Kentucky veterinarians comment on parvovirus outbreak

So far, many of the infected dogs have been in Michigan, but the virus may already be in Kentucky

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) – It’s a virus some Kentucky dog owners may not have heard of yet, but across other parts of the country, it’s causing significant problems. It’s called parvovirus, and It’s highly contagious.

Dr. Dianne Dawes, veterinarian, and owner of PetVet365 says parvovirus affects multiple internal parts of young dogs.

“Parvo is a virus, and it’s a virus that affects the intestinal tract and immune system of juveniles usually a year of age or under, sometimes up to two years old.

So far, most cases have spread through Michigan among shelters where several dogs have shown parvo-like symptoms.

Dr. Dawes says initially, some unvaccinated dogs tested negative for the virus until they became deceased.

“As of yesterday, the Michigan State University Veterinary Diagnostic Lab found that on postmortem they actually were positive for parvo.”

Dawes adds that severe vomiting is one of the most common symptoms of parvovirus in dogs.

And just like other contagious viruses that affect humans, just because there are no confirmed cases in Kentucky doesn’t mean it’s not here already.

“It may already be here because we now know it was parvovirus. Parvovirus over the years has morphed just like COVID virus.”

According to Dawes, the best way to protect your dogs is to make sure he or she is fully vaccinated against parvovirus.

“Make sure they go through a full course of vaccinations and keep them from public areas such as dog parks until they are fully vaccinated.”

Dr. Dawes says in addition to making sure your furry friend is fully vaccinated against parvovirus, watching for signs and symptoms of the virus is also an important step to prevent it from spreading.