Vets are urging pet owners to vaccinate their dogs against the deadly parvovirus, as cases in unvaccinated dogs rise in one regional Victorian community.
The RSPCA says vaccination is the best way to protect a dog against parvovirus.Some vets say they are servicing more pet owners with hesitancy about pet vaccines since the COVID-19 pandemic.Some vets are suggesting titre test ing as a possible alternative to vaccines. It tests an animal for virus antibodies, an indicator of natural immunity against illnesses, but the RSPCA says the test has limitations.
"For example, there have been claims that vaccines lead to 'autism' in animals. There is absolutely no evidence to support this."Online, one Australian-run social media group promoting "holistic pet treatments" has more than 80,000 members. Titre testing relies on laboratory analysis to measure antibody levels in a blood sample, to determine an animal's natural immunity status.
"What can be high for one animal doesn't necessarily confer the same degree of immunity against the disease as the same number would be in another animal.""Vaccines work and they do help a lot," Dr Oke said.
Parvovirus — preventable with vaccinations which tend to cost between $90 and $250 in Austalia — attacks the lining of a dog's small intestine, leading to severe diarrhoea and vomiting, often with blood. Dr Oke said she thought the low vaccination rate in Mildura was due to a lack of education and interest among pet owners.
Misinformation Vets Titre Test Dogs Crystal Lord Rspca Parvovirus Benetook Veterinary Clinic Pet Vaccination
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