Local dog owners are urged to check their pets’ vaccination status following the town’s first confirmed case of Parvovirus last week.
Kidman Way Veterinary Surgery Practice Manager and Veterinary Nurse Georgia Nicholson confirmed the case involved a one-year-old dog that had never left its property.
Georgia said parvovirus was generally more prevalent as the weather warmed in spring and summer, but cases could also increase following rain as the virus can remain dormant in the ground.
The surgery held drive-through vaccination clinics last Wednesday and Thursday, with 46 dogs vaccinated and many other owners booking appointments.
Georgia said the clinics were organised to vaccinate as many dogs as possible while veterinarian Charlotte Cavanagh was working in Cobar, as she works between the Cobar and Bourke practices.
The clinics also provided an opportunity for owners unable to attend during normal opening hours due to work commitments.
Puppies can receive their first vaccination from six weeks of age, with adult dogs recommended to receive an annual booster.
Dogs up to two years of age are considered at highest risk of contracting parvovirus.
“Our base vaccine is a C4 which gives protection from hepatits, distemper and the kennel cough virus, not just parvovirus,” she said.
Parvovirus attacks the gastrointestinal system, with vomiting and bloody diarrhoea among the main symptoms.
Georgia said severe cases can lead to sepsis and shock and require intensive, around-the-clock veterinary treatment.
Treatment can involve intravenous fluids, medications, constant cleaning, warming and nursing care. Very young dogs can also develop a cardiac form of the virus, while secondary bowel complications can be life-threatening.
Georgia said there was no guarantee an infected dog would survive, with the outcome depending on the animal’s age and size, immune response and how quickly treatment was started.
She said vaccination was a much more cost-effective option than treating the disease.
“Vaccination of your dog is a cost-effective prevention when compared to the cost of treatment and the suffering for an infected animal,” Georgia said.
Georgia encouraged owners to maintain annual veterinary checks, which can help identify other health problems early.
