Our pets are more central to our lives than ever before. As veterinarians, it’s a privilege to help care for pets and return them to their families. But it is heartbreaking when we can't. For me, the worst cases are the ones that shouldn’t happen, like canine parvovirus (parvo).
I’ve seen it many times, both as a practicing veterinarian and now, as I work with veterinarians around the country. A puppy arrives at the clinic, their frail body sensitive to touch. Their belly is painful. Their energy is gone. They aren’t eating or drinking. And the smell of their poor bodies as they try to fight this virus is something that most veterinarians recognize immediately.
We turn our practice upside down to keep patient Zero and all other pets safe. And limited resources (staffing, isolated medical bays or rooms, and treatment) make it just that much more taxing.
Parvo is just plain sh*tty – in every sense of the word.
With only 44%1 of dog owners truly aware of what parvo is, it’s time for veterinarians to grab the leash and help bridge this parvo education gap.
On April 23rd Elanco will declare the first-ever National Parvo Awareness Day – a pivotal moment in the lead-up to parvo season - to increase education and encourage conversations about parvovirus. Earlier this year we kicked off the Defend Puppies. Defeat Parvo. mission to save 1 million puppies by 2030. As part of this, we’re unveiling a stop-you-in-your-tracks campaign ‘Parvo is Poop’ to raise awareness around parvo’s often crappy impact.
Elanco will also introduce the first-ever canine parvovirus tracking tool, ParvoTrack – powered by Elanco, empowering veterinarians (and pet owners) with additional insights to keep pups safe. Visitors can self-report parvovirus cases at DefeatParvo.com as well as sign-up to receive text and email alerts about outbreaks in their area. This will be game-changing intelligence.
Last year, hope emerged when the USDA awarded conditional approval to Elanco’s Canine Parvovirus Monoclonal Antibody – the first and only targeted treatment for parvovirus. The treatment shows tremendous results. Zero dogs were lost in clinical efficacy studies and there’s evidence the treatment may help shorten parvo’s course, so puppies feel better faster and get home sooner. But this alone won't stop parvo.
We need dog owners to clearly understand just how much of a threat parvo is to their puppies, and that they can minimize that threat. Next, we need to fight parvo by utilizing all the weapons at our disposal. Here are some simple steps we can take to help bridge that education gap and save 1 million puppies from dying from parvovirus:
- Make sure pet owners are aware of the importance of avoiding dog poop. Because parvo is spread through infected dog feces.
- Have pet owners observe their dog or puppy’s behavior. If they have any of the signs and symptoms of parvo, such as refusing to eat, vomiting, diarrhea or lethargy, call a veterinarian and get them checked.
- Ensure you have access to the first and only USDA conditionally approved treatment that targets parvo – Elanco's Canine Parvovirus Monoclonal Antibody – if a dog or puppy tests positive.
As veterinarians, our No. 1 goal is to protect – to help safeguard society’s pets from danger and disease - increase their quality of life and mitigate any pain or suffering.
We’re part of an animal’s first line of defense, so let’s better the odds against parvo. Let’s work together to save 1 million puppies by 2030 and use the first-ever National Parvo Awareness Day, coming April 23, to educate dog owners that Parvo is Sh*tty and be prepared, ourselves, with Elanco's Canine Parvovirus Monoclonal Antibody to treat parvo positive puppies that come to you for help.
We can change the tide!
1 Elanco Animal Health. Market Data on File.
PM-US-24-0150
Dr. Jennifer Miller
Technical Veterinarian
