FORT MADISON, Iowa (AP) - An animal shelter in Fort Madison is trying to protect 37 unvaccinated dogs it received last week from an outbreak of a deadly virus.
The PAW Animal Shelter rescued the Shih Tzus from Burlington after their owner died, The Hawk Eye (https://bit.ly/2ktdDah ) reported.
A dog brought into the shelter last week tested positive for parvovirus, and another one tested positive this week. The virus is spread through dog feces.
Sandy Brown of PAW said even a small amount smeared on the bottom of a shoe or paw can cause infection. The virus, which can be fatal in puppies and small dogs, causes symptoms such as diarrhea and vomiting.
Shelter visitors must now step into a pan full of bleach on their way in and out, and workers are carrying around spray bottles full of bleach for spot sterilizations.
“Parvo instills fear in every shelter in the continental United States,” Brown said.
The shelter has had previous cases of parvovirus. It paid $6,000 for the treatment of two dogs a couple years ago. One of those dogs died.
The shelter must go two weeks without a positive infection to know that an outbreak has passed. Brown said she expects the shelter to have the dogs ready to adopt by mid-February.
The 37 dogs were rescued among a group of nearly 80 Shih Tzus. The remaining 40 dogs from the rescue went to AHeinz57 Pet Rescue in De Soto.
The deceased owner of the dogs is believed to have been a breeder.
The Fort Madison shelter is used to handling large groups of rescued dogs. It took in 28 young dogs last month from another rescue in Burlington. Those dogs have already been adopted.
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Information from: The Hawk Eye, https://www.thehawkeye.com
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