A dog owner has issued an urgent warning for pet lovers – over a highly contagious and deadly virus. Amy Riley’s puppy, Cookie, is currently seriously ill after catching parvovirus earlier this month.
The six-month-old mixed breed picked up the virus in Darwen – and has forced 25-year-old Amy to launch a crowdfunder so she can meet the eye-watering £4k vet bills.
Amy told the Lancashire Telegraph : “I took her for a walk around the streets where I live. She is usually only in my back garden as it is quite a large garden but on this day I took her around the block.
READ MORE ITV ‘refusing to pay’ for Phillip Schofield’s young lover’s private therapy
“It is my biggest regret because this is the only place she could have picked up the virus.” Amy said: “If you have a dog you know they become family. Myself and my four-year-old child just want her home.
“I will never forget this experience and the guilt I hold inside me knowing I took her on that walk that has left her in critical condition.” A spokesperson for the RSPCA said: “Parvovirus is a highly infectious disease in which the virus attacks cells in the dog’s intestines and stops them being able to absorb the vital nutrients they need.
“It quickly causes them to become weak and can prove fatal, particularly in puppies. Haemorrhagic diarrhoea can come on suddenly and causes vomiting and bloody diarrhoea. We would encourage owners to ensure their pets are vaccinated to help avoid the heartbreak of losing a much-loved pet to this awful disease.”
Anyone wanting to contribute to Amy’s fundraiser can click here. “Cookie needs to spend a lot of time in the vet to fight whatever this virus is So please please can anyone donate anything small towards keeping the treatment ongoing,” she said.
“No matter how little of a donation it adds up and will help hugely. My little girl just wants her better and at home with us where she belongs.”