Weyburn's Humane Society animal shelter will be closed to the public for the next two weeks, after they took in a dog carrying the Parvovirus, a viral disease that affects dogs and puppies.
Weyburn's Humane Society animal shelter will be closed to the public for the next two weeks, after they took in a dog carrying the Parvovirus, a viral disease that affects dogs and puppies.
As a common viral disease of dogs, the animal shelter has to be cleaned and quarantined for two weeks. This disease is highly contagious to unprotected dogs, and it can remain infectious in ground contaminated with fecal matter for five months or more if conditions are favourable. The Humane Society is trying to make arrangements for a temporary shelter in the meantime.
The virus attacks the lining of the digestive system in dogs, and in puppies this virus can attack the heart muscle and be fatal. The virus grows in rapidly dividing cells, and as the intestine has the biggest concentration, it attacks and kills these cells, causing diarrhea (often bloody), depression and suppression of white blood cells.
When dogs and puppies contract parvo, they often have diarrhea, vomiting and lethargy; they in turn stop eating and develop a bloody, foul-smelling liquid stool. Symptoms begin with a high fever, lethargy, depression and loss of appetite.
Generally it takes dogs and puppies seven to 10 days from the time of exposure to start showing symptoms and to test positive for parvo.
