Parvovirus Outbreak in Milwaukee

Parvo Outbreak 
We are getting calls from clients who are worried about the canine parvovirus outbreak that has been reported in Milwaukee. Two shelters in Milwaukee have reported that up to 30 dogs have died from the virus in the last few weeks.  One shelter is euthanizing any strays that test positive for the virus.

What is Parvo? 
Canine parvovirus is a serious, often deadly disease of dogs that does not transmit to people.  The virus causes severe vomiting and diarrhea and is especially deadly in puppies.

Prevention!

Fortunately there is a vaccine for canine parvovirus which is part of the DHLPP vaccine, commonly called the 'Distemper' vaccine. Most puppies receive a series of three DHLPP vaccinations by the time they are 16 weeks old, then get a booster a year later.  After the 1-year booster, we recommend vaccinating every three years. The DHLPP vaccine is one of the core vaccinations that we recommend to all our canine patients.

Treatment:

Sick dogs are treated with supportive care while the virus runs its course. Intravenous fluids, antibiotics to treat secondary bacterial infections and anti-nausea medications are all used. Some dogs may require transfusions and other therapy. Infected animals must be kept in isolation since the virus is highly contagious and is spread through microscopic amounts of stool and vomit. Treatment is very time consuming and expensive. Without treatment, death rates as high as 91% have been reported. With aggressive treatment, survival rates may approach 80-95%. I remember treating several parvo pups just after I graduated from veterinary school and I will never forget the smell. We also treated a litter of puppies here in Oconomowoc several years ago. It is especially gratifying to save a pup when they have been so sick but it is also exhausting. The isolation room at Hallett Veterinary Hospital was built for these types of cases. It has special air handling and an exterior door so we can keep our other patients safe and not carry the virus through the rest of the hospital.  Even with these precautions and special procedures like gowns, gloves and disinfectants in place, I still would rather prevent the disease with vaccination than treat it.

Recovery?

Once their immune system fights off the infection and they recover, dogs typically have excellent immunity against future canine parvovirus infection.  We have not seen any cases in our hospital yet this summer.  It is important to keep puppies at home until their vaccinations are complete. Please don't take your puppy to the dog park or other places where unvaccinated dogs might have been, until after their last puppy vaccination. Remember, the virus is in stool from infected dogs so it is possible for transmission to occur even if there is no direct contact with an infected dog.  Wolves, coyotes and foxes can also transmit canine parvovirus.