An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure or so the old saying goes – and like many old sayings that have survived the ages, when it comes to parvovirus in dogs, it’s true.

“The cost for treating parvo in a dog is anywhere from $300 to $500,” said Dr. James Tiemann of Fayette County Veterinary Clinic in La Grange. “Conversely, the cost of vaccinating a dog properly against parvovirus is about $100.”

Tiemann and the staff at the vet clinic are concerned about what they say is a high number of parvovirus cases coming from the Smithville area.

“We’ve had 11 cases from Smithville in the last two weeks,” Tiemann said. “We have not had a single case from La Grange.”

A Smithville veterinary hospital spokesperson, however, said they have not seen an unusual amount of parvovirus.

“This is parvo season,” said Dawn McMullen, an employee at Riverside Veterinary Hospital on Texas 71. “It’s been no different from any other year.”

Parvovirus is a devastating pantropic virus, affecting all tissues, Tiemann said. Symptoms usually begin with a high fever, lethargy, depression and loss of appetite. Secondary symptoms appear as severe gastrointestinal distress, such as vomiting and bloody diarrhea. In many cases, dehydration, shock and death follow. The disease can migrate into a dog’s heart, causing sudden cardiac arrest. The virus is highly contagious and can live for a long time in the ground and on surfaces. It’s commonly found in puppies, and adult dogs that are exhibiting no symptoms can be carriers.

“It’s so simple to prevent and so hard to treat,” Tiemann said.

He said that because someone can walk in an area where a dog has suffered from parvovirus in the last six months and carry it into the house, house dogs are not immune.

“It is a cat virus that rolled over into the dog population,” Tiemann said. “It’s really hard on them.”

McMullen did caution that until a dog has been fully vaccinated against parvo, they should not be taken to a dog park or put in a situation with older dogs that may be carriers.

The vaccinations usually take place at six, 10 and 14 weeks. After that, dogs should get booster shots every year.