Two dogs dead after parvovirus outbreak in west Limerick

TWO DOGS have died in the last two weeks due to an outbreak of canine parvovirus in West Limerick.

Marita Davis, chairperson of Star Rescue, is urging dog owners to get their pets vaccinated. She said both dogs were in the Rathkeale area.

“I got a call from a member of the community saying he had a dog that was very sick. I went over and straight away knew it was parvo. We went down to the veterinary practice and we did what we could with electrolytes and fluids but sadly it was gone too far. Billy died on Tuesday of last week and one the previous week. Both were spaniel mixes,” said Marita, of the animal rescue charity based in Newcastle West.

She explained to Limerick Live that parvovirus is transmitted in a similar way to Covid and like the coronavirus regular vaccinations or boosters are needed to ensure you don’t get very sick.

“The canine parvovirus is highly contagious – it can live on surfaces, if a dog has gone to the toilet and another dog sniffs it, saliva or by contact. People could actually carry it home with them on their shoes unknowingly to their own pets,” said Ms Davis, who fears it could travel further.

“For example, we have a fantastic facility with the Greenway so any dogs on the Greenway – even fully vaccinated dogs could be carriers. People travel from far and wide to use it. People could cycle into dog faeces and bring it home with them – it could go anywhere,” she adds

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Symptoms included drooling from the mouth, dehydration, then they start hemorrhaging. A common misconception, she says, is that people think their dog has been poisoned.

“It is a terrible death,” said Ms Davis.

Her advice to dog owners is to get their dog vaccinated or if they haven’t been vaccinated in over a year to go to their local veterinary surgeon.

“If people have their dogs vaccinated there is a high chance they can survive it but if they haven’t any vaccination or the vaccination is out of date the survival rate is very slim,” said Ms Davis, who contacted the Department of Agriculture and the council about the parvovirus outbreak in Rathkeale.