Latest news with #CanadianVeterinaryMedicalAssociation
Time of India
08-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Deadly dog virus outbreak in Ontario leaves puppies dying as vets race to stop the spread
Symptoms Live Events Mobile clinic No direct treatment (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel A recent outbreak of canine parvovirus CPV ) in Ontario is raising concerns among dog owners and veterinarians across Canada, with experts urging immediate vaccination as the most effective is a highly contagious and potentially deadly virus that primarily affects unvaccinated puppies and young dogs. The virus spreads through contact with infected feces, contaminated surfaces, or the fur and feet of infected animals.'This is a disease we see every year, but outbreaks like the one in London, Ontario, are especially concerning,' said Dr. Tracy Fisher, a veterinarian in Regina and president-elect of the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association. 'It's preventable, and yet we still see tragic cases.'Symptoms of the virus include severe vomiting and diarrhea, often with blood and a strong odor, fever, lethargy, and loss of appetite. CPV attacks a dog's white blood cells and can damage the intestinal lining, making it difficult for young or unvaccinated animals to recover without intensive told CTVNews that without hospitalization and proper treatment, survival rates in very young puppies can be as low as 20 to 30 percent. However, with timely and intensive supportive care, including IV fluids and antibiotics, survival rates can exceed 80 late June, veterinarians in London launched a mobile clinic in a housing complex to provide low-cost vaccines and testing. The Windsor area saw 14 dogs die during a December outbreak, while last fall, a Winnipeg dog rescue warned of a possible outbreak in breeds, including Rottweilers, Dobermans, Labrador retrievers, and American Staffordshire terriers, are more susceptible to severe illness, according to VCA Canada, a national network of animal Canada currently has no approved direct treatment for parvo, a new monoclonal antibody therapy recently received conditional approval in the US. The treatment, developed by Elanco, provides passive immunity and has shown promising survival results in infected puppies.'We're excited about the promise of this,' Fisher said. 'Parvo is such a miserable disease. This new treatment gives us hope, especially for puppies.'Still, Fisher emphasized that prevention remains the best strategy.'Vaccinate on time, especially for puppies,' she said. 'It's the most effective way to protect your dog.'
CTV News
08-07-2025
- Health
- CTV News
Amid a parvovirus outbreak in part of Ontario, here's what a Canadian veterinarian says dog owners should know
Tonya Dixon's puppy Sassy prepares to receive deworming medication at a free dog vaccine clinic to combat a canine Parvovirus outbreak on Monday, Feb. 3, 2025, in the Tenderloin in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Emily Steinberger) Recent outbreaks of canine parvovirus (CPV) in Ontario led to spikes in online searches for information on the dog disease. Asked about the outbreak earlier this summer in London and about the prominence of CPV in Canada, an expert says it's a fairly common and persistent disease. Tracy Fisher, a veterinarian from Regina and the president-elect of the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association, told that the frequency of cases varies every year. How do dogs get parvo? CPV, or parvo, is a disease that first appeared in dogs in 1978, according to Veterinary Centers of America (VCA)'s Canadian division. 'The virus that causes this disease is similar to feline panleukopenia (feline distemper); the two diseases are almost identical,' the website for VCA Canada, a network of animal hospitals, says. 'However, that has never been scientifically proven.' The primary source of infection is through the ingestion of the feces of already-infected dogs, according to VCA Canada. It can also be easily transmitted through contact with the hair or feet of infected dogs or with objects contaminated by the infected feces. The virus first enters the tonsils or lymph nodes of the animals, where it invades lymphocytes – a type of white blood cells –which later carry the virus through the body to places like the bone marrow and the lining of the intestines, VCA Canada said. This disease is particularly problematic in animal shelters due to the high number of unvaccinated dogs being kept together. Parvo symptoms The main signs of CPV are severe vomiting and diarrhea that often come with a powerful stench, and contain mucus and blood. Infected dogs can suffer from loss of appetite, fever and depression, according to VCA Canada. It is most common in unvaccinated dogs who are less than one year of age, they said. It is generally not fatal, but there is a much higher fatality rate for some breeds, including the rottweiler, doberman pinscher, Labrador retriever, American Staffordshire terrier and Arctic sled breeds, according to animal hospital group. Fisher said severity and survival also depend on the age of the dogs who are infected. 