A Sooke veterinary hospital is warning dog owners that Parvovirus is rearing it’s ugly head.
The clinic says it’s had several confirmed cases of Parvovirus from Sooke and all the way up the coast to Port Renfrew.
This disease mostly targets puppies, usually during the period when they are weaned from their mother’s milk, as long as the mother has been vaccinated, but the puppies have not yet been fully vaccinated.
Puppies can be vaccinated as early as 6 weeks of age but full immunity is not developed until 1 week after the puppies second shot, which is done 3-4 weeks after the first.
The clinic says during the window of vulnerability, it is recommended puppies be kept away from high-traffic areas like dog parks and kennels, and, while socialization is vital, to mix only with older dogs who are up to date on their shots.
This disease is not treatable, and is often deadly in young puppies.
