A Miami woman is urging dog owners to take precautions after her 14-year-old pet was diagnosed with parvovirus, a highly contagious and sometimes fatal illness that veterinarians say can spread quickly in apartment complexes.
Owner says infection could have been prevented
“I mean I look into her eyes and it’s so hard because I know what’s coming and she doesn’t…um, it’s very sad and it’s preventable,” said Gilat Schwartz, owner of Bella, the dog diagnosed with the virus.
For 14 years, Bella was a lively, happy companion. But on Sunday night, Schwartz noticed something was wrong when she saw blood in Bella’s stool. Soon after, Bella began vomiting and showed signs of low energy—symptoms veterinarians say are common with parvovirus.
By Monday afternoon, Bella was placed in hospice care. Schwartz believes her dog contracted the virus in their apartment complex’s dog area…