Sadly people arnt bothering getting their animals vacinnated (or neutered).
Alot of people buy a pet and it never see's a vet.
Parvo is a very nasty thing and Dogs suffer greatly and have a terrible death

100 extra doses of vaccine doesn't seem many for a potential lethal outbreak - methinks the vet is creating a market.
Also, seems strange that a dog with the illness happened to be at the vets when a photographer appeared to cover the 'news'. It should be tucked up in bed not used as part of an advertisisng campaign.
There's no news of this in the canine press...

If my dog had his vaccine against Parvovirus as a pup would he still be able to get ill from it?

To Me-I havent had my 2 year old staff vaccinated,but I have just had her speyed. Choose was injection to stop any bugs she might get or speyed to stop more unwanted pups. Have I done wrong? Am I a bad owner? O she has been to a vet about a sore foot,so am I still a bad owner for not getting the injections?? Think before you type. Also do you have a pet Me??

Tracey,
There are many epople now in the dog fraqternity that do not have their dogs vaccinated and they follow natural diets as well. This does not make them bad people. In fact if a dog is over the age of five and has always had the yearly injections they normally do not need any more as they haver all antibodies they need. After all children dont have boosters every year.
I suggest those that are worried go to some of the many pet forums and join in the discussions with people who are not profiting from giving dogs high priced food, injections and other chemical treatments.
Look at the BARF diet and the RMB diet for ways to keep your epts healthy.
Your breeder should also be consulted if you bought from such a person. Remember that reputable breeders normally have more day to day knowledge of a dog that these young vets.

To Tracey,

Why have a dog if you can not give the dog the proper care it needs, your own fault if your dog get the virus..............

if vets didnt charge the bl*ody earth maybe we could get our pets the vacinations they need, . you have the pdsa but you have to be below a certain wage to qualify using them. these days £20k a year isnt much not when you consider what you pay out.

Dog Owner wrote:
To Tracey, Why have a dog if you can not give the dog the proper care it needs, your own fault if your dog get the virus..............

Dog Owner, nothing in Tracey's post suggested she was a bad dog owner. She was asking a question.
People who pump cash into vets purses are not necessarily doing the best for their pets either they are just caught up in the guilt trip vets throw at them if they dont go running to a vet as soon as a dog's nose drips.
We never used to have our pets pumped full of drugs or need to buy expensive food products and they lived long happy lives.

I pay £28.00 a year for my dog to have his injections, these injections cover everything including parvo, I think this is not a great amount of money seeing that it is only once a year. I would rather pay £28.00 a year than watch him suffer this terrible illness.

Please note the only vets who are saying there is an outbreak are the veterinary group in the article. I have telephone SIX other vets in the area and most said there are no parvo incidents, one said there are the normal odd incidents of it for this time of year. One practise said there has been the normal summer tummy bugs but nothing serious. I suggest that anyone who is worried speaks to their own vet about this rather than listen to a veterinary group who are obviously touting for business.
Oh and one of their branch surgeries didn't have any information to tell me about the 'outbreak'

I have asked my dog how he felt....he said ruff

Should I be worried?

anyone who says they cant afford vaccinations is using a lame excuse. Get some bloody insurance then and you wont have to worry about it when the dog gets ill and saying that breeders have more knowledge than a trained vet is just plain stupid they may know more about a dogs behavour maybe but when it comes to a dogs ill health i would think that a vet who has had training would be the expert not a breeder.

To all who haven't vaccinated - So as puppies were your dogs never vaccinated?? The majority of dogs that contract Parvovirus are under the age of 5. Parvovirus is a deadly disease and once contracted is very contagous to other dogs it can take up to 7 months for your home environment to become free from the virus. Normal disinfectants cannot wholey kill the bacteria!!! For those who cannot afford the injection I think is a terrible excuse. Get some insurance or if you can't afford it or the vaccination then DONT GET A DOG! Dogs are a massive responsibility. Parvovirus is passed through dog faeces. How many of you pick up your dog poo?? I would imagine only ½ of the people here who have posted. How many of you walk your dogs on a daily basis where they come in to contact with other dogs faeces which are left in the park and public places around this country?? The majority I would suggest and that is where it can all stem from. Please vaccinate your dogs it’s far cheaper than having a hefty vet bill because your dog is seriously ill.

