PARVO ALERT!

PLEASE MAKE SURE YOUR DOG IS VACCINATED!

The Commonwealth Of Massachusetts Executive Office Of Energy And Environmental Affairs
Department of Agricultural Resources 251 Causeway Street, Suite 500, Boston, MA 02114 617-626-1700 fax: 617-626-1850 www.mass.gov/agr
DEVAL L. PATRICK Governor		TIMOTHY P. MURRAY Lieutenant Governor	RICHARD K. SULLIVAN JR. Secretary	GREGORY C. WATSON Commissioner

For immediate release – June 14, 2013

BOSTON – Friday, June 14, 2013 – Officials from the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources’ Division of Animal Health would like to alert dog owners of two significant Canine Parvovirus outbreaks affecting northern Berkshire County and Worcester County. Dozens of dogs have been affected in these two areas, and several have died or had to be euthanized due to severe illness caused by the virus. There are effective vaccines available. Puppies generally require a series of vaccinations while adult dogs may need a yearly booster. All of the dogs that have been infected during these outbreaks had either never been vaccinated, or had only received one vaccine. Animal Health Officials are urging dog owners to check with their veterinarian to confirm that their pets are protected.

Parvovirus primarily infects puppies, but any unvaccinated dog remains susceptible. Dogs usually exhibit symptoms of gastrointestinal illness, including vomiting and diarrhea. Although dogs can recover from the disease if it is detected early and treated aggressively, it can be fatal. The virus is typically spread directly from dog to dog, but it can persist in the environment for several months. Dogs that have been infected and recover can remain infectious for several months. Canine Parvovirus does not affect humans and other domestic animals.

DAR’s mission is to ensure the long-term viability of agriculture in Massachusetts. Through its four divisions – Agricultural Conservation & Technical Assistance, Agricultural Markets, Animal Health, and Crop and Pest Services – DAR strives to support, regulate and enhance the rich diversity of the Commonwealth’s agricultural community to promote economically and environmentally sound food safety and animal health measures, and fulfill agriculture’s role in energy conservation and production. For more information, visit DAR’s website at www.mass.gov/agr , and/or follow us at www.twitter.com/MDARCommish and www.twitter.com/MassGrown

###