‘Miracle dog’ Olly beats deadly virus

1:00pm Sunday 18th March 2012 in News by Harriet Marsh

RECOVERY: Yvonne Burgess with six-month-old Olly who has just recovered from parvovirus

A ‘MIRACLE dog’ from Poole is recovering from a deadly virus that’s claimed pets’ lives in the county.

Six-month-old Olly started vomiting violently after contracting the highly contagious parvovirus, despite having had his jabs.

Owner Yvonne Burgess is warning other dog walkers of the risks after nearly losing her beloved pet.

Yvonne, from Lagland Street, said: “Olly started retching and vomiting and had diarrhoea.

“He was gradually getting worse and worse and worse.”

Vets at Pets At Home, near Fleetsbridge, did not think the black Springer-cross would make it and he was rushed to intensive care at Walton Lodge vets.

now he is back home and allowed out for walks again.

Yvonne, 56, said: “They think Olly picked it up sniffing the mess of another dog that hasn’t been vaccinated.

“He’s made a full recovery thanks to the brilliant vets, but I want people to have their dogs vaccinated and clean up after them.

“If not they’re going to end up like Olly was.”

she added: “We tend to be a bit more paranoid now. If we see him sniffing anything we make sure he gets away.

“The vet said he’d seen three cases in the past three years and the other two didn’t make it.

“Olly is a miracle dog.”

PARVO is a common and potentially serious viral disease in dogs, which first appeared clinically in 1978.

larger breeds are more susceptible but any breed can get parvovirus and vaccinations are the best protection.

it can affect the heart muscle causing breathing difficulty and death in very young dogs, or the intestines with symptoms including lethargy, vomiting, loss of appetite, diarrhoea and fever.

there is no treatment specifically for parvovirus beyond supportive care with antibiotics, fluids and anti-vomiting drugs.

many puppies infected need to be hospitalised. Surviving the first three days is usually a good sign for long term survival.