Massive Number of Golden Retrievers to Gather Despite Rising Dog Deaths

A large Golden Retriever gathering is still set to take place in Michigan after several dogs in the state died due to canine parvovirus.

"The Second Largest Gathering of Golden Retrievers is going to take place as scheduled," the Northwest Michigan Golden Retriever Club said in a Facebook post. "This statement from the Michigan State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory yesterday confirms that parvovirus took the lives of the dogs in northern Michigan and that the affected dogs did not have a history of complete vaccination."

On Thursday, American Kennel Club Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr. Jerry Klein told Newsweek that "Canine parvovirus is a highly contagious virus that can affect all dogs, but unvaccinated dogs and puppies younger than four months old are the most at risk. Dogs that are ill from canine parvovirus infection are often said to have 'parvo.'"

"The virus affects dogs' gastrointestinal tracts and is spread by direct dog-to-dog contact and contact with contaminated feces (stool), environments, or people. The virus can also contaminate kennel surfaces, food and water bowls, collars and leashes, and the hands and clothing of people who handle infected dogs," Dr. Klein said.

According to the AKC, puppies should receive a series of parvovirus vaccinations shortly after they are born and Dr. Klein said that "Puppies should receive a dose of canine parvovirus vaccine between 14 and 16 weeks of age, regardless of how many doses they received earlier, to develop adequate protection."

As the Facebook post noted, the announcement that the gathering will still be held comes shortly after the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) announced that several dogs in that state that became sick with an unknown illness were confirmed to have Parvo. "The affected dogs did not have a history of complete vaccination," MDARD said in the statement.

In a statement sent to Newsweek, a spokesperson for the Northwest Michigan Golden Retriever Club said, "Our decision to continue to move forward with the event is in response to the State Veterinarian and Michigan State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory update on the virus from yesterday."

The spokesperson also cited a line from the MDARD update which said "The discovery of these cases should not cause dog owners to drastically change how they care for their pets or where they plan to travel. If dogs are fully vaccinated against canine parvovirus, they are protected against severe illness, but it is important to always consult with your veterinarian."

Prior to the announcement by the MDARD on Wednesday, officials in the state were unsure of what illness was infecting numerous dogs in the state. According to the Associated Press, at least 30 dogs died due to the unknown illness. On August 19, the Otsego County Animal Shelter wrote in a Facebook post that "There have been many questions and untrue statements about the 'parvo-like' condition killing 20+ dogs in Otsego County. Hopefully the following will clear things up a bit."

"This illness presents with parvo-like symptoms (bloody diarrhea, vomiting, lethargic, loss of appetite), however when taken to a veterinarian the parvo test comes back negative. Because there is numerous diseases that are similar the vet may treat differently. The dog ends up dying within a few days," the post said.

In a Facebook post on August 23, the Northwest Michigan Golden Retriever Club said that dogs that want to attend the upcoming gathering must be fully vaccinated against the parvovirus.

"ADDITIONALLY, IF YOUR GOLDEN IS FULLY VACCINATED, BUT ANOTHER DOG IN YOUR HOME IS NOT, YOU CANNOT ATTEND THE EVENT," the post added.