Oprah and Sadie (Oprah.com)
As many commenters to this blog have already noted, news emerged this weekend that Oprah Winfrey, after adopting a cocker spaniel puppy from PAWS Chicago, adopted a second dog, her puppy Sadie's littermate Ivan, who died of parvo.As PeoplePets.com reports:
Ivan ... came down with a deadly virus called Parvo last Wednesday and died, said Dr. Jean Dobbs, the veterinarian who [is treating] Sadie since she was exposed.
"It was just a little bit too late. All the veterinary community got together to save his life," Dr. Dobbs told PEOPLE Pets. "The puppy didn't make it, but he's teaching others how important this is to get vaccinated at the right times."
Dr. Dobbs, who founded Hemopet, a non-profit animal blood bank [which also posts adoptable Greyhounds on Petfinder - ED], said that she thinks the shelter and vets did everything right, but that Ivan was exposed between two critical shots.
Puppies (and unvaccinated adults) around the country are being hit with a new strain of the disease called Canine Parvovirus Type 2c. Dr. Dobbs said that shelters often hold puppies in isolation, but that Parvo "is everywhere; it's like the flu."This is tragic news, and our hearts go out to Oprah. It's important to note that, while many in the blogosphere are rushing to blame PAWS Chicago, Dr. Dobbs thinks the shelter did everything right.
Very young animals are incredibly fragile, and I know that when the shelter where I volunteer has a parvo scare, they go into absolute DEFCON 1 status, quarantining all potentially sick dogs and scrubbing all surfaces with bleach. But sometimes even the best defenses aren't enough against this deadly virus. I only hope this story doesn't dissuade anyone from adopting a pet from a shelter or rescue group.
Learn more about parvo here.
Previous entries:
Meet Oprah's new puppy
Oprah Winfrey adopts a dog from PAWS Chicago
I love her blog too!!! She has amazing clothes!! And I want her hair !!!
Dear Miss Winfrey,
I am so sorry about your little angel, and I hope little Sadie is doing well. Parvo is such a sad disease as when it hits it hits fast and furious. I can only imagine your sorrow even though it was such a short visit with you but like Joy Collar wrote on March 18th "He did not die alone. " I lost my Dizzy B. Rabbit last spring and still miss her, she was very special as she was blind. She was a house bunny and only got the best of everything I could get for her. So no matter if they have been with us ashort or long while us the heart ache is great and real when they leave us so unexpectidly.
I think that it is wonderful that you do adopt from services like PAWS Chicago. I currently am fostering a dog for the Colville Washington Pet Rescue. He is a Chocolate Lab so I wouldn't expect to want him living in Chicago ;), but the fact that you promote these types of rescue organizations is admirable. They work hard for these rescue animals and truley want them to have their "Forever Home" even if it takes months it is rewarding to find the best home for them. I just started fostering and RazMa Taz is my second Dog and he is just as sweet as the first one, Baron
With Sincere sympathy
Dizzy B Rabbit (Sheila Pottenger)
I only found out thru Petfinders Web site of your loss. We chose to not have cable, satelit, or antanas as it disrupted our lives and instead of being togeather as a Husband and Wife we were seperated by the tv so I am sorry it was so long after your loss for me to send my condolances
Aww that is so sad mi best friend kaylas dog Rocco died from parvo. i remember when she told me it was so sad i couldn't go to her house bcus i have a dog and a cat and its contagious i remember when she called me and told me he died in her arms it was 2-11-08 at 8:11 in the morning. she called me crying and i told her to meet me somewhere and we met at lincoln park in sheffield lake and whent back to mi house i loved rocco so much and when mi dog got killed on december 13 2007 kayla was there so i had to be there for her we miss rocco and to anyone who has a dog with parvo sorry and hope it goes good
How verey sad this is for her.But to think she saved a little angeland that it did not die alone in a cage that sould give her some comphert.My prays are with sadie that she will be okay.