What is 'parvo' and how can it kill your puppy?

The director of an animal rescue in Sudbury is warning of confirmed cases of canine parvovirus or 'parvo,' a highly infectious virus with a high fatality rate among puppies.

Jill Pessot is the director of Pet Save Sudbury. She says a backyard breeder surrendered four puppies to the rescue after he couldn't sell them. Two of them, Thomas and Happy, were confirmed to have parvovirus. 

"It causes gastroenteritis that is so bad that it actually dehydrates them and they die from dehydration," said Pessot.

The virus attacks dogs' gastrointestinal systems and can damage their heart muscles. She's been working around the clock to provide IV fluids and force feed the two puppies. "We stay up, you stay up around the clock for the first three days until those meds kick in."

Parvovirus is a contagious yet invisible disease so containing the virus is next to impossible, explains Pessot.

"Once you see populations increase, you actually see a faster spread… what happens is people who are walking through that parking lot will track it to their home, they'll track it to the next door they go to, they'll track it to the workplace, it's on the bottom of their shoes."

According to Pessot, they treat parvovirus cases similar to a pandemic. "They're completely isolated. And certain people are used to treat them and to look after them that don't look after anybody else in our building."

Pessot is urging local owners to vaccinate their puppies and keep up to date with vaccinations as they grow older. It's a sentiment shared by Dr. Darren Stinson, a veterinarian at Chelmsford Animal Hospital. 

"If they got a young dog that they have adopted from Kijiji or a rescue agency that's not been vaccinated or maybe only had one vaccine and their puppy suddenly goes off their food, won't drink and becomes extremely lethargic and depressed, they really need to bring that puppy in and get tested," said Stinson, explaining how pet owners can spot the highly fatal virus.

However, he says there's a major barrier that comes into play: the veterinarian shortage in Sudbury. "Some won't get their dogs vaccinated and most can't because they just can't get into a clinic that's taking new puppies."

He says if there's an outbreak in the city, it can make the matter worse. "A lot of dogs in our community unfortunately are not vaccinated or under vaccinated because of the veterinarian shortage."

Still, he urges it's important to bring in the puppy quickly as it can become a matter of life or death. "Oftentimes, they are either put to sleep or die in the hospital."

It may also lead to long-term effects, explains Stinson. "If the dog survives, it can cause lifelong gastrointestinal problems."