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Parvovirus outbreak in Carbon County sickens 35 dogs, kills 15 of them

Posted at 9:23 PM, Aug 29, 2018
and last updated 2018-08-29 23:23:11-04

An outbreak of Parvovirus in dogs in Carbon County has already sickened 35 animals.

“We’ve had about 15 deaths out of 35,” said Dr. Dan Harmer, a veterinarian at the Animal Hospital of Eastern Utah in Price.

Dr. Harmer says the clinic typically only sees one case a week of Parvovirus. The highly contagious disease is spread through contact with feces. It attacks the fastest growing cells in the body, including bone marrow and stomach lining, causing vomiting and diarrhea.

“They can lose fluid a lot faster than we can give it to them,” Dr. Harmer said.

If treated within the first day, most dogs can be saved. Puppies and small dogs are particularly at risk because of their lighter body weights. For puppies, it’s even worse. They need to be about six weeks old to be vaccinated. For all other dogs, the advice is simple.

“Get in to your vet tomorrow and get vaccinated,” said Dr. Harmer.