CHELSEA, Mass. — On July 1, Sophea Eang was elated to take home the dog she’d dreamt about for two years, and tried to find for two months. Then she learned he was severely ill.
“He was throwing up at first,” said Eang.
Her puppy, named Biggie Smalls had parvovirus, a potentially deadly intestinal disease that the American Veterinary Association says can affect all dogs but mostly unvaccinated puppies under 4 months old.
Biggie was purchased from a breeder in Missouri and trucked by a transportation company to New England. He was supposedly up to date on his vaccinations, Eang told Boston 25 News.
“I was in tears,” Eang said as she described after being told by a veterinarian that Biggie’s chances of surviving the parvovirus were 50-50.
He responded to treatment and is recovering after an extended stay with medical staff at MSPCA-Angell.
“It’s really frustrating to treat because it can kill a puppy in 12 hours, said Dr. Virginia Sinnott-Stutzman, Emergency Critical Care Senior Staff, who treated Biggie.
Biggie is the 8th puppy Sinnott-Stutzman said she treated since the pandemic began, and suspected cases are up 20% compared to 2019, according to the MSPCA.
Parvovirus is a reportable disease to the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources. Boston 25 News requested data for each month of the pandemic in addition to the past two years.
The 2020 data only included cases up to February, of which there were 11. In 2019, the state reports there were 77 cases, 73 in 2018, and 97 in 2017. The data represent cases that had been reported.
Given the increase in parvovirus seen by MSPCA veterinarians, they suggest using a local breeder, not one out-of-state who ships the dog or if you are adopting, use a rescue. Dogs made available at rescues are generally old enough where parvovirus is no longer an issue, according to Sinnott-Stutzman.
As for Biggie, he is still eating through a feeding tube and does not have the strength to go for a walk outside, but his owner believes he will regain his full health.
The bill for Biggie’s care was over five thousand dollars, said Eang.
“He’s ten weeks old, he can’t speak for himself, it’s not his fault he got this.”