Shelter parvo outbreak survivor in need of longer hospital stay, donations sought
WEBER COUNTY, Utah (ABC4) — Last week, Weber County Animal Services confirmed an outbreak of canine parvovirus at their facility, which infected four dogs. Three unfortunately passed away, and the shelter asked for donations for the lone survivor, Oliver, a 15-month-old mix-breed dog.
The shelter posted Thursday, April 4, that Oliver’s expenses had been paid off thanks to the generosity of the community — but now he has accrued more charges as he needs to stay longer with Mountain West Veterinary Specialists.
His condition has been improving, Lisa Weiss, an animal care specialist at the shelter, said.
“Oliver is doing much better, is starting to keep his food down and is giving the vet staff tail wags,” Weiss said.
ORIGINAL STORY: Utah animal shelter in quarantine after deadly disease outbreak
She said that any donations are very much appreciated, and can be made directly to Mountain West Veterinary Specialists by calling 801-683-6201, pressing option 2, and asking them to put the donation toward Oliver from the Weber Shelter.
Weiss said that they are looking for a foster that can help Oliver fully recover when he gets discharged from the hospital, and more details will be posted on their Facebook page as that draws closer.
In a post by Weber County Animal Services, they wrote that Oliver’s starting to keep food down and is being fed high-protein food to get his blood protein levels up.
“Oliver is not out of the woods yet, but doing much better,” the post said, adding that he will likely be at the hospital for another five days.
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, canine parvovirus, or “parvo,” is a highly contagious disease caused by canine parvovirus type 2 (CPV-2) that attacks white blood cells and the gastrointestinal tract of dogs.
AVMA said that the disease is easily spread by direct contact with infected dogs, contact with feces from infected dogs, or contact with virus-contaminated surfaces — including kennels, food and water bowls, collars and leashes, and the hands and clothing of people who handle infected dogs.
On Monday, April 1, Weber County Animal Services announced they were unable to adopt any dogs until April 10 as the shelter underwent a quarantine due to the outbreak.
For information on what supplies the shelter needs, visit their website.
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