UAE vets warn deadly dog disease is spreading

DUBAI // Imported pups that have not been vaccinated are helping to spread a deadly canine virus.

Veterinary surgeons are urging dog owners to have their pets vaccinated after a surge in the number of parvovirus cases over the past two weeks.

Pups being brought into the country with false vaccination documents are a major cause of the spread. Eight cases have been reported and at least three cases of the distemper virus.

“More than 90 per cent of the puppies that get infected with parvovirus will die if they are not treated in time,” said Dr Sara Elliot, veterinary director at the British Veterinary Hospital.

“The virus is already in the environment and so any puppies that are not vaccinated against it are at risk.”

Among the cases was a pup that was taken from a shelter and was covered in ticks. After 12 hours staff at the hospital noticed bloody diarrhoea and suspected he may have parvovirus, which was later confirmed.

The dog received treatment and is now recovering, but Dr Elliot urged owners to ensure their pets were correctly vaccinated.

Over the past two weeks more than 40 worried owners have contacted the hospital after seeing symptoms in their pets.

Although the appearance of the virus in the environment is cyclical, imported dogs, particularly from Eastern European pup farms, are a major contributing factor.

“In many cases these companies do not vaccinate puppies and falsify documentation to say they have,” Dr Elliot said.

“There is only so much the authorities can do when these animals come to the UAE and I’d advise anyone who has bought a puppy and has not seen it being vaccinated with their own eyes to assume it has not.”

Although completely harmless to humans, the virus is highly infectious to dogs and remains in the environment for a long time.

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