'Very young puppies almost never survive. If they are not given any supportive care, their survival rates can be as low as 20 to 30 per cent,' she said. Parvo treatment Unfortunately, there is no treatment for the disease available in Canada, Fisher said. But if they are hospitalized and given the right kind of supportive care, the survival rate can be upwards of 80 per cent, she explained. 'The traditional treatment is just supportive care, very intense supportive care,' Fisher said. 'So, we would have that animal hospitalized on intravenous fluids, controlling the nausea, controlling their blood sugar levels, antibiotics to prevent secondary infection. It's quite intensive.' A new treatment has been conditionally approved in the U.S. for CPV. It could potentially be used to treat the disease in puppies and dogs that have been exposed to the disease, according to veterinary publication website It is not available or approved yet in Canada, Fisher said, but she called the U.S. approval a promising sign. 'It's a monoclonal antibody. That means is that we're providing these animals with antibodies directly for the parvovirus,' Fisher explained. 'We're really excited about the promise of this, because parvo is such a miserable disease.' But the vaccines have gotten better and more effective with time, which has helped keep the problem under control, she added. How common is parvo in Canada? Fisher said she treats approximately two or three cases a year at her practice in Regina. Outbreaks are usually localized to certain area, she said. In late June, a London housing community faced a CPV outbreak that prompted local veterinarians to launch an on-site mobile clinic, offering testing and vaccinations for the residents' dogs at a lower cost. In December, an outbreak in Windsor led to the death of 14 dogs, CTV News reported. And a Winnipeg dog rescue organization warned owners last fall about a possible outbreak in parts of Manitoba. Fisher's advice to pet owners is that the most effective treatment for CPV is prevention. Get your dogs vaccinated on time, especially puppies, she said. With files from CTV News London's Reta Ismail and CTV News Windsor's Robert Lothian, and CTV News Winnipeg's Jon Hendricks
CTV News
07-07-2025
- Health
- CTV News
Amid an Ontario parvovirus outbreak, here's what a Canadian veterinarian say dog owners should know
Tonya Dixon's puppy Sassy prepares to receive deworming medication at a free dog vaccine clinic to combat a canine Parvovirus outbreak on Monday, Feb. 3, 2025, in the Tenderloin in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Emily Steinberger) Recent outbreaks of canine parvovirus (CPV) in Ontario led to spikes in online searches for information on the dog disease. Asked about the outbreak earlier this summer in London and about the prominence of CPV in Canada, an expert says it's a fairly common and persistent disease. Tracy Fisher, a veterinarian from Regina and the president-elect of the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association, told that the frequency of cases varies every year. How do dogs get parvo? CPV, or parvo, is a disease that first appeared in dogs in 1978, according to Veterinary Centers of America (VCA)'s Canadian division. 'The virus that causes this disease is similar to feline panleukopenia (feline distemper); the two diseases are almost identical,' the website for VCA Canada, a network of animal hospitals, says. 'However, that has never been scientifically proven.' The primary source of infection is through the ingestion of the feces of already-infected dogs, according to VCA Canada. It can also be easily transmitted through contact with the hair or feet of infected dogs or with objects contaminated by the infected feces. The virus first enters the tonsils or lymph nodes of the animals, where it invades lymphocytes – a type of white blood cells –which later carry the virus through the body to places like the bone marrow and the lining of the intestines, VCA Canada said. This disease is particularly problematic in animal shelters due to the high number of unvaccinated dogs being kept together. Parvo symptoms The main signs of CPV are severe vomiting and diarrhea that often come with a powerful stench, and contain mucus and blood. Infected dogs can suffer from loss of appetite, fever and depression, according to VCA Canada. It is most common in unvaccinated dogs who are less than one year of age, they said. It is generally not fatal, but there is a much higher fatality rate for some breeds, including the rottweiler, doberman pinscher, Labrador retriever, American Staffordshire terrier and Arctic sled breeds, according to animal hospital group. Fisher said severity and survival also depend on the age of the dogs who are infected. 'Very young puppies almost never survive. If they are not given any supportive care, their survival rates can be as low as 20 to 30 per cent,' she said. Parvo treatment Unfortunately, there is no treatment for the disease available in Canada, Fisher said. But if they are hospitalized and given the right kind of supportive care, the survival rate can be upwards of 80 per cent, she explained. 'The traditional treatment is just supportive care, very intense supportive care,' Fisher said. 