Veterinarians seeing rise in parvovirus cases across Kansas City
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A deadly disease for dogs, canine parvovirus, is spreading in Kansas City.
The Pet Resource Center of Kansas City has already treated 20 cases this week and are expecting to see more.
“It’s that time of year when it’s really running rampant,” said Chief Veterinarian Melia Washington. “It’s a very nasty virus, very hard to kill and very hard to treat.”
Canine parvovirus, or parvo for short, is a virus that causes lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, and a lack of desire to eat. It can be extremely dangerous for dogs who contract it.
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“Without treatment, up to 90% of animals will die,” Washington said. “Even with treatment, we only tell people it’s a 50/50 shot.”
The best way to prevent parvovirus is to get your dogs vaccinated.
The American Kennel Club says that puppies need to receive four parvovirus vaccines in the first 16 months. During that time, Washington says to stay away from places like dog parks, pet stores, anywhere that a lot of dogs will gather.
“As soon as you have a puppy that’s not right, they were perfectly fine today and they’re not today, you need to get them seen,” Washington said.
Parvo is transmitted in vomit and diarrhea from infected dogs and can survive in the outdoors for a long time.
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“Your backyard is going to be infected for years, it’s unfortunate,” Washington said. “Once it’s in the ground, it’s in the ground. The only way to stop a virus is to prevent them from even having it. Once they have it, it can be a really big problem.”
