Horrible news

[adojrts]

Originally Posted by Aleron

IME panic tends to pushes people to act unreasonably, which is what I have been seeing online for the past few weeks concerning this topic. What is needed here is critical thinking.

The reason I and some others are asking questions concerning information about the claims there is "a new strain of Parvo that vaccines aren't effective against" is because the same thing is said at least once every year. Any time well cared for puppies/dogs get Parvo, people seem to think it must be a new strain. Any time a dog older than the typical age gets Parvo, people seem to think it must be a new strain. Any time a puppy or dog gets very, very sick with Parvo, it is suspected that it must be a new strain. There doesn't have to be a new strain to cause any of these things. Having 200 fully vaccinated older puppies and dogs getting Parvo in one small area does bring up questions. So far, all I have found was that 3 puppies at ASCA came down with Parvo and there were about 250 puppies entered. Not sure how accurate the entry numbers are, I found them mentioned on someone's blog. But the reference to 3 puppies seems consistent with everything I have found so far.

I don't think anyone has said Parvo is nothing to be concerned about. Just that the idea that your dogs are at risk of being exposed to Parvo if they are in contact with dogs which were at this specific show is a bit off base. Parvo is everywhere and it is concerning, which is why dogs are vaccinated for it. Blaming people who happened to be at a place where a known Parvo puppy was for spreading the disease across the country is a rather extreme view. As is hoping that these people's dogs don't bring Parvo into your area. Consider that your dogs have already been exposed and that they will continue to be exposed. Worry about Parvo and do your research but also understand this case is just scary because you know. The guy standing in front of you at the store might have a Parvo puppy at home, the mailman might track it the virus from someone's yard into your's, a puppy shedding the virus may have just been at your local park or any other number of scenarios. Around the time my puppies had Parvo, I pulled my adult dogs from a huge local show held at our fairgrounds. But honestly, there are coyotes around the fairgrounds and our area certainly isn't low risk for Parvo. My dogs being there or not was not putting other dogs at risk any more than they already were, it was just a known risk vs. unknown.

Puppies/dogs who get Parvo can have anything from very mild symptoms to very severe. The degree of severity, is not an indication of the strain they have or that there is a new strain. I had a litter of six barely 6 week old, unvaccinated puppies with Parvo. Of those puppies, 2 had severe symptoms and one of those two didn't make it (and I can't even tell you how heartbreaking that is) and the other took the very longest to recover, 2 had moderate symptoms and recovered fairly quickly, 1 had more mild symptoms and recovered quickly as well, one didn't have any symptoms at all. That is pretty normal and in no way would suggest the ones who were the most ill had a different strain of the virus than the more mildly affected.

Parvo is very much a concern and I don't see that changing any time soon. It's everywhere, it's extremely hardy, it has plenty of hosts and there is no sign that it will ever be eradicated.



If it had mutated to the point where it was a new disease, it seems like there would be more word about it. Even if it was just to say "we appear to be dealing with a new, Parvo-like virus but have not yet identified it. The last time there was a new strain of Parvo, AVMA released a statement and FAQ about it. And that new strain was only very slightly modified from previous strains.

Well said ^^^ and agree.

[sassafras]

Originally Posted by adojrts

Well said ^^^ and agree.

Yes, very well stated.

It's very scary and hard to accept that sometimes stuff happens and dogs who we don't think should get parvo, get parvo. It's hard to accept that even when you take the steps you need to, your dog is never 100% protected. And so it's totally natural to look for explanations like how it must be a new strain. But Aleron is right, better to rely on critical thinking for risk assessment than our knee-jerks, no matter how natural they are.

[OwnedByBCs]

Update: Lily is doing somewhat better but isn't out of the woods yet. She had a bit of a relapse this morning.

For the record, Lily's vet has CONFIRMED that this is a new strain of parvo, and a new vaccine will NOT be released for 4-5 months. Five new dogs have been diagnosed in the last week, just at the vet clinic where Lily is being treated. Like I said, this has been affecting dogs that are vaccinated, many who are not puppies or seniors.

I don't know what other information you guys need. Two vets that I have talked to confirmed that this is a new strain to the area, it has been affecting vaccinated dogs, and it is particularly aggressive. I leave it up to others to decide how they want to handle that information. That is all I have to say about that, right now the focus is on Lily and the other dogs who are fighting for life.

[Fran101]

*vibes for Lily* I'm so glad to hear she is at least doing better! My heart goes out to her people right now..they must be worried sick!

((HUGS)) keep us updated when you can!

[sassafras]

Originally Posted by OwnedByBCs

I don't know what other information you guys need.

How it was confirmed and who confirmed it - what lab, and what company is working on a new vaccine? There is literally NO information on a new strain of parvo or a new vaccine in the works on ANY veterinary site that I have been able to find, and I've been paying attention since this thread started.

[OwnedByBCs]

Originally Posted by sassafras

How it was confirmed and who confirmed it - what lab, and what company is working on a new vaccine? There is literally NO information on a new strain of parvo or a new vaccine in the works on ANY veterinary site that I have been able to find, and I've been paying attention since this thread started.

I don't know her vet by name- she lives in CA and I in CO- and we literally started talking on a regular basis because of this. But, what I do know is that her vet sent a sample to a lab and they believe that this is a mutation. That is what I know.

My guess is that there hasn't been much information on it because it is fairly new. I can't tell you why there isn't information out there, but this is what I know and I have made my decision based on my talks with my vet.

[sassafras]

I'm not faulting your decision, I'm just questioning whether this is actually a new strain or some people have just speculated that it's a new strain.

[Aleron]

Originally Posted by sassafras

I'm not faulting your decision, I'm just questioning whether this is actually a new strain or some people have just speculated that it's a new strain.

It really would be nice to know. Glad to hear she's doing better though.

[OwnedByBCs]

I will see what information I can gather.

[Keechak]

Three puppies have died that went to ASCA nationals according to my Aussie groups. Since ASCA is the original (aka non AKC) breed club and the largest single breed club in North America, there were people at nationals from all over the WOLD. I remember when I went last year when it was in Wisconsin everywhere I went I heard other languages being spoken and it's the one ASCA event of the year where you are guaranteed to see tails lol.

The number of 200 puppies coming down with it can't be correct, but the number of three dying is what I have heard over and over again. I believe a few more have had to be treated for it but I'm not positive.

I didn't go this year and my dogs have not been in contact with any dogs that had been there since then.