Parvo Outbreak in Stoke on Trent

Looking for some reassurance on Parvo , apparently there is an outbreak going on at the moment in Stoke on Trent , link from todays news http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-stoke-staffordshire-23554404 , phoned our vet tonight and according to them as long as their vaccs are up to date then we should not be concerned ......................... any opinions / advice . I am going to ringcraft classes in Stoke and a show towards the end of this month and wonder whether I should be thinking twice about it ??

I don't know much about it Dave, but if your vets have assured you then it should be ok.
I do understand your trepidation though.

I don't know a whole lot about Parvo either, but I understood that it is most dangerous in young puppies. Thank goodness there are now vaccinations against it, and as Tommy is a bouncing young adult with all his vacs in place, I would try not worry too much if I were you.

kids , always something to worry about

I'm one of lifes worriers so would be inclined to avoid any possible contamination from the virus. It is highly contagious isn't it ?

I really think that as long as Tommy & Tilly are up to date with their vaccinations (check your cards & it should say if they've had the parvo vaccine) then you don't need to worry.

You can't keep them indoors 24/7 - and that's the only way you can totally avoid viral infections of any sort. Every time you set food outside you risk treading on faeces & those faeces may be infected, who knows?

If your vet is happy with you going to ringcraft & shows etc, then go - and have a great time! 

I think it depends on the vaccinations and how important the ringcraft and show are to you. If the vet has given you the okay, I daresay there's very little to worry about, but it depends on whether or not you're comfortable with it.

Eleanor wrote:I think it depends on the vaccinations and how important the ringcraft and show are to you. :)If the vet has given you the okay, I daresay there's very little to worry about, but it depends on whether or not you're comfortable with it.

Everyone seems to think the same and that is not to worry , we are going to contact the club and see what they think about checking up on the dogs vaccinations for everyones peace of mind.

As far as the ringcraft and the show are concerned would really like to get them done as a good hobby for Tommy ( and me ) but not at any expense , we've got another week until the next ringcraft and nearly 3 weeks to the show anyway so plenty time to think about it

If it's any reassurance, I had a Dobermann puppy (under 12 months old) in the 1980s when parvo was running amok and wiping out litters of puppies.  There was no protection against it (vaccs) but I and my friends continued to attend ringcraft classes and shows, and I never heard of any dog over 6 months old succumbing to it.

I'll bet that the parvo outbreak is confined to unvaccinated dogs.

thats what your vacs are for to stop the risk of catching these nastys
dont worry and go and enjoy yourselves

Lynda wrote:

I'll bet that the parvo outbreak is confined to unvaccinated dogs.

Thats pretty much what our vets thinks , did state ( and she did also apologise for its meaning too ) about people that get dogs when they can't really afford them and don't think they need to vaccinate , like council estate mentality ( meaning the Jeremy Kyle type rather than council estate residents in general )

It does beg the question though about the discussion regarding how often you vaccinate

The parvo vaccine lasts 3 years, just like the other core vaccines.

So, your dog will be protected against parvo & distemper (plus, some vets also vaccinate against adenovirus) for three years (minimum), plus most vets will also vaccinate annually against leptospirosis.

There are two main strains of parvo. The vaccine is 98% effective against the most common one (and even dogs that have been infected often show very little sign of the disease, and are only diagnosed if the vet actually takes samples), and is about 75% effective, according to my vet, against the other one. However, the incidences of the less common one are very, very low!

you are an Encyclopedia of Dog Mrs C

Nah! I just bore my vet to tears!!! 

The vets assistant said you could small parvo , she said like a brassy smell , any idea what she means ?????, she couldn't really explain it very well and also haemorraging ( both ends ) but I assume this is when the disease is quite advanced

It's a faint metallic smell due to the copper content in blood. :)Lovely!

Eleanor wrote:It's a faint metallic smell due to the iron content in blood. :)Lovely!

mmm ................ and what about the haemorraghing ( or however you spell it ) would that be a very advanced case ???

Yes, when they get the really bad diareah (sp) there will be blood in it, and you can smell that. Their breath may also smell of blood.

But if your dog's been vaccinated then even if they get it (and don't forget that no vaccine can be 100% against a virus) then they will only get it mildly, and you may not even know! You might just think that they have an upset tum for a day or so!

Caryll wrote:Yes, when they get the really bad diareah (sp) there will be blood in it, and you can smell that. Their breath may also smell of blood.

But if your dog's been vaccinated then even if they get it (and don't forget that no vaccine can be 100% against a virus) then they will only get it mildly, and you may not even know! You might just think that they have an upset tum for a day or so!

I see , so looks like I should just chill out

It's all very scary Dave ain't it.

Darcy-may wrote:It's all very scary Dave ain't it.

That was my initial reaction but seems everyone is telling me the same thing and don't have to worry , is Darcy all up to date  

She's having her first year booster tomorrow so I'll ask when we're at the vets to be sure

Cool

Is it in their initial vac's dave? Then the booster just boosts their first vacs's?

Darcy-may wrote:Is it in their initial vac's dave? Then the booster just boosts their first vacs's?

Yep thats how it should be I believe , they get everything on the first time round and boosters I believe then it depends on the vet and the age as to what is due after that

Thanks Dave