The mysterious illness that killed the dogs and involved Michigan veterinarians for several weeks has finally been identified. Although initially negative in screening tests, all 20 dogs were confirmed to have died from parvovirus.
Most dogs are young (under two years old) or have reached advanced status. Other than that, no issues are completely updated on their vaccinations.
What is Parvovirus?
Although not harmful to humans, parvo has problems with baby mice. Not only is it extremely contagious from contact with contaminated feces, but the symptoms can be very severe. Within three to seven days of exposure to the virus, dogs can begin to experience bloody diarrhea, dehydration, coma, loss of appetite, fever and vomiting.
This is especially true for animals that have not been fully vaccinated and is one of the main reasons parvovirus vaccines are considered the “core” injection for canines.
RELATED: Warning: Veterinarians and shelters see sharp rise in deadly Parvo cases
“We have not seen a dog die that is properly vaccinated. If you don’t know if your dog is properly vaccinated or what has been properly vaccinated, contact your veterinarian,” a post made by Otsego County Animal Shelter .
That was a few weeks ago, on August 19th, when Otsego County Animal Shelter shared on their Facebook page that a mysterious virus is killing canines in their area. At first, they weren’t sure why so many dogs died. The mysterious virus is presented as parvo, but all affected animals have shown “negative” results in their screening tests.
But in a statement from the Department of Agriculture & Rural Development, the director of the Michigan State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, Dr. Kim Dodd, stated that further testing showed all the dogs had actually died. parvo disease.
“While those tests are valuable in a clinical setting, they are not as sensitive as the diagnostic tests we can perform here in the lab. We continue to further characterize the virus in the hope of better understanding why those animals are showing negative results in screening tests,” said Dr.
According to recent events, Dr. Dodd is currently encouraged area veterinarians who see sick dogs that test negative for parvo, but are still exhibiting similar symptoms, to pursue additional laboratory work. Area officials also want to remind dog walkers that this is one of the many reasons to make sure to clean up properly after their pup goes for a walk.
Featured Image: Pixabay
