HealthLinks Charleston Nov/Dec 2022

www. Char l es tonPhys i c i ans . com | www.Hea l thL i nksChar l es ton . com | 91 can make you very sick. Also, puppies with mild symptoms can be treated at home with proper hygiene and good nutrition – and, once they recover, they’ll have lifelong immunity. Dr. Steele offered a few recommendations for a dog’s complete and balanced diet: “I tell pet owners that among the very best foods are Purina Pro Plan, Hill’s Science Diet and Royal Canin.” In what might appear to be a counterintuitive recommendation, Dr. Steele did not counsel keeping your puppy indoors and away from possible contact with other dogs for fear of parvovirus. “Just like children, puppies need to socialize to learn about their world, and the critical period for this is from about three weeks of age to about three months of age,” he said. “This is when they learn what is normal, including who other humans are and what other dogs are like. It’s akin to the pre-K and kindergarten experiences we value so much in human children and worried about so much during their isolation during COVID.” A final word of caution from Dr. Steele: “Be aware of your own hygiene when you’re walking your puppy. Parvovirus can survive in the environment for up to seven months and attach to the bottom of your shoe or to your clothing. And hardly anything kills it.” Just for the record, Dr. Steele noted that the breeds most likely to acquire parvovirus are the so-called “black and tans”: Dobermans and German shepherds. Least like to be infected with the virus: cocker spaniels and poodles. 24 hour Er at Both locations 843.216.7554 24 hr EMERGENCY Board Certified Specialists in Internal Medicine, Oncology, Surgery, Dentistry, Neurology 24 hr EMERGENCY Board Certified Specialists in Internal Medicine, Oncology, Surgery 319 E. 3rd North Street Summerville, SC 985 Johnnie Dodds Blvd Mt Pleasant, SC We offer the highest quality specialized medical and surgical care available for your pets. specialty + emergency pet hospital H E A L T H Y P E T H A P P Y P E T HealthLinks is proud to have BluePearl Charleston as our official sponsor of our Healthy Pet; Happy Pet section. BluePearl Charleston provides around-the-clock veterinary services to our pets in need. For more information on BluePearl Charleston, visit online at bluepearlvet.com/hospital/mount-pleasant-sc or in person at 985 Johnnie Dodds Blvd. in Mount Pleasant or 319 E. 3rd North St. in Summerville or call 843-216-7554. PARVOVIRUS AT A GLANCE Canine parvovirus is a highly contagious virus that can affect all dogs, but unvaccinated dogs and puppies younger than 4 months old are the most at risk. The virus affects the gastrointestinal tract and is spread by direct dog-to-dog contact and contact with contaminated feces, environments or people. Source: The American Veterinary Medical Association avma.org/resources-tools/pet-owners/petcare/canine-parvovirus.

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