I received this information in an email and am passing it on to make everyone aware. 8 dogs have died withing 24hours in the Forest of Dean and Chepstow areas from a condition called heamorrhagic gasto enteritis. This is an e coli bacteria that causes severe vomiting diar (sorry can never spell this word) stomach cramps and death withing 24 hours, it is highly contagious.
Anyone from these areas or visiting these areas and going to dog shows, should think seriously and not go. The health of yours and other dogs plus the spread of this disease should take priority over trying to win in a show and risk losing your dog. I can remember the parvo outbreak years ago it really is not worth taking risk and chances with these highly contagious conditions.

That's thoughtful of you to pass this on Pat. There is spreading parvo in the North East :(
Lara x

Very scary Pat, do you know if there is any treatment if this is caught quickly?

liberty

Five dogs have died very suddenly in the Cardiff Area within the last week, it was thought at first to be parvo then that the dogs had been poisened. The e-mail warning was sent here so we have alerted local authorities and vets to this worrying news. Our own vet is South African and apparently the e-coli is very prevalent there due to excessive hot weather.

One of the Merseyside Rescue centres has also had a recent outbreak of parvo :(
And for that reason they cant take in any more puppys :(

We've had an awful few days with Charlie :( On Wednesday he went to the groomers, seemed fine all wed afternoon, but then wed evening had a very upset stomache. Put it down to the fact he'd had his anal glands done at the groomers, so starved him all day Thursday, then gave him a light dinner of boiled chicken. Thursday night he cried and howled all night, refused to settle, and we had to let him out about 6 times to go toilet.

I got up on Friday morning and got ready for work as usual. Charlie's weekday routine is that we go to work at 7am, and then he gets picked up by hubbs grandad at about 9.30, adn he spends the day there til i get home at 3. When i tried to get him to go out to do his business he refused to get out of his basket - i was running late so picked him up out of the basket and put him on the floor, but he just fell over, then when he tried to follow me his back legs were dragging behind him :( This was rapidly followed by shaking, retching (no vomiting) and panting. Phoned our vets 24 hr number, and they said to bring him straight in and they'd meet us there.

Apparently they have had three dogs in the last four days with the same symptoms. All blood tests have come back negative, and there doens't appear to be any common factor in where the dogs have been, have eaten etc etc, so they are going to investigate this week.

They gave Charlie big doses of Painkillers, anti-inflammatories and antibiotics, then kept him in over night on the drip. We were SO worried and spent all night fretting :( Went to pick him up this morning and he was right as rain!!! Thinking of changing his name to Lazarus :D

All the other dogs have recovered as well, although theyve been under the weather for a few days. Charlie has spent the day dozing in his basket, which isn't really like him, but is not moving round by himself, although a little stiff - the vets think that he might not have been able to move his legs due to muscle spasms, so he might still be feeling a bit crampy, but he's drinking normally, and will try him with a bit of steamed fish tonight.

Seems so strange that they could all be so ill, and yet nothing to show up on any blood tests. I was panic stricken, thinking that maybe he had picked something up on his walk and been poisoned. Just thanking god that he seems better today, and will be keeping a close eye on him!

Hi,
just wondered if someone could explain what parvo is. Sorry but I have never heard of it.
Thanks,
Louise.

Hi Louise
Parvo" is a virus that attacks the lining of the digestive system. It causes dogs and puppies to not be able to absorb nutrients or liquids. Puppies are especially prone to it because they have an immature immune system. When dogs and puppies contract parvo, they often have diarrhea, vomiting and lethargy. Usually they stop eating and develop a bloody, foul-smelling, liquid stool.

Symptoms usually begin with a high fever, lethargy, depression, and loss of appetite. Secondary symptoms appear as severe gastrointestinal distress, such as vomiting and bloody diarrhea. In many cases, dehydration, shock, and death follow.

