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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - One Yellowknife dog owner wants others to be aware of parvovirus after two of her dogs recently contracted the potentially deadly disease.

"I really think it's important when we get an outbreak like this, in a small place like this, that the public is notified right away," said Deborah Saftner.

These puppies were taken in from Nahanni Butte in 2006. Out of the 14 that caught the parvovirus, 11 survived. - Lauren McKeon/NNSL Photo

"I worked for animal hospitals for many years in B.C. and I know how deadly the virus can be," she added.

Her 12-year-old shitzu contracted the disease two weeks ago and Saftner started noticing signs of the parvovirus in her 10-month-old Yorkshire terrier late last week.

"I've (also) got a four-month-old, four-pound Yorkie. If she gets it I could lose her," said Saftner.

While Great Slave Animal Hospital owner Dr. Tom Pisz denies there is an outbreak, he does acknowledge he's had a few more cases of the parvovirus over the past few weeks.

"It's steady all the time," he said, noting the virus is fairly normal in occurrence.

Pisz added since the disease is more likely in puppies less than three months old, and there's currently a higher puppy population than in the summer, it only makes sense that there would be more cases.

"The more puppies, the more incidents," he said.

And while Saftner wondered why no public announcement was made about the incidences of the disease, Pisz maintained every dog owner knows the risks of parvo.

"Every dog owner has been warned about the parvovirus because it's the only infectious disease that wipes out a lot of dogs - so you have to vaccinate (against) it," he said.

The parvovirus is fairly common and occurs mainly in puppies and older dogs. Without proper medical care, many dogs that contract the disease will die due to dehydration and secondary infections. With treatment, the dog's chances of survival are about 50/50, said Pisz - and with no treatment, much less.

Clinical signs of the disease include tiredness, vomiting, bloody diarrhea and lack of appetite. Dogs that catch the disease are usually hospitalized for treatment.

The disease is easier to prevent than treat but spreads easily. Infected dogs shed the virus in high amounts in their stool. Highly resistant, the virus can survive in freezing temperatures.

"All three of my animals have been vaccinated against the virus ... they don't go anywhere but their yard and they still contracted it," said Saftner.

"It's a virus that's passed from dog to dog. It can be brought in on boots (and) on your shoes if you've stepped somewhere where a dog has been who has been carrying the virus," she added.

Pisz said the vaccination is the best bet against the virus and said if a dog is fully vaccinated the chances of getting the disease is "very rare."

Even so, "anything is possible," he added.