Associate Vet Clinics (AVC) who works out of the C.A.R.E. Centre in Calgary, AB, dogs who contract Parvovirus suffer an 80-90% mortality rate if left untreated.

“We see Parvo all the time – especially in the spring,” said Joffe, who stressed that the best way to protect dogs is not to skip out on those three initial puppy vaccinations and to follow up with the Parvovirus vaccine (which can now be administered every three years).

“For new puppy owners, that’s the first thing they want to do – show off their new addition – but that can be a really, really big mistake,” he said, adding that it is not advisable to take puppies in public or off-leash areas until after four months and  the initial three booster vaccines have been given.

The viral illness is spread through fecal-oral transmission and is frequently carried by coyote and wolf populations; most cases are in dogs aged six weeks to six months and if treated early enough, vets have a success rate around 95%.

Parvovirus rates can be higher in rural areas, where there is more exposure to wild dogs, both semi-feral and feral; southern Calgary has seen a spike in Parvovirus this season, likely due to higher exposures to urban coyote populations.

“Classic signs of Parvovirus include severe diarrhea often with blood and severe vomiting, followed by extreme lethargy,” said Joffe, adding that his clinic sees around 15 cases each year with spikes in the fall and spring seasons.

The AVC are comprised of some 75 vet clinics in four provinces (Alberta, B.C., Ontario and Quebec) with a mandate to ‘provide friendly and compassionate care’ for pets, including 24-hour emergency services.

One of the best methods of safe and efficient veterinary care for pets is the ability to provide emergency care staff with access to up-to-date information on pets.

Enter HomeSafeTM through PetLynx – the ‘supernet for pets and people’. For a single payment, HomeSafeTM offers a lifetime membership for owners to register their pets.

”A system like HomeSafeTM that allows owners to keep track of their pet’s vaccination history and due dates for vaccines (as well as other medical information) can only help ensure that pet’s vaccines are up to date.  A client can check at any time to tell when vaccines are next due,” said Joffe.

“For diseases like Parvovirus, prevention is much easier and much less expensive than treatment, and systems like HomeSafeTM can only serve to help maximize vaccine compliance.”

The benefits to registration include access to veterinary information; a universal passport for emergency care staff to access all veterinary info; and a network to help find your lost pet from anywhere in the world.

Learn more about how HomeSafeTM gives service providers and emergency personnel the resources needed to keep your pet safe, healthy, & comfortable.

By Lindsay Seewalt

Lindsay is an experienced journalist and mother of three whose heart and home is always open to a four-legged friend. With her Corgi, Angie, as household editor-in-chief, Lindsay gives back to the animal planet through the written word on anything and all ado about pets. She is passionate about topics regarding animal welfare and responsible pet ownership, which she aims to instill in both her readers and children to be compassionate animal lovers who are conscious and considerate that furry friends around the globe deserve a voice.

Canine Parvovirus on the Rise in Calgary and Surrounding Communities

Veterinarians in Calgary and Okotoks are warning dog owners about a rise in incidence of the potentially fatal canine parvovirus.

The virus can be transmitted by any person, animal or object that comes in contact with an infected dog's feces. Highly resistant, parvovirus can live in the environment for months, and may survive on inanimate objects such as food bowls, shoes, clothes, carpet and floors.

"Animals can become lethargic, their appetite can become decreased so they'll be eating less but the most common signs that we see is vomiting and diarrhea," Dr. Brian McBride, Coach Hill Veterinary Hospital, told CTV.

Puppies and adolescent dogs are especially susceptible to parvovirus.

There is no cure for the virus and treatment can be quite expensive but it is preventable through vaccination.

Since the development of a vaccine, the disease isn’t as rampant but outbreaks do still occur - emphasizing the need for dog owners to keep their pets’ vaccinations up-to-date.

Canine Parvovirus Outbreak in Alaska

An outbreak of canine parvovirus, deemed to be “severe” by animal experts has hit the Interior Alaska and claimed the lives of several dogs so far.

Because the highly contagious virus is not on the state's list of “mandatory reportable diseases” for vets, the number of casualties could be higher.

Dr. Robert Gerlach, Alaska's state veterinarian, is urging pet owners to take steps to safeguard against spread of the infection which can be fatal for puppies or older dogs with weaker immune systems. “It's severe in the symptoms,” he told the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. “Several dogs have died due to infection.”

He added the strain appears to be particularly dangerous considering some dogs infected had already had vaccinations for parvovirus.

CPV-2 = Canine Parvovirus 2

The disease can spread easily and quickly, requiring as little as nose to nose touching between dogs, making it important for those suspecting their dog might be infected to isolate it from other dogs and have it tested for the virus.

It is typically spread through fecal matter, vomit and can even live on items, like dog dishes, for several days.

Gerlach suggests pet owners ensure dogs are vaccinated against the virus (although the only required vaccine in the state is for rabies,) and recommends those with dogs already vaccinated consider a booster if they are going to be in frequent contact with other dogs.

Canine parvovirus targets a dog's gastrointestinal system or the cardiac system and in worst-case scenarios can take the life of a dog within days.

Those infected will commonly suffer with diarrhoea, depression, fever, lack of appetite, vomiting or blood in their stool.

Although humans are not at risk of contracting this particular strain of virus, Gerlach recommends individuals working around dogs to change their clothes and wash hands to thwart potential of being a carrier and spreading infection to other canines.

Outbreaks of canine parvo are not uncommon globally and have proven devastating when striking at animal shelters.

Canine parvovirus was first identified in 1967 and evolved into a variety of sub-types, according to Canadian Vet, which states affected dogs are typically between 6 to 20 weeks of age and some breeds, including American pit bull terrier, Rottweiler, German shepherd and Doberman pinscher are thought to be at increased risk.

While vaccines can prevent the virus, mortality can be as high as 91 percent in cases left untreated.

According to petalk.com, cases can be mild but on the other end of the spectrum - deaths from parvovirus usually result from dehydration, bacterial infection stemming from a pet's lowered resistance, blood loss from internal bleeding or cardiac issues.

By Nadia Moharib
Nadia Moharib is an animal lover who has adopted everything from birds to hamsters, salamanders, rabbits, fish and felines. She has written about all-things-pets for years and was a long-time editor of a pet magazine in a daily newspaper which featured a Q & A column, Ask Whit, penned by her pooch (ghost written, of course.) The serial dog owner lives in Calgary, Alberta and most days can be found at a dog park picking up after her rescue pooch, Scoots.