A Salford veterinary clinic has issued a warning to the Greater Manchester public following a rise in identified cases of a deadly and highly-contagious virus.
Irlam Animal Clinic has said it is seeing increasing numbers of puppies and young dogs suffering from Parvovirus, which is disease that can cause severe vomiting and diarrhoea in dogs, as well as reduced appetite and low energy.
Parvovirus is easily spread by animals touching surfaces, and can live in soil in parks and gardens for as long as a year.
The disease can be fatal if left untreated.
Due to the rise in cases, Caroline Taylor – a vet at Irlam Animal Clinic – has urged pet owners to keep up with vaccinations.
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With certain larger black and tan breeds of dog, such as Rottweilers and Dobermans, said to be more at risk of the virus, she has also urged owners to consider getting their four-legged friends a second dose earlier than usual, as most dogs are vaccinated when they are very young, but it can be difficult for vets to tell whether the treatment has been successful.
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Dr Taylor has suggested that pets go for a second injection in their first year.
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“There’s been an increase in the number of Parvovirus cases we see and the other worry for us is that some of the dogs have been vaccinated,” Dr Taylor explained.
“It’s probably because they were very young when they were vaccinated.”
She continued: “It’s not just us who are seeing an increase in Parvovirus cases, it’s happening in lots of places [and] it does dogs no harm to go back to the vets to get another vaccine at six months or nine months, so that’s what we would advise.
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“Usually vaccines for dogs are all done in one, but we have got a specific Parvovirus one which is just for that and it’s a bit cheaper”.
“It’s spread from infected dogs through anything they’ve touched, or by their faeces [and] it can live in the environment, such as the soil in a park or garden, for up to a year.
“Signs of Parvovirus include watery diarrhoea, which may have blood in, vomiting, reduced appetite and low energy [and] sadly it can often be fatal, with young puppies being particularly at risk, so call your vet immediately if you have any concerns.
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“It’s vitally important not to turn up at your vet practice unannounced [however as] many vets have made changes due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, which will still be in place even now full lockdown has ended.
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“They will also need to take steps to prevent any potential spread to other pet patients.
“If your dog has missed their boosters or has never had vaccinations, we’d advise getting them up-to-date as soon as possible”.
You can find more information on Parvovirus via the PDSA website here.
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Police confirm man was arrested ‘on suspicion of making an explosive device’ in Gay Village
Daisy Jackson
Police have confirmed that the man who was detained in the midst of an incident in the Gay Village yesterday was arrested on suspicion of making an ‘explosive device’.
A huge cordon was in place in the Canal Street area in the city centre on Monday 11 May, after members of the public reported a ‘chemical smell’ coming from a hotel at around 10.45am.
Emergency services attended the scene and found chemical substances in a hotel room.
The man, who was believed to be the occupant of the hotel room, was detained at the scene.
Greater Manchester Police have since confirmed that he was ‘detained on suspicion of making an explosive device’ and was taken into custody for questioning.
In an update shared yesterday, they wrote: “The response to the incident on Canal Street in Manchester city centre is being reduced following reports of chemical substances being found.
“Emergency services examined items within a room inside a hotel following calls from the public at about 10:45am.
“A man, believed to be the occupant of the room, was detained on suspicion of making an explosive device and is currently in custody being questioned.
“Chemical substances found in the room have been examined and are in the process of being safely removed. The subsequent examination ruled out any explosive risk.
“We are working with the hotel management to return the establishment to normal after staff and guests were evacuated as a precaution.
“Staff from the fire service’s Hazardous Materials and Environmental Protection team remain in attendance to conduct tests and ensure the area is safe.
“We would like to thank the public and surrounding businesses for their patience as we continue with our work.”
No trams to run on major Greater Manchester line for two weeks as part of £150m improvement works
Emily Sergeant
Major disruption is on the horizon, as no trams are set to run on a major Greater Manchester line for two weeks this month.
As the next phase of the ongoing £150m investment into Greater Manchester’s tram network gets under way this month, essential track replacement work is set to be be carried out in a bid to make the network ‘safer’ and ‘more resilient and reliable’ for years to come.
Due to improvement works on the Oldham-Rochdale line – which is being carried out between Monsall and Newton Heath & Moston – there will be no trams between Manchester Victoria and Rochdale town centre for two weeks, starting from this Saturday 16 May right through to Friday 29 May.
The work being carried out will involve replacing sections of track and improving drainage along the route.
The track foundation will also be replaced where needed, as well as work to correct the alignment and level of the track.
No trams will be running on a major Greater Manchester line for two weeks from this weekend / Credit: TfGM
Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has conceded that this is a ‘big and complex job’ – with 290 new concrete sleepers and 2,000 tonnes of pea gravel being used, and more than 5,000 tonnes of ballast set to be replaced.
But, when the work is done, it’s aiming to make journeys ‘smoother and more reliable’ for passengers, while improving the condition of the track for the long-term.
While the work is being carried out and the line is closed, bus replacement services will be in place between Victoria and Rochdale Town Centre, and more frequent Bee Network bus services will also call at the bus stops near each tram stop too, however tram tickets will only be accepted on the replacement bus, not on numbered bus services.
Elsewhere, work at Derker will also take place at the same to ‘minimise disruption’.
The track was made safe following a landslip in summer 2024, but now, a longer-term solution will see teams drive steel sheets into the ground to hold it in place and prevent further movement, before further work will be needed later in the year to complete the job.
And to top it off, from Monday 25 to Friday 29 May, improvement work to update equipment that has been in place since the line opened in 1992 will also take place at Piccadilly Gardens, and that means no trams will run between St Peter’s Square/Market Street and Piccadilly during this time.
Customers may need to change trams, take a short walk, or hop on the free bus to continue their journey.
Tram services will resume as normal from the start of service on Saturday 30 May, and passengers travelling during this period are urged to ‘plan ahead’.
Everything you need to know about the planned works is on the TfGM website here.
Emily Sergeant -
14th April 2021 
