WEBER COUNTY, Utah (ABC4) — Weber County Animal Service’s quarantine is now over following an outbreak of canine parvovirus at the facility.
On Facebook, the shelter announced they are open for dog adoptions again.
“We have lots of anxious dogs waiting for homes! Please come in and adopt or foster!” the post said.
What happened?
On April 1, the shelter confirmed there were three cases of the highly contagious disease.
April 2, they gave an update that four dogs were infected, saying three passed away. The lone survivor was Oliver, a 15-month-old mix-breed dog.
Lisa Weiss, an animal care specialist at the shelter, said Oliver has been there since January.
“When he first arrived, he was so scared he didn’t want anything to do with any of us. Through the help of our volunteers, Oliver has made strides here at the shelter and has become a favorite amongst the shelter staff and volunteers,” Weiss said.
On April 4, the shelter posted that Oliver’s expenses were paid off due to generous donations from the community, but since then, he has accrued more charges and needs a longer hospital stay.
Weiss said all donations are appreciated and can be made directly to Mountain West Veterinary Specialists by calling 801-683-6201, pressing option 2, and asking them to put the donation toward Oliver from the Weber Shelter.
April 8, she gave an update on Oliver, saying he has been doing better as he was starting to keep his food down and give vet staff tail wags.
Weiss added that they are looking for a foster that can help Oliver fully recover when he gets discharged from the hospital, with more details to be posted on their Facebook page.
For information on what supplies and donations the shelter needs, visit their website.
The American Veterinary Medical Association says that canine parvovirus is a highly contagious disease caused by canine parvovirus type 2 (CPV-2) that attacks white blood cells and the gastrointestinal tract of dogs. In puppies, it can also damage the heart muscle.
Signs of parvovirus can be lethargy, loss of appetite, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea fever or low body temperature.
According to the AVMA, it can be spread through direct contact with infected dogs, contact with feces from infected dogs, or contact with virus-contaminated surfaces.
Weiss said that when the virus broke out, no new dogs stayed in the room where it was found. She said that shelter workers would use special protection equipment when they went in the room, which was cleaned daily with heavy-duty supplies.