Claire wrote:
To all who haven't vaccinated - So as puppies were your dogs never vaccinated?? The majority of dogs that contract Parvovirus are under the age of 5. Parvovirus is a deadly disease and once contracted is very contagous to other dogs it can take up to 7 months for your home environment to become free from the virus. Normal disinfectants cannot wholey kill the bacteria!!! For those who cannot afford the injection I think is a terrible excuse. Get some insurance or if you can't afford it or the vaccination then DONT GET A DOG! Dogs are a massive responsibility. Parvovirus is passed through dog faeces. How many of you pick up your dog poo?? I would imagine only ½ of the people here who have posted. How many of you walk your dogs on a daily basis where they come in to contact with other dogs faeces which are left in the park and public places around this country?? The majority I would suggest and that is where it can all stem from. Please vaccinate your dogs it’s far cheaper than having a hefty vet bill because your dog is seriously ill.

"Normal disinfectants cannot wholey kill the bacteria!!!"

Its a virus (clue in the name) not a bacteria.

FAIL!

To all it concerns. I rescued my dog a year ago,she was breed to be a fighting dog,we took her in.So I dont pay for the vaccinations for her,that is my choice,but they are soo expensive. The nearest charity organisation is in Lewisham. I cant get her there. Most buses wont take staffs,cant afford a cab and no family to help. So she goes without her injections. But she doesnt roam the streets to be near enough to other animals to catch anything. I paid £100 to have her speyed. So am I wrong to do that? There will be no unwanted pups from here to be used for violence like she would of been. You can say what you like about how I care for her. She is well fed,walked every day and has all the love in the world in my home.

Tracey wrote:
To Me-I havent had my 2 year old staff vaccinated,but I have just had her speyed. Choose was injection to stop any bugs she might get or speyed to stop more unwanted pups. Have I done wrong? Am I a bad owner? O she has been to a vet about a sore foot,so am I still a bad owner for not getting the injections?? Think before you type. Also do you have a pet Me??

Tracey. If you cannot afford to look after your dog properly then you should not have one. I personally think you have done wrong. I have 2 dogs. They have their injections every year. They are both speyed and they have Frontline every month too. They are also insured at a cost of £40 a month. It is very expensive but I think that if you have a pet then you have a responsibility to look after it properly.

Charlie wrote:

Claire wrote: To all who haven't vaccinated - So as puppies were your dogs never vaccinated?? The majority of dogs that contract Parvovirus are under the age of 5. Parvovirus is a deadly disease and once contracted is very contagous to other dogs it can take up to 7 months for your home environment to become free from the virus. Normal disinfectants cannot wholey kill the bacteria!!! For those who cannot afford the injection I think is a terrible excuse. Get some insurance or if you can't afford it or the vaccination then DONT GET A DOG! Dogs are a massive responsibility. Parvovirus is passed through dog faeces. How many of you pick up your dog poo?? I would imagine only ½ of the people here who have posted. How many of you walk your dogs on a daily basis where they come in to contact with other dogs faeces which are left in the park and public places around this country?? The majority I would suggest and that is where it can all stem from. Please vaccinate your dogs it’s far cheaper than having a hefty vet bill because your dog is seriously ill.

"Normal disinfectants cannot wholey kill the bacteria!!!" Its a virus (clue in the name) not a bacteria. FAIL!

I do not appreciate your answer however you are entitled to your own opinion!

However there are still bacteria from the virus passed via dog feaces which can still be evident on your dogs coat. If you read up on the virus you would know that canine parvovirus comes in 2 strains and can even be transmitted via surfaces like floors, bedding even your dogs coat
e.t.c!!!!

Nick wrote:

Tracey wrote: To Me-I havent had my 2 year old staff vaccinated,but I have just had her speyed. Choose was injection to stop any bugs she might get or speyed to stop more unwanted pups. Have I done wrong? Am I a bad owner? O she has been to a vet about a sore foot,so am I still a bad owner for not getting the injections?? Think before you type. Also do you have a pet Me??

Tracey. If you cannot afford to look after your dog properly then you should not have one. I personally think you have done wrong. I have 2 dogs. They have their injections every year. They are both speyed and they have Frontline every month too. They are also insured at a cost of £40 a month. It is very expensive but I think that if you have a pet then you have a responsibility to look after it properly.

