‘Parvovirus illness’ in Michigan dogs investigated, with dozens of deaths reported

It has killed more than 20 dogs in Otsego County alone, usually within days of them presenting symptoms of vomiting, bloody diarrhea, lethargy and loss of appetite, the county animal shelter in Gaylord, a 60-mile drive northeast of Traverse City, said Friday on Facebook.

More than 30 dogs died of similar symptoms in Clare County, three counties to the south, that county’s animal control director told officials last week, according to the Clare County Cleaver. Similar reports have been made around northern and central Michigan.

“Canine parvovirus is a severe and highly contagious disease in dogs but (the state) and veterinary professionals have extensive experience with this virus,” state veterinarian Nora Wineland said in a statement from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Full vaccination protects the animals against severe illness, and cases should not cause dog owners to “drastically change” how they care for their pets or where they plan to travel, the statement said.

Routine canine vaccinations include those against parvovirus, the department added.

“While those tests are valuable in the clinical setting, they are not as sensitive as the diagnostic tests we can perform here in the laboratory. We continue to further characterize the virus in hopes of better understanding why those animals were testing negative on screening tests,” said Kim Dodd, the director of the veterinary diagnostic laboratory at Michigan State University.

The affected dogs in Otsego County have generally been under 2 years old or elderly, the county shelter said.

“We have not seen any dogs … die that are PROPERLY vaccinated,” the shelter’s Facebook post reads.

Canine parvovirus is spread by dog-to-dog contact and contact with contaminated feces and environments, the veterinary medical association says. It is not contagious to people or other types of animals, the state agriculture department said.

Survival rates for parvovirus “can approach 90%” with proper treatment, though when death happens, it usually occurs 48 to 72 hours after symptoms start, the association says.