Parvovirus is characterized by severe, bloody diarrhea and vomiting, high fever and lethargy. The diarrhea is particularly foul smelling and is sometimes yellow in color. Parvo can also attack a dog's heart causing congestive heart failure. This complication can occur months or years after an apparent recovery from the intestinal form of the disease. Puppies who survive parvo infection usually remain somewhat un-healthy and weak for life.
Canine parvovirus is carried by dogs. Adult dogs may be infected carriers without showing any clinical signs. Dogs with the typical diarrhea that parvovirus causes shed the virus as well. It can last a long time in the environment, perhaps as long as 9 months or longer.

Generally, it takes 7-10 days from the time of exposure for dogs and puppies to start showing symptoms and to test positive for parvo.

Parvo is highly contagious to unprotected dogs, and the virus can remain infectious in ground contaminated with fecal material for five months or more if conditions are favorable. Extremely hardy, most disinfectants cannot kill the virus, however chlorine bleach is the most effective and inexpensive agent that works, and is commonly used by veterinarians.

The ease with which infection with Parvo can occur in any unvaccinated dog must be stressed. The virus is extremely hardy in the environment. Withstanding wide temperature fluctuations and most cleaning agents. Parvo can be brought home to your dog on shoes, hands and even car tires. It can live for many months outside the animal. Any areas that are thought to be contaminated with parvo should be thoroughly washed with chlorine bleach diluted 1 ounce per quart of water.

Dogs and puppies can contract parvo even if they never leave their yards. Parvo virus, despite what you might hear, is NOT an airborne virus. It is excreted in the feces of infected dogs, and if someone -- human, dog, bird, etc. -- steps in (or otherwise comes in contact with) the excrement, the possibility for contamination is great. Some people speculate that birds invading a dog's food dish can deposit the parvovirus there. If you think you may have come in contact with parvovirus, a strong solution of bleach and water does kill the virus, so you can wash your shoes and clothes, even your hands with it, to reduce the risk of infecting your dog.

Rest assured that parvovirus is specific to dogs alone and cannot be transmitted to humans or other pets of a different species, such as cats.

How is Parvo treated?
Without intense treatment, the victims of parvo die of dehydration. Treatment generally consists of IV or sub-cutaneous fluids and antibiotics. There is no cure. Veterinarians can only treat the symptoms palliatively, and try to keep the dog alive by preventing dehydration and loss of proteins. As there is no cure for any virus, treatment for parvo is mostly that of supporting the different systems in the body during the course of the disease. This includes giving fluids, regulating electrolyte levels, controlling body temperature and giving blood transfusions when necessary.

Dogs who have survived parvo can get it again. In the case of some puppies, a puppy testing negative for Parvo one day could succumb to the virus within a matter of days. It strikes fast and without mercy

Hope that helps
Lel

Hi Lel, just a few words about parvo that I was told by Hal Thompson, one of the men who discovered the virus.
*Parvo can also attack a dog's heart causing congestive heart failure. This complication can occur months or years after an apparent recovery from the intestinal form of the disease.* This happens with the older/other parvo virus. Can`t explain it but Glasgow Uni can :)
*Puppies who survive parvo infection usually remain somewhat un-healthy and weak for life.* Not true, although some puppies can be left with complications the majority of ones that recover can & do make a full recovery.
*Dogs with the typical diarrhea that parvovirus causes shed the virus as well. It can last a long time in the environment, perhaps as long as 9 months or longer.* Recently vaccinated dogs can also shed the virus & it can remain in the enviroment for up to 1 year. It particularly likes heat.
*Dogs who have survived parvo can get it again.* I`ve been assured that my dog`s who had it as pups, will not get it again & will have immunity for life.

Christine, Spain.

Hi Christine
I didnt mean to worry anyone with a pup who has had parvo but thats the info I found when researching -
Lel

I`m sure you didn`t Lel :) It is something to worry, I had a litter go down with it & I lost one out of the whole litter & thats because he was also suffering from another severe disease. So there is hope but I do think you need to get prompt treatment tho, even before we knew what it was mine where on drips straight away. As well it effects each pup differently, it ranged between very little symptoms with 2 pups who recovered quickly to one who almost died & recovered slowly. Like people who get flu or enteritis, some get over it quicker than others but sadly can be fatal for others.

Christine, Spain.

