Dog owners warned after outbreak of deadly virus in Avignon
Owners told to keep unvaccinated pets at home
Breeds such as Rottweilers are particularly susceptible to the virus
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A number of cases of parvovirus – a viral disease that can be fatal in dogs and especially puppies – have been reported in Avignon.
Avignon-based ADEO Animalis sounded the alarm about the rise in parvovirus cases in the town in a recent Facebook post.
“Several cases of parvovirus have been reported in Avignon: be careful with your puppies and unvaccinated dogs - do not take them for walks on pavements, in parks, or in dog parks until they are fully vaccinated,” the agency noted in the March 30 post.
The agency said that it takes 15 days after the second vaccination for dogs to reach full immunity, adding that the virus is “highly contagious and often fatal.”
Puppies and certain breeds at higher risk
In an interview with local media, ADEO Animalis said that a litter of puppies left at its offices that had been infected with the disease all later died, and that a vet in Avignon had reported 20 recent cases of the virus.
Certain breeds including Rottweilers, Dobermans, and Staffordshire Terriers are particularly vulnerable to parvovirus, which has a fatality rate of around 91% for unvaccinated pets.
The virus is significantly rarer now than in the past however there have been several outbreaks in France in recent years, most recently an outbreak in the Puy-de-Dôme (Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes) department last summer.
Dogs infected with parvovirus quickly show severe symptoms, which include gastroenteritis, vomiting and diarrhea, often accompanied by fever. The dog usually becomes lethargic and experiences loss of appetite.
Unvaccinated puppies are particularly at risk to canine parvovirus, and while a mother dog who has been vaccinated may have antibodies against parvovirus that she can pass on to her newborn through her milk, this natural immunity may wear off before the puppy's own immune system has become strong enough to fight off the infection.
ADEO Animalis president Ginette Bauer told ici Vaucluse: "A litter of puppies that were left at our shop a week ago, and an association took them in. And unfortunately, they have all died.”
Go to vet if virus suspected
Anyone who suspects the virus in their pet is urged to seek medical attention for it immediately.
Vets can confirm the presence of the parvovirus infection through fecal testing, and in the meantime dogs suspected of having the disease need to be isolated and, in severe cases, need intensive treatment and round-the-clock attention — often involving several days of hospitalisation.
Vaccination against parvovirus is widely available in France, and is included in the wider ‘CHP’ vaccine (which also protects against distemper, Rubarth's hepatitis, and leptospirosis).
Puppies can receive three shots of this vaccine, with boosters recommended for adults every one to three years.
The vaccine is highly recommended and one of the ‘essential’ vaccines displayed on EU pet passports, but is not obligatory. The only vaccine required by law for dogs in France is against rabies if the dog is classified ‘category 1, a pit bull, etc.
