PowisVets would like to issue an urgent warning for dog owners in Brierley Hill and surrounding areas to check their pets’ vaccinations are up to date.

In late September a puppy from Brierley Hill was brought into the clinic with parvovirus, a deadly disease.

We saw the case of suspected parvovirus in late September when a nine week old unvaccinated puppy with all the symptoms of parvovirus was also brought into the surgery. The puppy had only just been bought the day before by the owners from Brierley Hill and had vomiting and diarrhoea. He was admitted and tested for parvovirus, the test was positive.

The puppy was then put on a drip and treatment was given to help him fight off the virus and stop the sickness and diarrhoea. He eventually made a full recovery, partly because his owners recognised there was something wrong and brought him in to the surgery straight away. However it was a traumatic start to life in his new home and distressing for his owners. Parvovirus is a particularly nasty disease that can kill within two to three days of symptoms first being noticed.

Parvovirus in the Brierley Hill area

With an outbreak of parvovirus, it is essential that pet owners take precautions to protect their dog. Parvovirus is active in the Brierley Hill area, If your pet is not immunised against the disease, or its vaccinations have lapsed, keep it indoors until you are able to take it to the vets for vaccination. Vaccination is a simple procedure and it really is the only way to protect your dog against this terrible disease.

Canine parvovirus is an extremely resistant virus that can survive in the environment for long periods, is hard to eliminate and easily spread. All unvaccinated dogs, particularly those in high-risk areas and young puppies, are potentially at risk of catching the disease. Symptoms come on quickly and include diarrhoea, vomiting and lethargy.

The importance of vaccinating against parvovirus

A national disease surveillance project, CICADA* typically estimates that around 5000-6000 cases of canine parvovirus continue to be seen annually throughout the United Kingdom and in recent years bigger outbreaks have often occurred where vaccination rates in the dog population are lowest. Dogs in and around Brierley Hill are just as much at risk of contracting parvovirus as those living anywhere else.

Whilst economic times are hard, pet owners may be tempted to consider vaccinations as less necessary. Awareness that serious infectious diseases continue to present a threat to our pets locally makes it all important that pet owners continue to protect their animals from these risks.

For further information or to make an appointment please call the practice team on 01384 372849.

*CICADA is a national reporting database set up by MSD Animal Health for 1st opinion vet practices to report preventable infectious diseases of pets.