Parvovirus on the rise in Harford County

BEL AIR, Md. - Cheryl Deel notices Bella panting at the doctor's office and senses she's having a flashback.  In May, the one-and-a-half year old Chiuaua had flu-like symptoms, vomiting and diarrhea.

"Her little tongue is hanging out of the side of her mouth, and the doctor told me we don't know," said Deel.   

She didn’t know if she’ll survive.  You can imagine the shock after some pretty basic symptoms.

Bella was diagnosed with parvovirus.  She vacated the isolation room where a puppy named Humphrey will live for at least two weeks.

"He is just feeling sick.  The virus is attacking the cells of his gastrointestinal system.  He feels nauseous, so he doesn't want to eat," said Dr. Ruth Fliflet, a veterinarian with Animal Emergency Hospital in Bel Air. 

Dr. Fliflet says the number of parvovirus cases at the office is higher than last year, and it's highly contagious.  Other vets in Harford County report the same trend.

"If you have a younger dog, a puppy or an adolescent, you may want to think twice about taking them into areas with other dogs that you don't know as well," said Dr. Fliflet.   

She says the most important thing is staying up to date with vaccines.

There was a little lag time for Deel taking Bella for her shots.  But in the end, her baby is back home.

"She cost me a lot of money, but she's worth it," said Deel.    

Deel spent $5,000 to bring Bella back home.