INUVIK - Veterinarian Peter Krizan is back in Inuvik and has teamed up with the Beaufort Delta SPCA to offer a vaccination clinic.

Veterinarian Peter Krizan, left, along with his brother Matt, is returning to Inuvik to offer his services in two-week visits. - Kira Curtis/NNSL photo

"The vaccines up here are absolutely necessary because we do have a problem with parvovirus and rabies," Krizan said from his clinic on Carn Street. "The problem comes when people don't want to pay or can't afford it."

The clinic will be on Thursday, Feb. 24 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the RCMP garage on Veterans Way.

He said the clinic aims to make it accessible and affordable for residents to get their dogs checked and vaccinated and reduce the spread of animal viruses and disease in town this year.

"To recover a dog from parvo, the cost of that is generally never under $800, so for the cost of the $100 visit where you get your physical exam, your shots and everything is recorded, versus not doing it, or doing it every three years and saving $40, it makes no sense," Krizan said.

As spring comes and the weather warms, air and water-borne diseases bloom and that's when Krizan sees more sick animals, most with parvovirus.

Parvovirus kills about half the dogs it infects, through severe diarrhea and dehydration or, in very young puppies, sudden cardiac arrest. Most puppies infected die unless they get medical treatment.

Krizan said when a dog comes in the clinic with parvovirus, they have to first test for the virus, which runs around $100, then put the animal on IV fluids that cost around $169 dollars per day and IV antibiotics. There is 24-hour monitoring and because the virus is so contagious,

Krizan can't accept other dogs into the clinic.

Parvovirus is one of the most common viral diseases in dogs. It is not contagious to humans but highly contagious to other dogs and Krizan wants to keep the concentration of sick animals to a minimum for the animals' safety.

Krizan, helped out by his brother Matt, will also give each animal a full check-up before giving them the vaccination.

"The misconception is you that just give a dog a shot, but the whole idea is that you need to have a physical exam done on the dog to make sure that it can actually take the vaccine," he said.

He is not back practising in Inuvik full time, but is working on a schedule to check up on the pets in town throughout the year.

"The bottom line is prevention is the best answer," he said.

We welcome your opinions. Click here to e-mail a letter to the editor.