Virus slays 7 dogs in just a month in QC village

by DAISY JANE T. SANDE
University of Santo Tomas Journalism program



QUEZON CITY—DOG owners here are becoming extra-conscious of their pet dogs after a deadly virus killed seven canines consecutively at Hobart Village in Novaliches.
Momoy Marzan, who already lost two three-month-old puppies from the canine parvovirus, has been applying a parvocidal disinfectant, Vikron S.
Karlene Contado, former owner of a five-year-old mixed-breed of an American bulldog and a Dashcund named Riyouchi, uses bleach since it is affordable.
Marzan’s and Contado’s dogs were among those who died one after the other last June with the canine parvovirus virus (scientific code: CPV2).
A symptom of the virus is blood that can be seen in these dogs’ feces, like those in Marzans’ two puppies.
“They (Marzan’s puppies) are living normally until one day, they had bloody feces and then died immediately,” he said.
It was said that Mang Momoy’s two puppies probably acquired the virus when a neighbor’s Labrador died with the same symptoms.
Some three houses away Mang Momoy’s home, another German shepherd puppy died, owned by Buboy Veluz.
CPV2 is a highly-contagious disease whose transmission can be direct or indirect between dogs. There is no dog-to-human transmission of this virus.
If a certain community has at least one dog infected, the spread will be quick especially when dogs excrete feces that contain blood.
The parvovirus causes dogs to vomit uncontrollably, lose their appetite, and experience severe diarrhea.
Most of the affected dogs in Hobart Village, like Minerva Balazo’s mixed breed, just stayed at home, lived and ate normally.
“Chloe,” a mix breed of Japanese Spitz and Golden Retriever, was at home when Balazo’s house helper called her to inform of the dog’s death during the week after spate of death in Hobart’s neighboring streets.
Studies show that the virus lived in an environment for about one to seven months long, and the only way to kill the virus in an infected place is by applying a parvocidal disinfectant in a correct concentration, or use bleach.
No other dog-victim from the said village was reported since June. (336 words)



Daisy Jane Sande, a third year Journalism student of UST, submitted this story for her Newspaper Practice and Management class.