Nick I agree wholeheartledly with everything you say!! I too have 1 dog and it is vaccinated, wormed, frontlined and due for spey in the next few weeks. She is also insured costing £25/month. If you can't afford to do these things then I'm afraid in my opinion you should not have a dog.

Tracey wrote:
To all it concerns. I rescued my dog a year ago,she was breed to be a fighting dog,we took her in.So I dont pay for the vaccinations for her,that is my choice,but they are soo expensive. The nearest charity organisation is in Lewisham. I cant get her there. Most buses wont take staffs,cant afford a cab and no family to help. So she goes without her injections. But she doesnt roam the streets to be near enough to other animals to catch anything. I paid £100 to have her speyed. So am I wrong to do that? There will be no unwanted pups from here to be used for violence like she would of been. You can say what you like about how I care for her. She is well fed,walked every day and has all the love in the world in my home.

Tracey, there is a pdsa at Thamemead and another in Croydon. Also contact the staffordshire breed rescue as hy amy be able to help. Well done for rescuing your dog.

Claire wrote:

Charlie wrote:

Claire wrote: To all who haven't vaccinated - So as puppies were your dogs never vaccinated?? The majority of dogs that contract Parvovirus are under the age of 5. Parvovirus is a deadly disease and once contracted is very contagous to other dogs it can take up to 7 months for your home environment to become free from the virus. Normal disinfectants cannot wholey kill the bacteria!!! For those who cannot afford the injection I think is a terrible excuse. Get some insurance or if you can't afford it or the vaccination then DONT GET A DOG! Dogs are a massive responsibility. Parvovirus is passed through dog faeces. How many of you pick up your dog poo?? I would imagine only ½ of the people here who have posted. How many of you walk your dogs on a daily basis where they come in to contact with other dogs faeces which are left in the park and public places around this country?? The majority I would suggest and that is where it can all stem from. Please vaccinate your dogs it’s far cheaper than having a hefty vet bill because your dog is seriously ill.

"Normal disinfectants cannot wholey kill the bacteria!!!" Its a virus (clue in the name) not a bacteria. FAIL!

I do not appreciate your answer however you are entitled to your own opinion!

However there are still bacteria from the virus passed via dog feaces which can still be evident on your dogs coat. If you read up on the virus you would know that canine parvovirus comes in 2 strains and can even be transmitted via surfaces like floors, bedding even your dogs coat
e.t.c!!!!

Wrong - no "bacteria from virus" can exists - that is impossible.

Nick wrote:

Tracey wrote: To Me-I havent had my 2 year old staff vaccinated,but I have just had her speyed. Choose was injection to stop any bugs she might get or speyed to stop more unwanted pups. Have I done wrong? Am I a bad owner? O she has been to a vet about a sore foot,so am I still a bad owner for not getting the injections?? Think before you type. Also do you have a pet Me??

Tracey. If you cannot afford to look after your dog properly then you should not have one. I personally think you have done wrong. I have 2 dogs. They have their injections every year. They are both speyed and they have Frontline every month too. They are also insured at a cost of £40 a month. It is very expensive but I think that if you have a pet then you have a responsibility to look after it properly.

Well done to you,so what you are saying,is that I shouldnt have my dog,and that I should of left her with the man that wanted to fight her??? Good on you...

Ooops,did forget,I have had pets for roughly 20 years. Never had any of the cats or dogs vaccinated,they have never been ill and they have lived to a very good age.

There are places like the PDSA who can help you with this sort of thing.

For the bacteria guy. So dog feaces doesn't contain bacteria?? Hmmm The virus is passed through the feaces read this: http://www.marvistav
et.com/html/what_is_
parvo.html

come on wrote:
if vets didnt charge the bl*ody earth maybe we could get our pets the vacinations they need, . you have the pdsa but you have to be below a certain wage to qualify using them. these days £20k a year isnt much not when you consider what you pay out.

Then why not take out an insurance policy for your pet, you can find monthly payments from as little as £4 a month for a basic policy which would cover unexpected costs some will even offer the immunisations as they see it as a preventative measure, afterall its preferable to pay £30 for necessary prevention then to pay the £300+ vet fees when and if your pet gets ill.

