Parvo Sucks

It's parvo season. This time is never fun. It means vomit, diarrhea, disinfect, and repeat at work. In addition you deal with dying animals and people that don't have money to treat the animals. It's such a tough time. This year isn't any easier and if anything the strain is more virulent. On average we're seeing 3-4 cases a day and that doesn't even include those that call in and don't make an appointment. We're constantly dealing with individuals that are calling thinking their pet has been poisoned. Of course they haven't been poisoned. It's parvo. People aren't getting their puppies vaccinated and oftentimes when they do, they give one vaccination...not enough to provide enough immunity. It definitely takes an emotional toll on us. You know you want to provide for the pet but 9 times out of 10 the people don't have money. Just as with human children, it seems that the ones that shouldn't or can't afford to reproduce also have the most dogs and don't take proper care of them. So you're between a rock and a hard place. You try to go through the motions and not try to identify too much with the pet or you'll just crumble. On the other hand there's no denying that you need to help the poor things. You even have the thoughts of, "maybe the pet will be better off in the long run if they do pass." Horrible, I know. But so true. Then, dealing with the humans you wonder if they honestly don't know what they're doing or if they are plain ignorant. The people come in crying saying, "They're like our child." Of course they are, but don't you get your children vaccinated? As with everything it's trying to find the happy medium. Go to work, do my job, have compassion (but not too much), and go home.

So, FYI...parvo is VERY bad here in Sandusky. If you have a puppy that's not vaccinated, get it vaccinated ASAP. If you have an adult dog that's not current on vaccinations, get it vaccinated ASAP. Even adult dogs that are current on the vaccination can run the risk of contracting the disease. Of course this is rare but all vaccinations aren't 100%. And even if they were to contract the disease the severity will be much less. Parvo sucks but it's a preventable disease.