Virginia pet owners should be aware of an increase in Parvovirus in dogs and cats

Parvovirus is affecting dogs and catsPhoto byAlec FavaleonUnsplash

Parvo has increased in Virginia dogs

Pet owners in Virginia should take heed that their fur babies may be at risk for health issues. In April NBC 12 reported that Richmond Animal Care and Control revealed that Parvovirus was the worst they had seen in 10 years.

Sadly many of the infected dogs were being dumped around the city and dying as fast as RACC could get to them. Parvo is a virus that attacks the intestines and dehydrates the dogs to the point of death but it is also now affecting cats.

Parvovirus is on teh risePhoto byAndrew SonUnsplash

Georgia cats and a dog died of Parvo

There have been no reports of infected felines in Virginia but at the Town Creek Apartments in Lafayette Georgia, more than a dozen cats both indoor and outdoor as well as a dog died suddenly from Parvo.

Some residents suspected poisoning but a veterinarian confirmed it was the parvovirus. There is a different virus that affects cats than dogs and vaccinations are important. Vaccinating your pets and keeping vaccinations up to date is the best defense against parvovirus and other diseases.