Marana, AZ – Area veterinarians are reporting an increase in canine parvovirus, a highly contagious viral illness that affects dogs, with approximately 20 cases in the last month at Twin Peaks Veterinary Center. The clinic announced on Friday that an infected dog had visited the dog park at Crossroads at Silverbell District Park. It only takes one infected dog to contaminate an area, and Marana Parks and Recreation have sanitized all public dog parks with bleach, the only known compound to kill the virus. Sharing dog bowls and toys are not a likely source of contamination, but cannot be excluded, and Marana Parks and Recreation have removed bowls and toys from dog parks as an additional precautionary measure. Dogs are also not permitted inside baseball fields.
The canine parvovirus is spread through fecal and oral contamination, and symptoms include vomiting, bloody diarrhea, lethargy, and loss of appetite. It can be lethal. For more information, please contact your local veterinary clinic. You can also learn more on the American Veterinary Medical Association website at: https://www.avma.org/public/PetCare/Pages/canine-parvovirus.aspx.
Town of Marana cares about pet safety, and encourages everyone to take caution. Veterinarians recommend that pet owners vaccinate their dogs, pick up after their dogs, and avoid places where dogs congregate if there is a fear of contamination. Wiping down toys and soles of shoes with bleach wipes is also recommended.
