Calling all Veterinarians and Pet Lovers - Take the “Defend Puppies. Defeat Parvo.” Pledge Today to Save Puppies from Deadly Canine Parvovirus
GREENFIELD, Ind. (January 17, 2024) – Elanco Animal Health Incorporated (NYSE: ELAN) today launched the first-of-its-kind, multi-year campaign to save 1 million puppies from unnecessary death from the highly contagious canine parvovirus (parvo). The Defend Puppies. Defeat Parvo. mission seeks to conquer a virus that, without timely and aggressive care, has a mortality rate as high as 91%1. An estimated 900 dogs are diagnosed with parvo daily2 in the U.S. – mostly unvaccinated puppies. Yet Elanco research revealed only 44% of dog owners know what parvo is, with 20% having no knowledge of the disease.3 With dog owners being the first line of defense in protecting their puppies, there is need for more wide-spread education.
With the introduction of the Defend Puppies. Defeat Parvo. mission, Elanco aims to increase education about this deadly disease, while increasing veterinarian’s access to the first and only U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) conditionally approved treatment for parvo – Elanco’s Canine Parvovirus Monoclonal Antibody.
The Defend Puppies. Defeat Parvo. mission strengthens Elanco’s ability to reach more puppies, more quickly and includes the following:
- Newly established Elanco’s Defenders Fund offers up to $1 million in rebate incentives from Elanco to veterinarians who purchase the Canine Parvovirus Monoclonal Antibody. This can help veterinarians treat more parvo cases, with the ability to track their rebates via myElanco rewards.
- The formation of Parvo Defenders Task Force, made up of like-minded industry leaders and advocates who will champion activities throughout the year to bring awareness to parvo and treatment options. Parvo Defenders Task Force members will also serve as advisors, sharing their insight into pain points associated with diagnosing and treating parvo so, together with Elanco, they can help resolve them.
- A grassroots campaign that enlists and empowers dog owners, veterinarians and pet lovers to take the “Defend Puppies. Defeat Parvo.” pledge to stop puppies from dying of parvo. This comes with a promise to do their part to save 1 million puppies by 2030 by spreading the word about parvo’s signs and symptoms as well as breakthrough treatments that can help put a stop to parvo-related deaths.
Notable names already committed to the Parvo Defenders Task Force include:
- Organizations such as Mars Veterinary Health, IDEXX, Fear Free, Austin Pets Alive, PAWS Chicago, Fix Long Beach
- As well as influential veterinarians Dr. Hunter Finn, Dr. Kristin Zersen and Dr. Fred Metzger – strengthening Elanco’s ability to reach more puppies more quickly.
“Parvo doesn’t have to be a death sentence. Our innovative treatment for parvovirus can help veterinarians and pet owners alleviate the emotional toll associated with parvo,” said Dr. Jennifer Miller, technical veterinarian with Elanco. “Elanco’s Canine Parvovirus Monoclonal Antibody is redefining how we treat the disease, but we can't defeat parvo alone. We’re calling all veterinarians and dog lovers to join our mission and help us save more dogs, more quickly. Together, we can save 1 million puppies by 2030.”
Clinical efficacy studies demonstrate that Elanco’s Canine Parvovirus Monoclonal Antibody delivers targeted efficacy in stopping parvo by blocking its entry into host cells in a puppy’s body through a single, intravenous dose. Results have been highly encouraging. In clinical efficacy studies, zero dogs treated with Elanco’s Canine Parvovirus Monoclonal Antibody died, and the Canine Parvovirus Monoclonal Antibody treatment helped shorten the course of parvo, helping these puppies feel better, faster.
“I’m hoping that the canine parvovirus monoclonal antibody will become the standard of care,” said Dr. Fred Metzger, task force member. “If we make it our first line of therapy, I think you could divert cases away from the ER and back to the private practitioner, where we can treat a large number of parvo puppies that are not even being looked at right now. I’m hoping it will free up emergency clinics a little bit more to really handle the cases that need more immediate care. I see no reason why the canine parvovirus monoclonal antibody wouldn’t be the standard of care moving forward.”
For more information about the Elanco Defend Puppies. Defeat Parvo. mission, Elanco’s Canine Parvovirus Monoclonal Antibody and to Take the Pledge, click here (DefeatParvo.com).
I pledge to forever keep puppies safe. I pledge to lead by example, spreading the word about parvo, its symptoms and treatment. I pledge, because I know together, we can save 1 million puppies from parvo by 2030.
ABOUT ELANCO
Elanco Animal Health Incorporated (NYSE: ELAN) is a global leader in animal health dedicated to innovating and delivering products and services to prevent and treat disease in farm animals and pets, creating value for farmers, pet owners, veterinarians, stakeholders and society as a whole. With nearly 70 years of animal health heritage, we are committed to helping our customers improve the health of animals in their care, while also making a meaningful impact on our local and global communities. At Elanco, we are driven by our vision of Food and Companionship Enriching Life and our Elanco Healthy Purpose– all to advance the health of animals, people, the planet and our enterprise. Learn more at elanco.com.
1. Sykes, JE. Canine Parvovirus Infections and Other Viral Enteritides. Canine and Feline Infectious Diseases. 2014:141-151
2. Elanco Animal Health. Data on File.
3. Elanco Animal Health. Market Data on File.
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