It is everyone's worst nightmare to receive bad news from home whilst on holiday.
One family vacationing in Tenerife made an urgent dash back to the UK after they got a call to say their puppy was on his death bed.
Dad Shaun Stead, 48, and wife Michelle, 49, were abroad with their 17-year-old son Taylor when they discovered their beloved dog Murphy was sick.
Shaun said: "We got the next available flight home when our dog sitter told us about Murphy and cut the holiday short. It was a surreal situation. I'm 6ft 3in and a big bloke but I was in bits!"
The 13-month-old German shorthaired pointer had a very high strain of parvovirus, which vets described as "one of the worst cases" they had ever seen.
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Canine parvovirus is a highly contagious disease and spreads to dogs via contact with infected faeces or environment.
Typical signs of parvovirus infection include diarrhoea, which is often bloody, vomiting, being withdrawn and quiet and not eating.
Although Murphy was fully-vaccinated against the fatal virus, the unlucky pup still fell ill and was unable to walk.
Whilst his family flew home to South Yorkshire to be with him, Shellbrooke Doggy Day Care took Murphy to Springfield Vets in Rotherham for treatment.
But as Murply was so poorly, Springfield referred him to Paragon Veterinary Referrals, where he needed nine days of intensive care.
Shaun has since praised internal medicine specialist Andrea Holmes and specialist in training Ben Safrany for their life-saving work.
"Andrea and Ben said Murphy had a very high strain of parvovirus and it was very rare to see a case so bad," he said.
"He's fully vaccinated, but there are rare cases when it can still infect dogs.
"If he hadn't been vaccinated, there's no way he would have survived.
"He's received the Rolls Royce of care, right from our dog sitters to Springfield and then Paragon. We can't thank them all enough.
"The only phrase I can think of to describe Andrea and Ben is that they're animal angels.
"Murphy isn't back to his old self just yet but there is light at the end of the tunnel."
When Murphy first arrived, he was so weak that he had to be transported via a trolley from the car park directly into the isolation ward.
Andrea explained: "Murphy had intensive nursing treatment and was kept isolated from other dogs in the hospital. A PCR test for parvovirus returned a positive result and we had the diagnosis we were suspecting.
"Murphy needed a feeding tube to allow him to receive liquid medication.
"He gave us a few tail wags when he was starting to feel better and gradually over nine days his wonderful character returned, and he started eating.
"It was a pleasure to see Murphy leave the hospital and return to his dedicated and loving owners."
Dogs are most at risk from parvovirus when they are younger than four months old and unvaccinated.
All puppies should have two parvovirus vaccinations as part of their routine 'core' puppy vaccination and having a third vaccination around the age of 16 weeks may provide increased protection to fight the infection.
Animals usually develop signs two to five days after contact with the virus.
If they have early, intensive supportive treatment, the prognosis is very good - but without treatment, the condition is usually fatal.
Do you have a dog story to share? Email nia.dalton@reachplc.com.