'So, we would have that animal hospitalized on intravenous fluids, controlling the nausea, controlling their blood sugar levels, antibiotics to prevent secondary infection. It's quite intensive.' A new treatment has been conditionally approved in the U.S. for CPV. It could potentially be used to treat the disease in puppies and dogs that have been exposed to the disease, according to veterinary publication website It is not available or approved yet in Canada, Fisher said, but she called the U.S. approval a promising sign. 'It's a monoclonal antibody. That means is that we're providing these animals with antibodies directly for the parvovirus,' Fisher explained. 'We're really excited about the promise of this, because parvo is such a miserable disease.' But the vaccines have gotten better and more effective with time, which has helped keep the problem under control, she added. How common is parvo in Canada? Fisher said she treats approximately two or three cases a year at her practice in Regina. Outbreaks are usually localized to certain area, she said. In late June, a London housing community faced a CPV outbreak that prompted local veterinarians to launch an on-site mobile clinic, offering testing and vaccinations for the residents' dogs at a lower cost. In December, an outbreak in Windsor led to the death of 14 dogs, CTV News reported. And a Winnipeg dog rescue organization warned owners last fall about a possible outbreak in parts of Manitoba. Fisher's advice to pet owners is that the most effective treatment for CPV is prevention. Get your dogs vaccinated on time, especially puppies, she said. With files from CTV News London's Reta Ismail and CTV News Windsor's Robert Lothian, and CTV News Winnipeg's Jon Hendricks
Yahoo
16-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Latest casualties of the cost of living crisis: Rover and Mittens
Shannon Shorten and her family have spent more than $8,000 in emergency vet visits for their 12-year-old cat Rolo — and she's not sure if they can afford yet another expensive procedure amid the current economic climate. Torontonian Shorten, 52, and her husband adopted Rolo and his brother, Toffee, both orange tabbies, more than a decade ago at a cat rescue. 'I am a redhead, my two boys are redheads, so we needed an orange cat,' she said. Having grown up with outdoor cats who required frequent vet visits, she initially believed she might be able to save on these costs since Rolo and Toffee are both indoor cats. But Rolo ended up having pica, the compulsive urge to eat inedible items. He took a liking to Styrofoam and the stuffing inside toys, leading to a blockage in his digestive tract and his first surgery in 2021. The tests and the surgery (which resulted in Rolo getting 18 staples) set Shorten and her husband back at least $4,000. A year later, Rolo's bad eating habits hurt him again. Shorten said they opted for a minimally invasive procedure this time to save Rolo some of the pain and trauma, but it meant an additional $4,000 out of their pockets. 'We always have that fear because he has a heart murmur too: Will he even survive (another) surgery?' Shorten said. She and her husband also aren't sure if they can afford another emergency vet visit that would cost them thousands of dollars, on top of other financial responsibilities such as meeting their mortgage payments and caring for their children. They are among a growing number of Canadians grappling with the rising cost of animal care, resulting in skipped vet visits and even pet abandonment. Half of pet owners have not brought their pets to the veterinarian for care within the past year or have declined previous recommended care, according to research from Gallup, Inc. and PetSmart Charities of Canada. The majority of those that have skipped or declined care (67 per cent) said this was due to financial reasons, such as not being able to afford care or not believing the care was worth the cost. Dr. Maggie Brown-Bury, executive member of the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA), based in St John's, N.L., said cost has always been an issue deterring some Canadians from accessing veterinary care for their pets. But she has noticed a shift in the past year or so, with pet owners making fewer appointments and the topic of money emerging more often in decisions to postpone veterinary care. The cost factor is twofold, she said. 'Everything is becoming more expensive, and so everyone has less to spend on their pets,' Brown-Bury said. 'At the same time, veterinary clinics are staffed with people who are facing those same increases, so we're trying to make sure that we're paying our staff a living wage, which means the cost of labour is going up, and then the cost of our supplies is going up, and so the cost of our services have to therefore also go up.' Shorten, who is self-employed, said the ongoing trade war has taken a major hit to her baby products business, BabyJack Products Inc., resulting in supply issues, fluctuating sales and unstable income. She avoids taking the cats to the vet for routine checkups unless it's necessary. 'To figure out what's wrong with a cat, you start with the basics, so they'll do blood work, and then, all of a sudden, it's an x-ray, and then maybe it's an ultrasound,' she said. 