Killer Dog Disease Outbreak in SE London/Kent Area
August 2008
Five dogs recently treated at the Parkvets Vet Hospital in Sidcup have tested positive for the killer canine disease Parvovirus. Given that less than 50% of dogs in the area are protected by vaccination and 50% of dogs infected with Parvovirus die, this could be a huge problem waiting to happen.
Parkvets advice is to call us immediately to check if you need to do anything to protect your dog.
Which Dogs are Most at Risk?
We have identified two groups of dogs that are most at risk:
- Any dogs that have never been vaccinated.
- Young dogs/puppies that have had their primary course but not yet had their first year booster.
What Action You Should Take
If your pet has had no previous vaccines or its vaccine has lapsed you should have a primary course done ASAP.
If your dog has had it's primary course then it is at less risk but we are seeing cases in these animals. Because of the primary course none of these dogs have died but they were very poorly. If your pet has not yet had its 1st booster then we recommend a "Parvo Booster Top Up" now to protect it. Your pet will still able to have its regular vaccines when they are due as normal.
If your dog has had both its primary puppy course and its booster each year then you need take no action - your dog is not likely to be affected by this outbreak.
Where Have the Cases Occurred?
So far we have had confirmed cases reported from the following ares:
- Mottingham/Eltham
- Swanley/Hextable
- Belvedere/Thamesmead
Scale of Problem Locally - Some Perspective.
In a normal day at our veterinary hospital about 10% of cases are admitted because of tummy upsets (vomiting and diarrhoea). It is extremely unusual for any of these to test positive for parvovirus.
Currently about 50% of hospital admissions are for severe tummy upsets and about 25% of these have tested positive for parvovirus. As a result an entire section of our hospital has been set up as a special isolation facility to prevent further spread.
Our Response
Our Response to this Outbreak has been swift. We have instigated a media campaign to try and raise local awareness about both the outbreak and the local problem of falling vaccination rates.
Operationally we are lucky to have such space and such a fantastically dedicated team of nurses, vets and client care staff. This has allowed us to run an isolation wing for the effective treatment and containment of the disease. So far all affected dogs have made a full recovery.
We have ordered in a large batch of extra parvo vaccine so we can quickly increase the local pet population immunity to the virus. This will help to bring the outbreak to an end faster.
Speaking about the outbreak and its likely causes senior vet Dave Nicol compared the problem to the measles epidemic currently occurring in Britain, "We have a [measles] epidemic in people because vaccine rates have fallen below 90%. The parvovirus vaccine rate in dogs is lower than 50% so any sustained outbreak could be very serious indeed.
"Pet owners shouldn't take the health of their pets for granted. Dog vaccine programs have been a huge success but they'll only work if people keep using them."
Lilly's the Lucky One - A Case Study
Lilly, a two year old Jack Russell Terrier, was one of the unlucky dogs recently admitted to the Parkvets Hospital with severe sickness and diarrhoea.
She was brought into Parkvets Well Hall Road clinic on Saturday 9 August suffering from vomiting which seemed innocent at first. However her owner Miss Black became concerned when she began to pass lots of diarrhoea, with fresh blood coming from her bottom.
Because she was completely off colour and not her normal self Miss Black rushed Lilly to Parkvets where vet Dave Nicol assessed her.
"Lilly was really quiet, she had such bad diarrhoea she was dehydrated and hypothermic. The diarrhoea was the worst case I've seen, dark red and very watery. The smell was horrendous".
Concerned that she might have parvovirus, Lilly was immediately admitted to the Parkvets hospital where she was placed on a drip and given powerful antibiotics.
Commenting on her treatment Nicol said, "We knew it would be touch and go but because she was vaccinated we were hopeful that her immune system would fight off the infection".
And so it turned out. Within two days Lilly was making a nuisance of herself as usual and was reunited with an overjoyed owner.
"When I saw her I was ecstatic, so happy! I was so pleased with everyone for the superb care that she received."
Not all dogs however are so lucky, if a dog is unvaccinated then there is a 50% chance that it will die despite treatment. With the cost of treating a case of Parvovirus potentially running to thousands of pounds Nicol says it makes sense to vaccinate.
When asked about the beneficial difference vaccination had made to Lilly Miss Black's message was clear, "I wouldn't have a pet without vaccination - a dog is part of the family and you wouldn't dream of not having your children's vaccinations done would you?"
Parvovirus Facts
The disease Parvovirus is caused by a highly infectious virus that is spread between dogs. Infected animals pass the virus into the environment via their stools and vomit. The virus is extremely resistant and can exist in the environment for several weeks.
Affected animals are usually young dogs with typical symptoms being lethargy, fever, loss of appetite, vomiting, bloody diarrhoea and death. 50% of unvaccinated animals will die despite treatment.
It is thought that Parvovirus outbreaks are beginning to appear because fewer pet owners are taking their dogs to the vet for vaccination. If this trend continues then it is highly likely that we will see more outbreaks in the future.
Prevention through vaccination is the only proven method of protecting dogs from this and other killer diseases.
Take Action!
If you are worried that your dog may be at risk then call us to check.
