Dogs veterinary clinic

25/08/2022

25/08/2022

Routine canine vaccinations include those against parvovirus, the department added.
Experts were challenged after affected dogs tested negative during the initial screening by veterinarians, the Otsego County shelter and the Clare County animal control director had said.
"While those tests are valuable in the clinical setting, they are not as sensitive as the diagnostic tests we can perform here in the laboratory. We continue to further characterize the virus in hopes of better understanding why those animals were testing negative on screening tests," said Kim Dodd, the director of the veterinary diagnostic laboratory at Michigan State University.
Some of the first samples submitted to Michigan State's veterinary diagnostic laboratory were positive for parvovirus, the lab and the state agriculture department said Monday.
The affected dogs in Otsego County have generally been under 2 years old or elderly, the county shelter said.
"We have not seen any dogs ... die that are PROPERLY vaccinated," the shelter's Facebook post reads.
Canine parvovirus is spread by dog-to-dog contact and contact with contaminated f***s and environments, the veterinary medical association says. It is not contagious to people or other types of animals, the state agriculture department said.
No drug will kill parvovirus in infected dogs, so treatment for that virus focuses on supporting the body's systems -- including by replacing electrolyte, protein and fluid losses -- so the immune system can fight the infection, the veterinary medical association says.
Survival rates for parvovirus "can approach 90%" with proper treatment, though when death happens, it usually occurs 48 to 72 hours after symptoms start, the association says.
CNN's Amy Simonson contributed to this report.

25/08/2022

(CNN)Canine parvovirus has been identified as the illness that has killed dozens of dogs in the last month in the northern and central parts of Michigan's Lower Peninsula, state officials said Wednesday.

It has killed more than 20 dogs in Otsego County alone, usually within days of them presenting symptoms of vomiting, bloody diarrhea, lethargy and loss of appetite, the county animal shelter in Ga***rd, a 60-mile drive northeast of Traverse City, said Friday on Facebook.
More than 30 dogs died of similar symptoms in Clare County, three counties to the south, that county's animal control director told officials last week, according to the Clare County Cleaver. Similar reports have been made around northern and central Michigan.
"Canine parvovirus is a severe and highly contagious disease in dogs but (the state) and veterinary professionals have extensive experience with this virus," state veterinarian Nora Wineland said in a statement from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.
Dogs that are not fully vaccinated are at the most risk, Wineland noted, adding that effective vaccines are available.
Full vaccination protects the animals against severe illness, and cases should not cause dog owners to "drastically change" how they care for their pets or where they plan to travel, the statement said.

25/08/2022

The concern was caused by reports this month that dogs were dying within three days of developing parvovirus symptoms, including vomiting and bloody stool, but testing negative for the condition. Melissa FitzGerald, director of Otsego County Animal Shelter in northern Michigan, said most dogs with the illness seen by the shelter were younger than 2 or were elderly, and cases have been found in the northern and central parts of the state.
As of Tuesday, the Michigan agriculture department had received anecdotal reports of 15 to 25 infections but did not have an exact count because residents are not required to report the disease to the state. FitzGerald said she was aware of at least 20 deaths caused by the virus in her county.
The discrepancy between dogs testing negative at veterinary clinics or animal shelters but positive at the university lab may be due to the kind of test used, Dodd said. The lab uses highly accurate PCR tests, while shelters and clinics tend to use less-sensitive rapid tests.

25/08/2022

An illness that has recently killed several dogs in Michigan has sparked anxiety among canine owners and made veterinarians scramble to figure out how to protect the state’s pets.
Now, officials say they are confident that the mysterious illness is actually a common virus: canine parvovirus, a gastrointestinal condition that typically affects puppies before they have gotten their vaccines.
Animal samples tested for parvovirus at the Michigan State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory have come back positive, said Kim Dodd, the lab’s director.
“We know we’re looking at a canine parvovirus,” she said Tuesday.
The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development confirmed Wednesday that the illness afflicting dogs was parvovirus and said the affected canines did not have a history of complete vaccination.

25/08/2022

An Unidentified Illness Is Killing Dogs in Michigan, Officials Say
Veterinarians are not sure how contagious the malady is. Most of the dogs affected so far have been under the age of two, an official said.
Smokey, a 10-month-old silver Labrador retriever, experienced symptoms that left him lethargic. Officials believe a strain of parvovirus could be to blame for an illness affecting dogs

25/08/2022

As a dog parent, it is important to recognize the signs and symptoms of common illnesses so you can seek veterinary help for your canine friend as soon as possible. Read on for information about diseases and other medical inflictions that frequently impact dogs.

25/08/2022

When you adopt a dog, you expect to deal with some health issues eventually. While most common conditions dogs suffer from are mild and often treated easily, others can be severe and cause irreparable organ damage. It's best if pet owners are aware of the most deadly dog diseases to prevent them in the first place.
While some deadly diseases in dogs are inherited or unpreventable, your dog could avoid others like cancer. Knowing what those deadly dog conditions are, how to recognize signs and symptoms, and what to do to treat them can save your dog’s life.