Vets warning to dog owners after Cheshire puppy contracts deadly virus
Marshall defied the odds and recovered from Parvovirus
Cheshire vets are warning owners to vaccinate their dogs against parvovirus after the deadly disease nearly killed a puppy.
Marshall was rushed to Woodcroft Veterinary Hospital in Cheadle Hulme on Christmas Day suffering from the disease which is highly contagious and can be fatal to dogs.
At four weeks old, the German Shepherd pup was so poorly, vets feared he might not live.
Only six days earlier, the rescue pup had been fostered by the Botterill family from Offerton, near Stockport. It is thought Marshall had been bred on a puppy farm in Ireland and had not been vaccinated.
Symptoms of parvovirus include foul-smelling diarrhoea with blood in it, vomiting, loss of appetite, collapse, depression, fever and sudden death. Young puppies and unvaccinated dogs, including those who have not had their booster injections, are more at risk.
Marshall, who is now eight weeks old, and new owner Julie Botterill this week popped into the veterinary hospital for a check-up and a chance to meet vet Ashleigh Bates, who helped to save his life.
Ashleigh (pictured left) said: “Marshall was in a critical condition when he came in and we were worried he might not survive.
“A lot of puppies suffering from parvo aren’t as fortunate as Marshall, who has been one of the lucky ones, and it is lovely to see him now looking so well.
“The key thing when he came in was fluid therapy as Marshall was showing signs of being in shock and was also dehydrated. He needed his electrolytes monitoring closely as glucose levels for example can drop rapidly at his age.
“Parvovirus is highly contagious and it is therefore important that people get their puppies vaccinated against this disease.
“He now has a lovely new home and I’m amazed by how much he has grown and how well he’s doing.”