My Doggy has had all his jabs and been spayed cost quite a bit to do it but it was worth it for him not to get ill or anything he was a rescure dog got beaten up and tied to a post and abaonned so his not had a nice life to start with don't want him getting sick as well!!

Claire wrote:
There are places like the PDSA who can help you with this sort of thing.

For the bacteria guy. So dog feaces doesn\'t contain bacteria?? Hmmm The virus is passed through the feaces read this: http://www.marvistav
et.com/html/what_is_
parvo.html

I never said they don't contain bacteria.

But you are pretending to know it all about this virus, but you don't even know the difference between a bacterium and a virus!

Bacteria can reproduce by themselves and are single celled organisms. Viruses are a splodge of DNA and/or RNA, held together in a viral shell that cannot reproduce by themselves, and do not, according to most many scientists, constitute life, as they need a living host to reproduce.

So, if you have a anti bacterial disinfectant, it will most likely have no affect on this virus, as they are fundamentally different things.

Lets hope the virus kils all the devil dogs that are in our area. The ones with the young man who has all the brains of a pilow and thinks he will be the hardest man in kent with a big dog on a lead.
Those dog owners are going to cause us all grief, look at the dog centre at brands hatch its all unwanted staffs and oit bull mongrels, no respectful family wants a devil dog and to be honest we need them all put down.

there is no such thing as a devil dog the owners are at fault not the dog so the owners should be put down not the poor animal as for not being able to afford to look after your pet should you not have thought of this before you got him/her you are the most irresponsible of all owners and should have your dog taken away from you bloody idiots like this make me mad

As a volunteer homevetter and rescuer with a local animal sanctuary I am no longer suprised by any thing people do with their animals (not only dogs). Pets are a huge responsibility and cost the earth - something people need to consider before taking one on. Insurance is really important, my rescue schnauzer has cancer and fortunately he is insured and my vet is claiming the cost direct from Petplan. His bill will run into thousands so I am so relieved as not sure how I would have paid his bill, what a horrid choice I would have had to make. Insurance does not cover immunisations flea treatments wormers etc. For your pets sake please get them vaccinated.
The size of vet bills is prohibitive for many but the costs of drugs etc and the staff salaries plus the general running costs of the surgery need to be covered.
To the lady who rescued the staff well done but if you cannot afford vet bills there are rescue centres who will take such animals in.

dee wrote:

come on wrote: if vets didnt charge the bl*ody earth maybe we could get our pets the vacinations they need, . you have the pdsa but you have to be below a certain wage to qualify using them. these days £20k a year isnt much not when you consider what you pay out.

Then why not take out an insurance policy for your pet, you can find monthly payments from as little as £4 a month for a basic policy which would cover unexpected costs some will even offer the immunisations as they see it as a preventative measure, afterall its preferable to pay £30 for necessary prevention then to pay the £300+ vet fees when and if your pet gets ill.

Insurance does not cover parvo jabs - they are included in with the usual jabs that are also not covered.
Petplan is the most expensive insurer and is pushed by vets as they get commission. Look at the ones sold in Tesco,Asda and M&S they cover most things very well and you can pay monthly. Also the Kennel Club have a good policy and your dog does not have to be registered with them to be insured.
Even if you cannot afford a policy, and no law says you that you have to have one it is purely optional, you could put a few pounds aways each week in case of emergencies. I do this for my pets cremations as they're not covered by insurance policies - in fact what with excess charges a lot of policies ar not worth anything unless your pet is really ill or injured - which no one is wishing on them!

I lick my gonads a lot, will I pick up this virus ?

i have a 3year old staffie and he has had all his inj and his boosters every year. its true why get a dog if you cant afford to look after him and care for his needs. you wouldn't treat a baby like it so why your family pet.

Oh dear, I bet there are a lot of worried women in South East London. Get your injections in ladies!

SG wrote:
Oh dear, I bet there are a lot of worried women in South East London. Get your injections in ladies!

Only idiots will panic but it'll be enough to pay for another set of wheels on the vet's porsche.

come on wrote:
if vets didnt charge the bl*ody earth maybe we could get our pets the vacinations they need, . you have the pdsa but you have to be below a certain wage to qualify using them. these days £20k a year isnt much not when you consider what you pay out.

