RUMFORD — Another case of canine parvovirus has been confirmed in Rumford, Sue Milligan, animal control officer, said Friday afternoon in a news release.
That raises the total to four in the past nine months; another two confirmed cases have been found in neighboring Mexico since December.
Milligan is urging dog owners to get their pets vaccinated against the disease immediately, if they haven’t already.
“Several of the sick dogs had been walked through our communities before being diagnosed, but after showing signs of illness,” Milligan said. “It’s spread through their feces, so anywhere they go, once they’re infected with it, they just spread it everywhere.”
Two confirmed cases have been found in Mexico since December, she said.
“The only way to prevent further spreading of this virus is through vaccinations and responsible pet ownership,” Milligan said.
She said the virus, which is not contagious to humans or cats, is transmitted by direct contact with infected dogs. However, indirect transmission, such as contaminated feces, is also an important source of infection.
Recovered dogs may even serve as carriers. The virus is shed in the feces of infected dogs for up to three weeks after infection, Milligan said.
“Of course, (canine parvovirus) can live in the ground anywhere from six months to usually a couple of years,” she said. “In some cases, it’s been known to be there for longer than that.”
Milligan said Maine doesn’t require a vaccination for it, but if dogs are not vaccinated for it and exposed to the virus through close contact with an infected dog for any great lengths of time, it can spread that way, too.
“Several of the sick dogs have been walked all over town and into Mexico while they were known to be vomiting, etc.,” she said. “If you have a sick dog, keep it home!” she advised.
Milligan said the virus, so far, doesn’t discriminate. Of the four cases in Rumford, each is a different dog breed. Only one of them is a puppy. The rest were adult dogs that hadn’t been vaccinated.
She said the illness is most common in puppies from 6 to 20 weeks old — the period when vaccination hasn’t yet adequately protected the pup against infection.
Dogs with the intestinal form of this virus suffer from an acute onset of lethargy, anorexia, fever, vomiting and diarrhea, she said. The feces are loose and may contain mucus or blood.
“If a dog vomits or has diarrhea for more than a day, it should be taken to a veterinarian to have it checked immediately,” she said.
The severity of clinical signs varies. Milligan said most dogs recover within a few days with appropriate supportive care such as intravenous fluids and medication; others can die within hours of the onset of clinical signs.
“Vaccination is critical in the control of the disease,” she said.
Variants of the virus have appeared since the disease was first recognized, but current vaccines protect dogs against all strains of the virus, Milligan said.
Vaccinations of puppies should begin at ages 5 to 8 weeks. The last vaccination should be given at ages 16 to 20 weeks. Annual vaccinations thereafter are recommended.
“Pups should be kept isolated from adult dogs and public areas until sufficiently vaccinated,” she said.
Contaminated areas should be cleaned thoroughly. Household bleach (1:30 dilution) or commercial products labeled for use against parvovirus are potent in activators of the virus, she said.
The same solutions can be used in foot baths to disinfect footwear. Disinfection of hands, clothing, and animal bowls also is recommended, Milligan said.
“All floors and walkways around buildings should be disinfected as well,” she said. “If you live in an apartment building, all tenants need to be notified.”
Refusing to seek medical attention for a pet is a misdemeanor offense of animal cruelty; the mandatory minimum fine is $500. Abandoning an animal is also a crime.
“If you cannot afford to get your animals vaccinated, spayed or neutered, or get necessary medical attention when they become sick or injured, do not get one,” Milligan said.
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