When Oscar Wilde stopped eating all of his breakfast and developed loose bowels, the first thing the medical team of the Atlanta Humane Society did was check him for parvo.
His test came back positive.
There is no cure for this highly-contagious disease, which is rampant in the Atlanta area during warm months. The only treatment is to keep a dog’s vitals up high enough for the immune system to fight off the disease.
It is a constant struggle for shelters to deal with, let alone treat, and is usually a death sentence.
Luckily for Oscar Wilde, earlier this year when AHS started seeing a rise in parvo cases sooner than usual because of our warm winter, its medical team pulled together a test program for treatment.
Soon after his diagnosis, Oscar Wilde was moved to isolation and administered antibiotics and fluids. The AHS staff kept a close eye on his vitals and well-being for days. Some animals respond well, and others do not survive treatment. But thanks to the plan assembled by the AHS medical team, the dedication of its’ staff, and Oscar Wilde’s fighting spirit, he made a full recovery.
Oscar Wilde was excited to be put on the adoption floor – by all the people, attention and extra pets he got being a rare parvo survivor. Feeling better, his active personality immediately emerged. Within a few hours of being ready for adoption, the happy pup went home with his adoring new family.
But many animals in Atlanta aren’t so lucky. “In our warm and usually damp spring and summer, we see a noticeable uptick in parvo cases. It is also the time of year where we receive the most puppies – putting an even larer percentage of our dog population at risk,” says Cory Olesen of the AHS admissions staff.
It is thanks to generous donations from AHS supporters that Oscar Wilde was able to receive treatment. And it is with continued support that AHS will be able to expand its progressive groundbreaking parvo treatments to help more animals in dire need.
To help animals like Oscar Wilde this summer, make your gift of support at atlantahumane.org/summerdrive.