West Coast dog owners are being urged to ensure their pets are fully vaccinated after a puppy was recently diagnosed with the highly contagious and potentially life-threatening canine parvovirus.
James Rodgers of the Coastal Animal Rescue and Education Network said the owner of a puppy in Hitacu reached out to the network after their young dog became ill and, based on the symptoms, CARE helped organize a trip out of town.
B次元官网网址淭he closest open vet, because it was the weekend, was Nanaimo and so [the puppy] went to the emergency down there, which of course just reinforces the need for us to have more local resources and professional vet services on the Coast,B次元官网网址� Rodgers said. B次元官网网址淭hat pup went down and the vets there confirmed that it was a case of parvo. The number one thing that everybody should be aware of is that all puppies and dogs should be vaccinated for parvo.B次元官网网址�
Rodgers could not speak to the Hitacu puppyB次元官网网址檚 current condition, but said that the West Coast sees a parvovirus outbreak roughly once-a-year and a 2018 outbreak killed B次元官网网址渕ore than a handful of dogs.B次元官网网址�
The virus is spread through bodily fluids, like vomit and feces. Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea and lethargic behaviour.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a very quick virus and obviously very painful for the animal,B次元官网网址� Rodgers said. B次元官网网址淚t can come out of nowhere and itB次元官网网址檚 not uncommon for puppy to die within 12 hours.B次元官网网址�
He said the incident serves as terrifying proof that the West Coast needs increased veterinarian services.
B次元官网网址淐AREB次元官网网址檚 2019 New YearB次元官网网址檚 resolution is that we will be working with a number of vets to establish services regularly on the Coast again,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚n some cases, itB次元官网网址檚 literally a matter of life and death. In other cases, itB次元官网网址檚 just tragic when [a pet] is in pain and an end of life situation and the closest resources to handle that humanely are a bumpy, long, three-hour ride away. Pain, suffering and death are what weB次元官网网址檙e dealing with.B次元官网网址�
The West Coast has not had a full-time veterinarian since the College of BC Veterinarians revoked Jane HuntB次元官网网址檚 veterinary license in 2004 after new regulations came into play that mandated equipment upgrades Hunt could not afford. She had served as the regionB次元官网网址檚 only vet since 1988.
B次元官网网址淲est Coast communities have been calling for a regular veterinary service since Jane Hunt stopped practicing,B次元官网网址� said Tofino mayor Josie Osborne who noted the Alberni Veterinary Clinic currently visits both Tofino and Ucluelet once-a-month.
B次元官网网址淚 think many people are grateful that there are regular visits from Port Alberni based vets for immunizations and check-ups, but practically every family with pets that I know is concerned about quicker and more convenient and affordable access for regular check-ups and more urgent care.B次元官网网址�
She added travelling out of town for emergency medical care is not always feasible for pet owners and that a local vet could provide valuable preventative health measures.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 important to remember that veterinary services are private businesses and they do have significant capital costs to establish a clinic and many requirements to meet through their governing legislation, the Veterinarians Act,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚 suspect thereB次元官网网址檚 a great deal of work for a prospective West Coast vet to do to determine if itB次元官网网址檚 a viable prospect in Tofino or Ucluelet, but I know that the CARE Network is working hard to attract and work with prospective veterinarians, and is looking at different models of delivery. WeB次元官网网址檙e extremely fortunate to have a committed and professional organization like the CARE Network.B次元官网网址�
Carla Anderson owns the regionB次元官网网址檚 only pet shop, Ocean Pet Supplies, and said establishing a veterinary clinic would not be viable without local government funding from all West Coast communities.
B次元官网网址淯nfortunately, we donB次元官网网址檛 really have the capacity to have a full time vet here based on the cost of running a clinic,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e had four different veterinarians from all over B.C. look into opening a clinic up here and itB次元官网网址檚 literally $1 million-plus to open a bare-bones clinicB次元官网网址f course the community would benefit from a full time veterinarian, but that doesnB次元官网网址檛 mean that itB次元官网网址檚 feasible for someone to go into debt for $1 million to come up here and try to open a clinic.B次元官网网址�
Rodgers encourages any residents interested in supporting a pursuit for a local vet to visit or the networkB次元官网网址檚 Coastal Animal Rescue Facebook page.
