Owners are advised to check for symptoms
ANIMAL Welfare League Queensland (AWLQ) has issued an urgent alert to pet owners across South East Queensland and Northern NSW following a rise in cases of canine parvovirus and feline panleukopenia.
These highly contagious and potentially fatal diseases require immediate attention.
“Both parvo and panleuk are extremely costly to treat, and prevention is always the best approach,” said AWLQ’s State Rehoming Manager, Melinda Phipps.
“We strongly encourage pet owners to ensure their animals are up-to-date on their vaccinations.
“Vaccinating your pets is the best way to protect them from these diseases.”
Symptoms of feline panleukopenia include diarrhoea, vomiting, fever, lethargy, and abdominal pain, with young kittens particularly at risk.
For parvovirus in dogs, warning signs include severe, bloody diarrhoea, vomiting, lethargy, fever, and loss of appetite.
AWLQ advises pet owners to act quickly if symptoms appear and to isolate affected animals. Keeping unvaccinated cats indoors can also help reduce the spread of the feline virus.
Due to the outbreak, AWLQ’s Gold Coast Rehoming Centre has paused accepting surrendered cats and kittens, and vaccination protocols at other centres have been strengthened.
“This outbreak is the most significant we’ve seen in recent years,” said Ms. Phipps, attributing it to recent vaccination shortages and economic pressures.
AWLQ is working to provide additional vaccination support, with updates to follow on its website and social media.