Australian dog owners have been warned to watch for signs of the highly contagious and often deadly canine parvovirus.
Cases of the virus, also known as parvo, have been discovered in Adelaide’s north and west, including Andrews Farm, Elizabeth Grove, Elizabeth South and Seaton.
Parvo primarily affects dogs and puppies that are not vaccinated.
Unfortunately, approximately half of the 20,000 cases reported each year are fatal, 7 news reported.
There is a vaccine to protect dogs from the virus and owners are urged to make sure their four-legged friends are up to date on their vaccinations.
Owners are also asked to watch for symptoms such as lethargy, loss of appetite, vomiting and diarrhea.
The latest outbreak has prompted South Australia’s RSPCA to warn pet owners to be “vigilant and proactive”.
“RSPCA SA also reminds dog owners that parvovirus progresses rapidly,” it says.
Owners have been warned to make sure their dog’s vaccine against canine parvovirus is up to date after a recent outbreak in Adelaide (pictured, file photo of a puppy with parvo).
Owners in South Australia are advised to limit their dogs’ excursions outside the home to prevent them from contracting the virus (file image)
‘If you notice any of the above signs in your dog or puppy’s behavior, seek immediate veterinary assistance.
“Currently available vaccines increase survival rates for dogs that contract any strain of parvovirus, including new strains that are detected.”
The RSPCA also recommended limiting a dog’s travel outside the home to help prevent it from being in environments that may be contaminated with parvo.
The alert comes after Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council, near the NSW-ACT border, handed over a dog to its animal handling facility that tested positive for the deadly virus.
The council had to put down 21 dogs after the virus spread through the facility.
“Canine parvovirus is a very serious disease that spreads rapidly among dogs at the facility,” the board stated at the time.
Dog owners have been told to look for symptoms of parvo, including lethargy, loss of appetite, vomiting and diarrhea (file photo of a dog with a vet)
‘The facility is not an animal hospital and, with the advice and assistance of a veterinarian, we made the difficult but necessary decision to euthanize the 21 dogs.
‘This will allow us to carry out a deep cleaning of the entire facility to avoid future contamination due to this incident.
“We want to remind the community that canine parvovirus is a very serious disease.”
The deadly virus was also discovered in the Gippsland region of Victoria earlier this year, killing more than ten dogs in a matter of weeks.