If you can't afford to pay for the very best care for your pet then don't get one.

Pet ownership is about you taking full responsibility for that animal for the duration of its life.

The PDSA exists because selfish people who can't afford to properly care for pets throughout their life still choose to get them.

I think the work that PDSA staff do is outstanding but every person who needs to access their services should take a deep long look at themselves and face the fact that they cannot afford to care for their pet therefore they shouldnt have one!

so you own a dog for 5 years, get made unemployed and your dog gets sick, you cant afford a vet as you have just been made unemployed so use the service of the pdsa...thats makes you a bad dog owner and you shouldnt own a pet eh james ? I think your attitude is pathetic and your a merchant banker and i feel a lot of pet owners who have been in this posistion would agree, at best your opinion is not thought out or you just enjoy talking out your arse...but then most of the posters here are doing that as well so your not in the boat on your own !

The above poster was speaking a lot of sense until he/she spoilt it by becomming a tad verbal. None of us know what life will throw out way in the future. However I do think the amount of rules that dog owners are supposed to follow these days in a bit ridiculous - its a shame people who have children aren't so well monitored.

To all the 'responsible pet owners' are you saying that if you were made unemployed that you would give your dog away? What utter rubbish!
I would like to think that you stick with your pet through thick or thin. When you brought your pet that lives for an average of 10 to 16
years, did you really have the foresight to know that your life would be finacially secure for all of your pets life? Most of us are not that lucky! And yes i do believe that pets should be insured, vaccinated, and de-fleaed and wormed but alot of you need to realize that situations can and do change. And that doesnt make you a bad pet owner! By the way the PDSA would prefer you to use their services than to give your pets away and put them in a rescue centre, which consequently are over run.

So to all those saying about vaccinations,that I am a bad owner for not getting my dog down,blimey she has missed one injection. Do I really have to get rid of her?? What about the parents who dont vaccinate their kids,do they too have to get rid of their kids???

Cant afford a pet? dont get one, have kids but can't afford to bring them up? Well you should have thought about that before u opened your legs!

I think compulsary sterilisation for any 16 year old not in emploment sounds like a good move to me.

Wont have to spend so much on vaccinations and other NHS care wasted on wasters!

All you people who think this country owes you something, get a life!

Break the cycle of taking by giving something back for a change. Be responsible!

I know its difficult, but try thinking about other people before yourself.

Pets as well as life should be means tested. If you have paid in you can take out, if you a sponging ponce who relies on my taxes and my charity donations for your pet care and weekly dole money, well I have no time for you.

And before I get the normal what about the disabled? Well, where are their family? But yes, people who cannot care for themselves because of disabilities should be cared for and allowed a decent standard of living by the government. If we had less sponging unemployed scum in this country there would be more money in the pot for those who deserve our support!

Get a job before you get a pet, keep a job for a few years and maybe you should be allowed to have a kid, otherwise, NO NO, NO!

Dog owners please please take this parvo outbreak seriously. My 7 month old pug (who HAS been vaccinated) has caught parvo and has been desperately ill and at death's door. He was one of the puppies being treated at Park Vets. One skeptic above says that the so called outbreak only relates to Parkvets;hence suggesting it is a marketing excercise. That is rubbish. I know first hand that as at today (Sat 16 aug) Parkvets in Sidcup alone has 5 parvo cases with dogs in isolation on drips and fighting for their lives. If you add the cases from their other branches we are into double figures. I also know of other vets in the area facing the same problem. There IS an outbreak. YOUR dog is at risk. The survival rate for a parvo infected dog is just 50%. You can all bleat on about not being able to afford vaccinations but without a vaccination it is highly likely your pup will die from parvo. if you cannot afford to give your pup basic protection against disease by having the injections please don't get a dog. i am one of the lucky ones. i got my pup home yesterday - he is traumatized but still alive. If he had not had the vaccination he would have been dead. Fact. The vaccination does not guarantee your pup will not contract parvo but it will give him a decent chance at fighting the deadly disease. I also understand from the vet and vaccine company that it is due to the high number of unvaccinated dogs that the parvo infection rate is so high. That, in turn, is compromising the effectiveness of the vaccine in exactly the same way as the MMR problem we now see with children. Don't be selfish. If you cannot afford vaccinations. DO NOT GET A DOG!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for listening and please, if you love your dog, vaccinate him and keep him away from other dog's faeces and bums during this risky time.

