Mysterious Michigan distemper identified by state officials

The mysterious disease that has dozens of dogs sick and killed throughout Michigan has been identified as canine parvovirus by state officials.

The announcement of the Department of Michigan of Agriculture and Rural Development comes after an animal shelter in Ostego County reported that at least 30 animals were victims of the disease, despite testing negative.

Canine parvovirus spreads through stool and includes symptoms such as fatigue, loss of appetite and diarrhea.

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“Canine parvovirus is a serious and highly contagious disease in dogs, but the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and veterinary professionals have extensive experience with this virus,” state veterinarian Nora Wineland said in a statement.

“We have a very effective vaccine available to help protect dogs against the virus. Dogs that have not been fully vaccinated against this virus are most at risk,” she continued. “Dog owners in Michigan need to work closely with their veterinarians to ensure their dogs are properly vaccinated and given timely boosters to keep their pets safe and sound.”

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Michigan officials say a “highly effective” vaccine is available to help protect dogs against canine parvovirus.
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Kim Dodd, director of the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory at Michigan State University, described the situation as “complex because, although the dogs showed clinical signs suggesting parvovirus, they consistently tested negative by point-of-care tests performed in clinics and shelters.

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“While those tests are valuable in the clinical setting, they are not as sensitive as the diagnostic tests we can run here in the lab,” she added. “We continue to characterize the virus in hopes of better understanding why those animals tested negative on screening tests.”

The canine parvovirus does not affect other pets, Michigan officials said.
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But Michigan officials also stressed that “Canine parvovirus is NOT contagious to humans or other types of pets.”

Andrea Vacchiano of Fox News contributed to this report.