Warning to dog owners as outbreak of deadly virus recorded in central France
Parvovirus can have a mortality rate of over 90% if untreated and is easily spread
Vaccination against the disease is highly recommended for all dogs
gostua / Shutterstock
Dog owners in France are being warned to ensure their pets’ vaccines are up to date after a highly contagious and fatal canine disease was recorded in the centre of the country.
A veterinarian office in the Puy-de-Dome (Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes) department confirmed that canine parvovirus (parvovirose) was spreading in the area, with at least one confirmed death.
“This deadly disease is contagious through direct contact, but also via surfaces and soil,” said the clinic in Dômes in a social media post.
The clinic advises all unvaccinated dogs to stay away from the area, and if your pet is unvaccinated, to prevent it from interacting with other dogs.
It also recommends dogs and owners to steer clear of walking grounds or routes that are highly frequented by dogs due to the disease’s ability to spread via soil.
Certain breeds including Rottweilers, Dobermans, and Staffordshire Terriers are particularly vulnerable to the virus, which has a fatality rate of around 91% for unvaccinated pets.
This rises even higher for puppies.
Symptoms include rapid weight loss, loss of appetite, diarrhea, vomiting, endotoxemia, and a weakened immune system caused by the virus means a secondary infection is often caught.
Urgent call to vaccinate animals
The virus is significantly rarer now than in the past however there have been several outbreaks in France in recent years.
A vaccine against the virus is included in the wider ‘CHP’ vaccine (which also protects against distemper, Rubarth's hepatitis, and leptospirosis).
Puppies can receive three shots of this vaccine, with adults receiving boosters every one to three years.
The vaccine is not obligatory – the only vaccine required by law for dogs in France is against rabies – nevertheless it is highly recommended and one of the ‘essential’ vaccines displayed on EU pet passports.
If your dog has not been vaccinated as a puppy against the virus, you can still discuss options with your vet – adult vaccines are possible, under an altered schedule.