Tracey wrote:
Ooops,did forget,I have had pets for roughly 20 years. Never had any of the cats or dogs vaccinated,they have never been ill and they have lived to a very good age.

No you shouldn't have left the dog with the man that wanted to fight him/her. You should have reported him to the RSPCA.

kelly pritchard wrote:
Dog owners please please take this parvo outbreak seriously. My 7 month old pug (who HAS been vaccinated) has caught parvo and has been desperately ill and at death's door. He was one of the puppies being treated at Park Vets. One skeptic above says that the so called outbreak only relates to Parkvets;hence suggesting it is a marketing excercise. That is rubbish. I know first hand that as at today (Sat 16 aug) Parkvets in Sidcup alone has 5 parvo cases with dogs in isolation on drips and fighting for their lives. If you add the cases from their other branches we are into double figures. I also know of other vets in the area facing the same problem. There IS an outbreak. YOUR dog is at risk. The survival rate for a parvo infected dog is just 50%. You can all bleat on about not being able to afford vaccinations but without a vaccination it is highly likely your pup will die from parvo. if you cannot afford to give your pup basic protection against disease by having the injections please don't get a dog. i am one of the lucky ones. i got my pup home yesterday - he is traumatized but still alive. If he had not had the vaccination he would have been dead. Fact. The vaccination does not guarantee your pup will not contract parvo but it will give him a decent chance at fighting the deadly disease. I also understand from the vet and vaccine company that it is due to the high number of unvaccinated dogs that the parvo infection rate is so high. That, in turn, is compromising the effectiveness of the vaccine in exactly the same way as the MMR problem we now see with children. Don't be selfish. If you cannot afford vaccinations. DO NOT GET A DOG!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for listening and please, if you love your dog, vaccinate him and keep him away from other dog's faeces and bums during this risky time.

Kelly, I am sorry to hear about your dog. I was the person who posted the comment and I telephoned around and checked my facts before posting - that does not make me a skeptic it makes me a realist. I am a dog owner, breeder of long standing so know what I am saying.I have checked canine forums and the internet there is no major outbreak as intimated by the article - thank goodness!
I wish your dog well.

To local from swanley
Why are you breeding puppies ?
Dont you think there are enough unwanted dogs without you adding to the problem ?

If you cant be bothered to vaccinate your dog, and it then catches a virus, then it is your fault the dog is suffering and you should be ashamed. I see excuses here for not ensuring your dogs wellbeing. I see adverts online asking for a free dog because they cant afford to buy one. If you cant look after your dog, dont get one!!

Its a bit strong calling that bird a dog.just get her vaccinated

Ellie wrote:
To local from swanley Why are you breeding puppies ? Dont you think there are enough unwanted dogs without you adding to the problem ?

Not that its any of your business but I am a proper breeder, I only have a litter when I want a puppy, my puppies go to good pet or show homes and are very much loved - all homes are vetted. In over 34 years I have never had a problem with my dogs or owners and none have ended up in rescue. All my dogs are health checked and reared correctly. I am a breed expert and judge. I have served on canine committees and worked for rescue. My dogs are bred to the breed standard and have been winners at Crufts.
So whats your point?
MY dogs have better pedigrees than your children - what's their health record like and are you a good parent?

local wrote:

Ellie wrote: To local from swanley Why are you breeding puppies ? Dont you think there are enough unwanted dogs without you adding to the problem ?

Not that its any of your business but I am a proper breeder, I only have a litter when I want a puppy, my puppies go to good pet or show homes and are very much loved - all homes are vetted. In over 34 years I have never had a problem with my dogs or owners and none have ended up in rescue. All my dogs are health checked and reared correctly. I am a breed expert and judge. I have served on canine committees and worked for rescue. My dogs are bred to the breed standard and have been winners at Crufts. So whats your point? MY dogs have better pedigrees than your children - what's their health record like and are you a good parent?

What a nasty person you are...there was no need for your last comment!

None of your puppies have ended up in a rescue BUT every puppie you breed means a dog in rescue dies.
I find it hard to believe that some who has "worked in rescue" would breed aswell !