'The bill just rises so quickly with pets.' A March report from found veterinary service costs have surged, with office visits, preventive care and vaccinations increasing by up to 50 per cent for dogs and 25 per cent for cats last year. This appears to be an ongoing trend: A 2023 CVMA report indicated that households spent a total of $9.3 billion on veterinary and other services for pets in 2022, more than double the $4 billion spent in 2019. Sophie (whose surname has been withheld to protect her privacy) said she and her partner spend nearly $4,000 in veterinary bills for their two dogs every year. Diego, a pure-bred American Staffordshire Terrier with a pair of perpetually upturned ears, is a gentle 13-year-old senior, while Murphy is an energetic six-year-old rescue mutt. They feature on Sophie's pet social media account, @murphspaldiego. Sophie, who is in her thirties, works in the information technology sector and lives on Vancouver Island, B.C. She began posting content about her pets in the beginning of 2024 but started a new series this year in which she documents the monthly costs of pet care. 'I thought it was good to show how (these costs) fluctuate so much, like none of those numbers are ever remotely the same any month,' she said, noting that emergency vet bills can boost expenses significantly. Diego, for example, requires a monthly injection for his arthritis, which has gone up from about $107 to $126 a month since he started taking it. But he has also undergone four surgeries in his lifetime to have melanomas removed, which set Sophie and her partner back thousands of dollars. As a dual-income household with no children, the couple has the leeway to afford veterinary care, so far. Sophie said she and her partner have started stashing about $100 a month into an emergency savings account in case of these surprise expenses. But others struggle to afford the cost of caring for their animals. The Ontario SPCA and Humane Society told Financial Post it is seeing a 16 per cent increase in the number of animals entering its care for re-homing year-over-year across the province. PetSmart Charities of Canada president Aimee Gilbreath said advancements in veterinary care result in more potential for pets to recover from illness or injury and to live longer, but noted many of these treatments and procedures are expensive. 'Unlike human healthcare, those are not subsidized by the government or by your employer,' Gilbreath said. 'You have to pay the full cost.' The veterinary care most often declined included diagnostic procedures such as blood tests and preventive care such as annual check-ups and vaccinations, according to the CVMA report. However, some respondents also said they had forgone recommended medications and declined elective and even life-saving surgeries for their pets. 'The most significant consequence to people hesitating to spend the money is what could have been a small problem becomes a bigger problem, which unfortunately also can mean a more expensive problem — or in the worst-case scenario, a problem that we can no longer fix,' said Brown-Bury. 'There has been an increase in people giving up their pets … and people opting for humane euthanasia (to ensure their pet is not suffering) when there may have been a treatment option that they can't afford to pursue.' Chantelle Archambault, communications director at the Vancouver Humane Society, said its McVitie program, which provides emergency funding for life-saving veterinary care for pets in low-income households across B.C., has ballooned from less than 200 applications in 2020 to about 1,600 in 2024. 'This year, we have already processed more than 900 applications,' Archambault said in an email, noting more people are struggling to afford veterinary care as the cost of living has gone up. 'Increasingly, applicants … mention that their rent alone is nearly the same as their full monthly income,' she added. 'Many applicants report having only $100 to $200 per month left for food for themselves, their pet and other necessities.' Christine Van Tol, 54, is a two-time recipient of this funding for her three-year-old orange cat, Milo, who has been prone to developing urinary tract blockages. Van Tol, who has multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia and other autoimmune issues and relies on disability paychecks to make ends meet, said she had not intended on adopting another cat when she already had one and was grappling with much higher rent payments. However, after rescuing the scrawny kitten and being unable to find him a home, Van Tol decided to keep Milo, who developed a special bond with her other cat, Leia. Unfortunately, Leia underwent kidney failure a year later and Van Tol made the difficult decision to opt for humane euthanasia at the vet, scrounging up $800 from birthday money and her income tax refund to cover all the costs. But when Milo had a urinary tract infection that took a sudden turn for the worse, Van Tol could not afford an expensive surgery so soon after paying for Leia's veterinary care. She went to three different clinics until she found out about financial aid through the McVitie program. She received $500 through the program and managed to raise the remaining $1,200 she needed through GoFundMe within two days. However, 10 months later, Milo was suffering from yet another blockage. Van Tol knew she had to either end his suffering or try one last procedure: a $3,500 perineal urethrostomy (PU) to surgically open the urethra. Luckily, she was able to get funds from the McVitie program and GoFundMe again to get the procedure, done this year. I sacrificed everything ... I wasn't ready to say goodbye Christine Van Tol 'I sacrificed everything,' she said. 