FALKLAND ISLANDS GOVERNMENT
PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT
18 March 2021
Canine parvovirus cases update – serology results
Following an outbreak of severe gastrointestinal disease in dogs from Goose Green last month, serological samples from three of the sick dogs returned positive results for canine parvovirus, a highly infectious disease not thought to be present in the Falkland Islands. Only two small outbreaks of parvovirus have been diagnosed in recent times.
A further 38 serum samples from apparently healthy dogs from FLH farms and other farms across the Islands, were sent for serological screening to determine if previous exposure to the virus was widespread or limited. The presence of antibodies does not mean a dog is sick or is shedding the virus, but that they have had previous exposure and mounted a good immune response.
The testing results were as follows:
Parvovirus testing:
18 out of 24 samples from FLH farms combined tested positive for parvovirus antibodies
4 out of 14 other samples from farms tested positive for parvovirus antibodies
Canine adenovirus testing – this virus causes infectious canine hepatitis:
20 out of 24 samples from FLH farms combined had antibodies for canine adenovirus
8 out of 14 samples from other farms had antibodies for canine adenovirus
Canine parvovirus and infectious canine hepatitis cause similar symptoms, from mild gastrointestinal disease to severe weight loss, vomiting and diarrhoea, and death, especially in young dogs. Dogs may show no symptoms but be able to spread the virus. There has never been a confirmed outbreak of infectious canine hepatitis but as many dogs, especially on East Falklands, have antibodies against this virus we can conclude that a low pathogenic variety may have been circulating for some time. As both viruses can cause severe disease and are highly infectious there are many reliable vaccinations available; we are therefore seeking suggestions from veterinary epidemiologists in the UK.
As many dogs already have good levels of antibodies against parvovirus and adenoviruses there is no immediate need to start an Islands-wide vaccination programme for all dogs, but we recommend that puppies and adolescent dogs are fully vaccinated and also dogs travelling for the first time to FLH areas. Pups should be vaccinated twice, at 6 and 10 weeks of age, or once at 10 weeks or older.
There were also three weak positive results for antibodies against distemper, which is frequently fatal and signs of this disease have never been reported in the Falklands. As these results are weak positives and likely to be false positives, they will be followed up. Protection against distemper is included in the vaccinations that will be ordered. Protection given by vaccinations for these diseases lasts at least 3 years.
Currently the veterinary service has a reasonable stock of parvovirus-only vaccinations and will begin to roll out vaccination offers to dogs in higher risk areas and to farms that have requested them.
Further serological testing across West Falkland and the Outer Islands will be arranged in due course.
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ENDS