A highly contagious virus that can kill puppies has been detected across north-west and southern Tasmania, prompting urgent warnings from veterinarians.
Canine parvovirus cases have been confirmed in the Devonport area and multiple reports have emerged across southern Tasmania, according to local veterinary clinics.
The Forth Valley Veterinary Clinic in Turners Beach issued a community alert this week following confirmed cases in the area.
Animal Emergency Service Hobart also reported “multiple cases” within the local veterinary community.
The virus poses the greatest threat to young puppies under 20 weeks old, who can become critically ill or die without treatment.
“So the worst ones that really, really suffer from it the most would be the young, naive puppies,” Reg Goh, a veterinarian at Forth Valley told Pulse.
“They get really flat, they have really, really nasty diarrhoea, and they pretty much just lose all their nutrients and all their fluids in their body.”
Some dogs become septic and die if untreated, he said.
Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhoea, lethargy and loss of appetite.
The virus can survive in the environment for long periods and spreads easily through contaminated shoes, clothing or shared spaces.
Dog owners don’t need direct contact between animals for transmission to occur.
“People go out and see other dogs that are infected, and they get saliva or faecal material or urine on them, and they go back to their puppy and … pass it on,” Goh said.
Veterinarians are urging dog owners to ensure vaccinations are current and to avoid public parks and dog areas if they aren’t vaccinated.
“Vaccinations are usually the way to keep the infection numbers down,” Goh said.
Owners should contact their vet immediately if their dogs show symptoms.