Hi Lel
was really impressed with your explanation of parvo, until seven weeks ago i had never heard of it and have had dogs for many many years, i got a pup which within two days of having her home showed all the signs, not knowing what was wrong i immediately took her to the vet, she was in "hospital" for just over a week, fortunately she was saved, she is 12 weeks old today, appart from a really rapid heart beat she seems okay, growing stronger and bigger each day, we will take her for her booster this afternoon. after searching the web we found two disinfectants which are supposed to kill off parvo in the enviroment, these being trigene, unfortunately i cant find or remember the other. we sprayed the house and outdoor area only to be told by the vets that although we have done this parvo could quiete easily be within the said parameters within days again????????? after reading conflicting reports on various sites can you or anyone , through experience say when it is safest to bring another pup into the home? by the way we also read and were told that normal bleach is totally ineffective against parvo.

regards
JOHN D.

Hi John, as parvo is a virus, you, any animals or anyone else & their animals can carry it back to your home without knowing it.
Bleach is very effective as is virkon & parvocide, I`ve used them both, but you would obviously have to keep on disinfecting everything continually, which is impossible to do, so there is always a chance the unseen virus is lurking about somewhere. No dogs under a year old should be brought in to where parvo has been active for a year because thats how long the virus can hang around.
This information was given to me by Hal Thompson, Gasgow Uni, who was one of the men who found the parvo virus.

Christine, Spain.

Hi Lel
just a quick one this time, the other disinfectant is virkon, and the pup in question is a presa canario, the dog that you thought may be banned.
speak to ya soon
JOHN D.

Hi Lel,

I suspect you have copied this description of Parvo from another web site. In which case, please could you identify the source, by specifying the URL of the website.

Many thanks! :)

Hi Mayhem, I do know that a number of dogs have died in an area of Cardiff near to where I live but they weren't vaccinated and our vets suspect Weils disease (Leptospirosis) and parvo.

Hi, I think that if anyone suspects their dog may have this condition it needs to have immediate inhouse veterinary attention, delay will cause death through rapid dehydration and blood thickening and clotting.
I have searched on the web and these sites maybe of help.
www.nortrandwickvet.com.av/online/Default.asp?DeptID=168
http://ag.arizona.edu/pubs/general/resrpt1998/clostridium.html
http://www.animalz.co.nz/Library.asp?action=view&tp=53
one of these should refer to clostridium perfrigens the bacteria thought to be responsible for causing the condition.
Can only suspect all dogs have ingested the same food/contamination through faeces or weakened immune systems making them susceptable to picking up this condition.
Anyone know and it is along shot had these dogs recently been vaccinated, contaminated vaccine or weakened immune system making them susceptable? Seems it is happening in clusters that is why I asked this question.

I was told bymy vet that a vaccinated dog can still get parvo but not as badly.

Is there an old and new version of parvo, i note that this was mentioned a bit further up?

Lindsay

Hi Lindsay, yes vaccinated dogs can get parvo if the vaccine fails which can happen. Whether it`s as bad or not will depend on the dog.
Old or new parvo 1 or 2, well don`t know how to explain this. There is a strain of parvo(1) that affects the heart & it`s not quite the same as parvo 2 that destroys the intestines. Thats it very simply, hope theres someone out there who can explain it better :) Can`t remember now what I was told about happened to P1, whether it mutated to P2 or died a natural death or it`s very rare now or something but I think if you do a search for P1 &2 you will get info. The vaccine for parvo used now covers both. Also it`s a disease that mainly attacks pups & young dogs under a year old.

Christine, Spain.

If anyone does suspect that there dog has HGE then get the dog to a vet quick, they deterate within 24hrs i have seen this in my own home with my own dog only last week but if you are very quick and get them to a vet they may pull through as mine did.
Please be aware:
diarreha
loss of appetite
red diarreha (mainly blood)
lots and lots of vomiting without being able to control it
and finally
stops drinking fluid, paws become very grey and white all around the edges, gums are very pale almost white, and chills the dog can become very cold. But oddly no temp.

Please take care of your dear pets the are presious to us all.

Also see:

http://www.provet.co.uk/health/diseases/git-hge.htm