The Western Arizona Humane Society remains vigilant this month after the Mojave County Animal Shelter announced an outbreak of feline parvovirus on its property. However, humanitarian officials said the disease is unlikely to spread to shelters in Lake Havasu.
The Mojave County facility in Kingman announced it was suspending all cats and kittens for the remainder of June due to the outbreak. This highly contagious virus is deadly to cats, and kittens are especially susceptible to the disease. The shelter will not adopt cats or accept new cats or kittens until July 1.
“This will allow the shelter to thoroughly clean cat rooms and accommodate the number of cats currently in shelters,” Mojave County spokesman Roger Galloway said this week. “No cats or kittens will be adopted until next month or until the county’s contract veterinarian determines they are healthy.”
WAHS Executive Director Patti Gilmore of Lake Havasu said she received a warning call from Mojave County officials this week about the outbreak at the Kingman facility. But even if it did occur in Havasu, Gilmore’s staff and facilities may be more than capable of containing such an outbreak.
“Our animal shelter has very good isolation areas and very strict protocols in place,” Gilmore said on Tuesday. “We have our own veterinary hospital on site…Kingman doesn’t have that luxury.”
Built in 2019, the Western Arizona Humane Society Animal Sanctuary on Sweetwater Drive is one of the largest and most modern facilities of its kind in the state. The 18,000-square-foot facility maintains spacious enclosures for cats, extensive cleaning procedures for volunteers and employees, and an on-site veterinary clinic for animals needing emergency care .
A feline parvovirus outbreak could kill an entire cat population at a shelter, Gilmore said, and her facility isn’t a threat to take lightly. At WAHS facilities, animal utensils are washed daily and soaked in bleach and hot water. and Humane Society staff are required to wear hairnets, masks, and gloves when handling animals in isolation areas of the facility.
The Mojave County Animal Shelter has stopped accepting new cats and kittens through the end of this month, so some County residents may choose to bring their cats to WAHS instead. But Gilmore worries that some county residents will choose other options.
“It’s sad,” Gilmore said. “Some people choose to abandon their animals. But we are lucky that Havasu is a very pet-friendly community.”
Mojave County is home to a large number of feral cats that may not have been vaccinated, county officials said. Also, in an animal control facility, an infected cat can harm other cats all by herself.
Feline parvovirus is caused by direct contact with the faeces or indirectly by contamination of the cat’s environment with food, grooming equipment, bedding, floors, clothing, or hands. Visible symptoms of the disease include malaise, depression, foamy mouth, vomiting, watery nasal discharge, fever followed by hypothermia, diarrhea (which may be watery or bloody), and inability to eat or drink. You can
This disease can be prevented by vaccination. If your cat becomes infected, supportive care such as intravenous fluids, nutritional supplements, and antibiotics may increase your cat’s chances of survival.