Dont be so silly, I replied in the same vein as your post to me. Don't dish it if you can't take it.
As for your statement about me causing dogs in rescue to die because I breed a few litters is downright stupid. Why not target the back street breeders not decent honest people who live and work for canines and strive to improve the health of dogs? There are very few of my breed in rescue and whenever we hear of one we work as a team to ensure it gets a good home for the rest of its life. As for campaigning for dogs I've appeared on radio defending them and advised ITN on rules concerning dangerous dogs plus I have written about dogs for the national press - so you've targeted the wrong person here!
I suggest you go learn how to spell the word puppy before spouting off at me about it.
'Work in Rescue' for your information means being available every day to advise people in your breed to be good owners and help them rehome a dog if it can no longer remain in its present home. It means rattling cans to collect money for breed rescue and educating people to be good owners. Manning stalls at crufts to educate people. Being a decent dog owner means arranging your life around your dogs and not going off to work each day and leaving them.
AS soon as people like you hear the word breeder you are ready to jump down our throats as if we are some sort of baddies. God we are the people who are funding rescue societies and educating dog owners to be responsible people. It the general public who are the ones buying from back street breeders and people out to make a quick buck. We breeders are registerd and we work for dogs - they are our lives.

James wrote:

come on wrote: if vets didnt charge the bl*ody earth maybe we could get our pets the vacinations they need, . you have the pdsa but you have to be below a certain wage to qualify using them. these days £20k a year isnt much not when you consider what you pay out.

If you can't afford to pay for the very best care for your pet then don't get one. Pet ownership is about you taking full responsibility for that animal for the duration of its life. The PDSA exists because selfish people who can't afford to properly care for pets throughout their life still choose to get them. I think the work that PDSA staff do is outstanding but every person who needs to access their services should take a deep long look at themselves and face the fact that they cannot afford to care for their pet therefore they shouldnt have one!

it must be wonderfull to be so perfect. so you agree the pdsa does wonders for selfish/skint animal owners, how about the slappers that drop brats at the drop of a hat thatus tax payers pay for ???? same principal but ooooh god forbid should anyone say anything...cos we all need 10 kids each...more benefits eh ?????????????

To the person claiming that veterinary surgeries make commission from PetPlan, I can assure you they do not!
Of course there are many other policies out there but at the end of the day you get what you pay for and many cheaper policies will not cover certain things, have high excesses to pay and will only pay out a maximum amount every year.

Local wrote:
Dont be so silly, I replied in the same vein as your post to me. Don't dish it if you can't take it. As for your statement about me causing dogs in rescue to die because I breed a few litters is downright stupid. Why not target the back street breeders not decent honest people who live and work for canines and strive to improve the health of dogs? There are very few of my breed in rescue and whenever we hear of one we work as a team to ensure it gets a good home for the rest of its life. As for campaigning for dogs I've appeared on radio defending them and advised ITN on rules concerning dangerous dogs plus I have written about dogs for the national press - so you've targeted the wrong person here! I suggest you go learn how to spell the word puppy before spouting off at me about it. 'Work in Rescue' for your information means being available every day to advise people in your breed to be good owners and help them rehome a dog if it can no longer remain in its present home. It means rattling cans to collect money for breed rescue and educating people to be good owners. Manning stalls at crufts to educate people. Being a decent dog owner means arranging your life around your dogs and not going off to work each day and leaving them. AS soon as people like you hear the word breeder you are ready to jump down our throats as if we are some sort of baddies. God we are the people who are funding rescue societies and educating dog owners to be responsible people. It the general public who are the ones buying from back street breeders and people out to make a quick buck. We breeders are registerd and we work for dogs - they are our lives.

You have totally missed my point!
I understand that you are what you would like to call a proper breeder and i agree that is better than a BSB...BUT you still add to the growing problem of unwanted dogs.
Have you ever worked with groups who struggle to get dogs out of the pound before they are PTS ?
Have you are worked with rescue where there is just no more room to bring in another dog which means you know it will be PTS ?

What is your breed ?

