@parvoalert Shows Support For PupAid

@parvoalert, the twitter-based canine parvovirus (CPV) early warning system, has signed up to sponsor this year’s PupAid, the annual anti-puppy farming event organised by vet Marc Abraham. It takes place on Saturday 7 September on Primrose Hill in London. @parvoalert is a twitter feed that updates followers on the geographic location of cases of CPV. It was launched in late 2012 by veterinary pharmaceutical manufacturer Virbac. Vets and owners learning of a case tweet the first half of the postcode where it has occurred to @parvoalert, which then retweets it. As an additional precaution, Virbac sends practices in the affected postcode a ‘Parvo-Alert pack’ to help them warn pet owners. The service has already warned of more than100 cases and has almost 1,400 followers. It has recently moved onto facebook. Marc Abraham, vet at Grove Lodge Vets in Brighton, is campaigning against puppy farming.  PupAid is an annual fun dog show for all the family on Primrose Hill, London, featuring trade stalls, displays, have-a-go agility, fresh food, music and fun classes judged by celebrity dog lovers. Mr Abraham has recently launched an online petition asking for a ban of puppies being sold without their mothers present to stop the supply of sick diseased farmed pups. In just a few weeks it has already gained more than 30,000 signatures.  He comments: “@parvoalert is a simple but effective way of warning owners about cases of deadly parvovirus.  We share common goals – to promote early detection of the disease; to raise awareness of it and to reduce the number of cases through ensuring that all puppies are vaccinated.   Too many puppy farmed puppies sadly aren’t vaccinated so are left vulnerable to this horrific disease.  We’re delighted to have @parvoalert on board as a supporter of PupAid.” Simon Boulton MRCVS, Companion Animal Marketing Manager at Virbac, says: “Puppy farming and parvovirus are inextricably linked as parvovirus is a disease that is particularly common amongst puppies raised in inadequate, unhygienic conditions. We’ve been grateful for Marc’s backing since we launched the service and support his efforts to outlaw puppy farming. PupAid is rapidly establishing itself as an annual fixture in the dog lovers’ calendar and I’m looking forward to attending with my dogs! I’ll be using the opportunity to talk to owners about the dangers of parvovirus and encouraging them to protect their dogs through vaccination.” Alongside its Canigen vaccine range, Virbac also offers Virbagen Omega, the veterinary interferon based treatment for CPV and Speed Parvo FC, a rapid in-house diagnostic test for the disease.

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