Word: parvovirus
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Dates: during 1980-1980
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Meanwhile another disease, canine parvovirus, an unusually contagious and sometimes fatal ailment affecting dogs, has become a major concern of veterinarians and pet owners. While no overall figures are available, more than 2,000 deaths have been tabulated in Britain; and in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area alone, an estimated 1,500 dogs have died from the disease in the past three months...
Possibly a mutant strain of a mink virus or the cat virus feline panleukopenia, parvovirus is spread through the feces of infected canines. The virus can remain infectious for months, and can be tracked long distances on the soles of shoes or by other means. The disease does not affect humans, but sniffing dogs can pick up the virus by ingesting less than one-thousandth of a gram of fecal material. Five to ten days after exposure, the dogs may become listless, then vomit and develop bloody diarrhea; they also lose their appetite. If the animal becomes dehydrated...
Veterinarians at Cornell University's Baker Institute for Animal Health are working on a parvovirus vaccine that will offer long-lasting protection, but it is still experimental. For now, many dog owners are making do with vaccines using feline panleukopenia virus. The vaccinations offer effective protection against the dog virus, but they must be renewed at least every six months or so, possibly more often...
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