Paws for a Purpose is rolling out a series of discounted parvovirusvaccinations clinics across Australia with the most recent having recentlyopened in Wagga Wagga.
The clinic will offer $15 parvovirus vaccinations or microchipping to petsowned by local concession card holders, including pensioners, Newstartrecipients and health card holders.
Parvovirus is potentially fatal to dogs and sadly the most significant risk-factor for canine parvoviral disease in pet dogs is socioeconomicdisadvantage. There are around 20,000 cases occurring annually across thecountry – hence the focus on localised, discounted vaccination clinics forconcession card holders.
Co-founder of Paws for A Purpose, Dr Mark Kelman says that disadvantagedregions report more canine parvovirus cases and higher euthanasia rates –creating enormous heartbreak from the loss of puppies in those communities.
“Our focus now is to continue to widen our reach of vaccination clinics acrossAustralia, building on successful efforts in Rockhampton and now Wagga Wagga,focussing on places where outbreaks have been identified by our parvo disease-surveillance website ParvoALERT.com,” Dr Kelman says.
“Our research shows the highest canine parvovirus case numbers occur in ruraland remote regions, which are also the most socio-economically disadvantaged.
“For example, in Rockhampton veterinarians recorded 233 canine parvoviruscases from 2016 to 2019 and in Wagga Wagga veterinarians recorded 420 canineparvovirus cases from 2014 to 2017.
“But actual cases are likely to be much higher than these reports, as manycases don’t get to vet clinics, which is why our new ParvoALERT.com website isso vital to help identify areas where we need to concentrate our vaccinationefforts.
“Given that rainfall is an identified risk factor for outbreaks of canineparvovirus, we are very concerned that the deluge of rain affecting EasternAustralia could lead to severe parvovirus outbreaks.”
Local Wagga Wagga veterinarian, Dr Ebony Schoenfeld, says the clinics areoffering parvo vaccines at a significant discount to protect the pets ofpeople in the community who may not normally be able to do so.
“Parvovirus is a horrific disease that not only kills puppies and young adultdogs, but also causes awful suffering in the meantime. It is highlydistressing for owners to lose their companion pets in this manner,” says DrSchoenfeld.
“This discounted vaccination program will help pet owners to fully vaccinatetheir puppies and maintain yearly boosters for adult dogs against parvovirus,and in doing so, protect them from a potentially painful death.
“Even if your dog never leaves your property, this virus can live in theenvironment for years, and can be brought onto your property on your shoes orcar tyres. That’s why vaccinating our entire canine community is soimportant.”
Tagged: Parvovirus, Paws for Purpose
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