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WatchDog Alert: Deadly Parvo Outbreak
According to the Detroit Free Press and Animal Care Network, hundreds
of dogs in Pontiac, Inkster, Flint and Detroit are dying because of an
outbreak of parvovirus, a virulent disease that is easy to prevent and
expensive to treat.
"This is the worst outbreak I've seen in Pontiac in the 20 years I've
been working here," said Pam Porteous, manager of the Animal Care
Network, which operates in Pontiac and Inkster. The group has been
averaging 20 calls per day this summer from pet owners whose dogs have
come down with the malady. The virus is passed through dog feces and
easily can be tracked into the yards and homes on shoes, car tires and
paws.
Unvaccinated pets living outdoors, and those living in
low-income communities are most vulnerable, as they may be
contaminated by a stray animal. Porteous claims around 300 dogs have
died in Pontiac alone this summer.
The most cost-effective way to protect dogs is to keep them vaccinated.
Parvo is not passed to humans.
- Veterinarians said parvo can kill a puppy within 72 hours if it goes
untreated.
- An infected dog often shows the first symptoms when it stops eating.
- By the second day, the dog begins vomiting and experiencing diarrhea.
- By the third day, the diarrhea can become bloody.
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