Worksop woman warns dog owners of highly infectious parvovirus after nine-month-old puppy dies

Kamila Malinowska, aged 31, is warning other dog owners of the highly contagious parvovirus which took the life of her nine-month-old puppy Toby.

Kamila, her husband and seven-year-old daughter first noticed something was wrong with the pedigree beagle puppy on December 20 when Toby had diarrhoea, vomiting, no appetite, and lethargy.

Kamila said the symptoms stopped for a few hours before coming back “with increased intensity”. The family said they thought the young dog had been “poisoned”.

The family took Toby to Wildbore Vetstop, on Turner Road, Worksop, where they did an ultrasound, a fluid drip and medicine to stop the vomiting and diarrhoea. A test later showed he had contracted parvovirus.

Parvovirus is a virus that attacks the lining of the intestines, causing severe pain, bloody diarrhoea and vomiting, and dehydration in dogs. Most dogs who receive veterinary treatment quickly can survive the disease, but it can be fatal even if they are treated quickly due to its severity.

It is a very contagious infection which can be spread from an infected dog, infected dog poo, or anything an infected dog has touched, such as bedding, a food bowl, or a lead.

Dog owners are urged to keep their canines safe with annual vaccinations to protect them from parvo and other illnesses.

Sadly, despite being vaccinated against the disease, Toby then developed sepsis on Christmas Eve and was put to sleep.

Kamila said her daughter, Vanessa, “misses her friend”, and it was the “worst Christmas of our lives”.

She said: “We had to say goodbye to him and put him to sleep because he was in so much pain.

“He was well cared for [by the vets], and they did everything they could to help and treat him.

“We are very sad and miss him very much. The house is so quiet and empty.”

Kamila is now urging other owners to clean up after their dogs and be wary of the signs of the lethal disease.

Toby is said to be one of a number of dogs who has recently lost its life to parvovirus in the Worksop area, after Wildbore Vetstop put out a public notice stating that there has been an increase in cases.

The veterinary practice is urging any owners with dogs displaying symptoms of the disease to contact them for advice.

A spokesperson for Wildbore Vetstop said: “We unfortunately have seen an increase in cases of parvovirus over the last few weeks and we are very sad to say that some lovely dogs have lost their lives to it, despite both their owners and our team doing everything we could for them.

“Parvovirus can be spread through faeces and vomit, with symptoms sometimes not showing up for several days.

“If your dog experiences symptoms such as diarrhoea with blood in it, vomiting or loss of appetite please contact us for advice.”