Hey All,

This is quite serious, as my brother's dog was taken in ill last night and almost died from this. Again he is a puppy and has been vac. I would keep an eye on your dogs if I was you as the news article said, this could be an outbreak..

this is quite a nasty virus as my little girl BETSY(rotweiller) as just died from this on 14th august 2008. she was only 5 and was loved by everyone. if u notice any symptoms please get your dog checked to save you the heart ache that i am having now. she got symptoms on saturday and went to sleep on the thursday. please all look for the signs as your dog cant tell you itself.

steve wrote:
this is quite a nasty virus as my little girl BETSY(rotweiller) as just died from this on 14th august 2008. she was only 5 and was loved by everyone. if u notice any symptoms please get your dog checked to save you the heart ache that i am having now. she got symptoms on saturday and went to sleep on the thursday. please all look for the signs as your dog cant tell you itself.

I am so sorry Steve.
RIP Betsy.

Steve, Could you tell us if Betsy had been vacinnated as a few people are saying that even with the Vac their dogs have caught Parvo
Being Vac'ed doesnt always mean an animal wont catch something but maybe there is a new strain of parvo about

As a nurse with over 8 years experience I can confirm that Parvo is out there and is killing animals. I have seen 8 cases in the past 2 weeks alone which is very unusual.
It's a sickening, life threatening disease with a survival rate of around 50%. Vaccinated animals stand a better chance of survival due to the antibodies received from vaccines. I have been nuring patients over the past few weeks in an insolation unit who are dying in front of me. Would you like that to be your pet??? Plasma transfusions, anti-viral drugs, drips, loads of differing medications and bills over £1000 to get them back to full health. Is that what all of you irresponsible pet owners want???
Why not put your hand in your pocket, be senible and get a simple vaccine for your pet once a year. Would you not vaccinate your children if you had to pay???
If you can't be responsible, don't own a pet. Not vaccinating makes other people suffer as a result of you bloody minded neglect.
Animals can still catch Parvo even when vaccinated, the same as people can catch diseases/viruses dispite vaccines.
The point is they will have some immunity against the disease and are more likely to recover.

As for vets cashing in on selling insurance - rubbish. Vets receive nothing for selling pet insurance and whoever said that needs to get their facts straight.

If you call round many vet practices they WONT mention the outbreak of Parvo as they are protecting their business and still want clients turning up. At least this practice has made a stand, noted it as a problem and are willing to admit it is in their surgery.
Give them a break, they are only making it public to make you stupid, irresponsible pet owners aware of a serious disease which could kill your pet.

If you can't protect your own pet, don't own one.

everyone knows Parks vets are the most expensive around, If only dogs that use park vets are getting ill, then obviously the vacinations they have given are sub-standard. perhaps if they thought more about tha animals and less about profit , they could have avoided this.

katy wrote:
everyone knows Parks vets are the most expensive around, If only dogs that use park vets are getting ill, then obviously the vacinations they have given are sub-standard. perhaps if they thought more about tha animals and less about profit , they could have avoided this.

Sub-standard vaccines..... right! Most veterinary practices use similar, if not the same brand of vaccines. An outbreak of Parvo CANNOT be avoided but the risks can be MINIMISED by vaccination.
I do not work for Parkvets but have had an outbreak of Parvo in my practice too.
I have never seen an outbreak like it! We have not changed brands of vaccine and have never had a problem in the past (do see 2-3 cases of Parvo per year), so will you tar us with the same brush of being *sub-standard*?

It isn't a vet practice who makes the vaccine, we simply administer it.
There is just an outbreak which sadly cannot be avoided.
It's one of those things.

My dog had Parvo 2 years ago, it was between his 2nd puppy booster and his year old booster. He was one of two puppies in the vets with the viruse but luckily he survived because we acted quickly! Please all owners clear up your dogs mess, other dogs sniffing the mess can spread this. The councils should crack down on the lazy owners. I have always taken a bag and cleared up after my dog luckily or more dogs would have been ill!

The celia hammond animal trust in lewisham offer low cost vaccinations. The PDSA will only see your pet if you are in receipt of housing benefit or council tax benefit. Personally there are far too many low lives obtaining animals from friends or neighbours who can't be bothered to take their pet to a vet to be neuetered. I do think the benefits agency should be clamping down on those that see animal breeding as a second income and not declaring it to the tax man. If you can't afford the vet you can't afford the pet!