Mum's warning after puppy dies from deadly virus - seven symptoms to look for

03 October 2023 , 12:36

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Natasha Bailey's dog Luna (Image: Contributed)

A mother has issued a warning to other dog owners about the spread of a highly contagious disease that claimed the life of her young puppy.

Natasha Bailey, 31, had to make the heart-wrenching decision to euthanise Luna, her five-and-a-half-month-old Cane Corso, after she contracted parvovirus. Natasha noticed something was amiss when Luna stopped eating and drinking. She recalled: "When I got up, there was all blood in her blankets. She was lethargic and her eyes had sunk. She wouldn't even eat a tiny bit of chicken."

The family managed to secure an emergency appointment at the vet's office on Sunday, where Luna was put on a drip and kept overnight. However, by the time Natasha went to collect her the following day, Luna's condition had deteriorated so severely that she had to be euthanised.

Natasha Bailey with her dog Luna (Contributed)

Luna with baby Dollie (Contributed)

Natasha told StokeonTrentLive: "I've got five children; they're all heartbroken. I've kept the dog cage - I'm not ready to take it down yet. My little girl, she's only one. She keeps looking into it not knowing where she's gone. It's so sad. The amount of dogs with the same thing is unreal."

Parvovirus is a canine disease that damages the intestinal lining, leading to severe vomiting and diarrhoea. It also targets the infection-fighting cells within the bone marrow, weakening the immune system and making recovery for dogs extremely challenging.

Baby boy has spent his life in hospital as doctors are 'scared' to discharge him

After sharing her experience on Facebook, Natasha was taken aback by the number of dogs, like Luna - who passed away on September 11 - that were vaccinated but still succumbed to the infection.

In an effort to raise awareness, Natasha has distributed leaflets and spoken to other parents at the school. She added: "If I can just show people what signs to look out for, even if it saves at least one dog."

"I've had at least 20 messages off different dog owners. One man had lost three dogs, all fully vaccinated. My sister's dogs are sick with it too, they're vaccinated. I can't stress how bad this thing is. Some dogs seem to make it and others don't. I've never owned a dog before and I'm never owning one again - it's been heartbreaking."

Animal charity PDSA has given this advice: "Your dog's survival chances from parvovirus significantly increase if you seek veterinary help as soon as symptoms are noticed. Dogs that receive immediate intensive care in a veterinary hospital have a higher likelihood of survival, but due to the severity of parvovirus, some may not survive even with treatment. Without treatment, parvovirus is almost always fatal."

Key symptoms to look for:

• Severe diarrhoea that has a foul smell, is watery and bloody
• Vomiting
• Extreme lethargy
• A very high or very low body temperature
• Pale gums
• Abdominal pain
• Loss of appetite

* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story. You can report any errors to [email protected]

Rachel Alexander