'I wasn't ready to say goodbye.' Milo is faring much better today, though Van Tol still has him on a special diet. While pet insurance can save owners money, this can cost pet owners anywhere from $120 to $1,200 or more per year, according to It is also much easier to get coverage for a pet in the early stages of its life, with few providers willing to cover treatment for pre-existing conditions. Gilbreath advised pet owners to be open and transparent about their financial circumstances with their veterinarians. She suggested asking about payment plans and grants, creating a rainy day fund and searching for clinics with lower cost options. High cost of living forcing Canadians to make concessions on auto theft prevention Tariffs causing rising uncertainty in Canadian businesses: StatCan 'The reality is that the magnitude of the problem in Canada alone is billions of dollars a year,' Gilbreath said. 'Addressing this is going to really require all of the facets of the industry to come together.' • Email: slouis@ Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Expert advises to 'keep pets inside' amid Canadian wildfire smoke warnings: How to keep your dog or cat safe
As parts of Canada — including Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan — continue to navigate the effects of raging wildfires, many Canadians and Americans are seeking ways to cope with compromised air quality. People in affected areas are advised to avoid spending time outdoors and people at-risk of respiratory conditions are encouraged to wear N95 masks. But what about our pets? As Canadian families cope with the impact of smoke, it's important to ensure the safety of all members — even the furry ones, like our dogs and cats. Read on for everything you need to know. Dr. Louis Kwantes, former president of the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association, previously told Yahoo Canada that "the danger mirrors the danger to people" for pets exposed to wildfire smoke. That's especially true for pets who go outside. "Dogs love to go outside, but they can also be negatively affected by the smoke — they are," Kwantes said. "I'm thinking about cats with asthma, they can be significantly affected, even indoors too." The impact of smoke is very similar to that on humans. "If they're really close to the fire, there's things like toxic gases and so forth. But most of it, is particulate matter that will actually get down into the lungs," the Alberta-based vet explained. That particulate matter is known as PM 2.5 particles. "The function of a dog's lungs or cat's lungs is very, very similar to human lungs... Birds' lungs are different, but they also definitely can be affected... we recommend keep them inside if they can," he added. "So the damage that it can do to lung parenchyma, or lung tissue, is very similar between our pets and ourselves." Though N95 masks are advised for high-risk people, according to Kwantes, masks for dogs are not the most effective safety measure. "They don't fit properly, and so if you have leakages, whether it's a homemade masks or another one, that's a problem. And also, [dogs] usually don't tolerate them very much," he explained. "What we suggest is where the air quality is very poor, that we keep the pets inside." For those with active dogs involved in outdoor activities, Kwantes added, it's best to limit those activities. "The more they're heavy breathing, it's going to impact the lung function more seriously when the air quality is poor." For cats — which he recommends keeping indoors anyways — he suggests HEPA filters for some rooms. "If we're in an area of the country where the air quality is particularly poor outside, and we're able to go to set up a HEPA filter for even a small part of the house, then both for pets and for ourselves, that's a better place to be when necessary." Kwantes said owners shouldn't "push boundaries" with the dangers of wildfire smoke, and they should look out for symptoms. "If a person does take their dog out and be quite active... and they come back coughing or have significant problems, that's a real issue," the animal doctor said. "I would suggest that pet owners keep a close eye for the signs of problems with poor air quality." These are generally respiratory problems, he said, including: runny nose, coughing, sneezing, runny eyes. "If you see those type of things, then you know that you're already in the danger zone," Kwantes said. Mild signs, such as slight heavy breathing, should be a first warning sign to get your pets inside. But any escalation would be good enough of a reason for a visit to the vet. "Use your common sense," he advised. Keep your pet out from areas of danger — that means keep them inside. For animals with history of health problems, even mild symptoms could lead to serious consequences. "You don't want them to end up with chronic bronchitis or lung consolidation or other issues," he claimed. "I generally say, if you're concerned, that's enough of a concern to go to the veterinarian." Even if the pet isn't showing signs of irritation, use yourself as measure, Kwantes added. "If we're healthy, and we can sense that the smoke is kind of irritating, you can be sure that it will be irritating your pet."
