Veterinarian warns Parvo on rise

Dr. Margaret Bowman, DVM, a veterinarian with Taylor-Oldfield Veterinary Clinic, posted a warning over the weekend for pet owners that Parvo seems to be on the increase in this area.

Bowman posted the warning on several Facebook accounts after she had three calls over the weekend.

She urges pet owners to have their animals vaccinated or to get booster vaccinations to prevent the spread of the often-fatal illness.

"Parvo is not a puppy disease," Bowman wrote. "It can infect any unvaccinated animal of any age. Pits, Rotties, and some other breeds are more predisposed to Parvo than others. It is really sad when a 10-year-old dog tests positive to Parvo and the owner doesn’t understand since their pet got all of their puppy shots.

"Parvo is highly infectious and hardy. It is in the enviroment and can be cross contaminated by objects going from area to area (think shoes)," she said.

Bowman said puppies should be vaccinated at 6 weeks and continue with boosters every two to three weeks until they have had four shots.

"They need two sets of vaccinations to be covered," she said.

This is also a good time to get boosters for older dogs, she said.

Pet owners who notice their dogs have bloody diarrhea or vomiting should see their veterinarians immediately.

For more information, contact your animal’s veterinarian.