When a rescuer found a three-month-old puppy wandering in the Oliver area, she hoped she had found her future dog.
The tiny puppy, later named Lucky, was severely underweight and in rough condition, but his rescuer was determined to help. She planned to take him home, nurse him back to health and eventually adopt him.
Those plans quickly changed.
“He was not eating and didn’t take any water the night she had him,” said Romany Runnalls with the Okanagan Humane Society.
“We got a distressed email at three o’clock in the morning saying that this dog was in distress and critical.”
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Lucky was rushed for treatment, where he was diagnosed with parvovirus, a highly contagious and potentially deadly disease that primarily affects puppies and young dogs.
Now fighting for his life, Lucky has become the latest reminder of a virus animal advocates say is once again spreading across British Columbia.
Veterinarian Dr. Harsh Joshi says parvovirus attacks a puppy’s digestive system, causing severe vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy and loss of appetite.
“He is going through severe dehydration. His body cannot absorb water or nutrients, and he is losing water through his gastrointestinal tract,” said Joshi.
The virus is easily spread through contact with infected dogs, contaminated food and water bowls, clothing and even public places such as dog parks.
For unvaccinated dogs, the disease can be devastating.
“The mortality rate can be 80 to 90 per cent in unvaccinated dogs,” Joshi said.
Despite the danger, experts stress that parvovirus is highly preventable through routine vaccinations. A full series of puppy vaccinations typically costs a few hundred dollars, while treatment for parvo can reach $4,000 to $5,000 and still may not save the animal.
As Lucky continues his fight to survive, the Okanagan Humane Society remains hopeful. His story, however, serves as a warning that one missed vaccination can mean the difference between life and death.
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