What Is Canine Parvo
Posted: Saturday, April 30, 2005
by Sean L
What Is Parvo
Parvo is a serious viral disease that can be deadly even if treatment is given. So, to protect your puppy from contracting pravo you need to have your puppy vaccinated against this disease.
First, let's look at what Parvo is and what the symptoms are. Canine Parvovirus is a disease that attacks dividing cells. The most prominent location for dividing cells in your puppy's body is the intestinal lining or the lining of the digestive system. When this disease attacks and kills these cells it causes dogs and puppies to not be able to absorb nutrients or liquids. Parvo is seen more in puppies than in adult dogs, but both can catch the disease. The reason that puppies are more affected is that they have an immature immune system.
What are the Symptoms
Symptoms of pravo include diarrhea, vomiting and lethargy. Most dogs when they are infected with parvo stop eating or have a loss of appetite, diarrhea, high fever, and depression. Their stool can be very liquid, foul smelling, usually yellow in color, and contain blood. The secondary symptoms appear as severe gastrointestinal distress, which includes vomiting and bloody diarrhea. In the later stages of pravo dehydration, shock, and many times death. . Parvo in some cases may also attack a dog's heart causing congestive heart failure. This can occur months or years after an apparent recovery from the intestinal form of the disease.
How is Parvo Transmitted?
Transmission of pravo is from one dog to another through their feces. Parvo can live for up to 9 months when the conditions are right where the feces are found. Parvo can be carried in an adult dog that shows no outward signs of parvo, but the disease can be found in their stool. The disease is not an air born type, but can be transmitted through the sole of your shoe and even birds may carry this deadly disease into your yard if they have been in contact with the infected feces.
Once parvo has invaded your yard or your home it is there to stay if you do not rid the area of the disease. Then, your next dog can and probably will become infected. There is only one way to kill the disease from your home, clothing, or back yard. You will need to use bleach! Soap, water or other household cleansers for your home or clothing will not kill pravo. You should use a mixture of 1/3 bleach to 2/3 water and disinfect everything that the dog has been around including your clothing, his food and water dish and any bedding that he has used. In your yard, soak the entire area with the bleach solution. You can also talk with your veterinarian and purchase a disinfectant such as Parvosan or Roccal which is designed for treating any areas that have been exposed to parvo.
What is the Treatment and Prevention for Parvo?
If your dog does become infected with parvo he has a 5o/50 chance of recovery. But, he will more than likely be weak and easily susceptible to illness.
The best prevention begins when your puppy is 6-8 weeks of age. You should also keep your puppy away from any other dogs until he has received his last shot for parvo. The parvo vaccine is usually included with the distemper vaccine.
All dogs and puppies are susceptible to parvo but there are a few breeds that seem to be more susceptible than others. These include Rottweilers, Doberman Pinschers, and other black and tan breeds. These breeds usually are more prone to contracting this disease and not recovering.
Without treatment your dog only has a 20% survival rate and with treatment an 80% survival rate. So, of course, the best medicine is to prevent the exposure and to vaccinate your puppy against this deadly disease
Ths website only provides BASIC information about Parvo. Your veterinarian is always your best source of health information. Consult your veterinarian for more information about Parvo and its prevention.
Click here for more information on Boxers or Dobermans
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More commentsmy puppy just past away from this. I JUST REALLY WISH THERE WERE A VACCINE TO JUST STOP THIS!!! MY HEART IS BROKEN!!
we just got a puppy. 2 days after bringing it home it gets infected with parvo, we also have a 5yr old boxer, when I took the puppy into the vet to be treated for parvo they told me I had to bring my boxer in right away for a vaccination, I like many others didn't have the extra money to pay for the vet bill so the other option they gave me was to treat him myself with antibiotics and electrolites, but since this puppy is still in my home and is staying in my room and i'm going back and forth from my room to the rest of the house, I'm scared to death that my boxer is going to get this terrible virus, I asked the vet what i needed to do as far as cleaning to get rid of this virus in my home his response was nothing at this point, if the puppy pulls through this after ward is when we will discuss cleaning and disenfecting because of right now it would be useless. BUT what about my other dog? does anybody have any suggestions or know what to do?
If you are looking at this trying to find information because you think your dog has parvo.......stop........take her to the vet!!! I have an airedale terrier (also black and tan breed), 3 months old. Our neighbors dog just died from parvo.......but before the dog died....they brought her to our house...she appeared to be healthy. Little did I know that dog had parvo..gave it to my dog. My dog was very ill, not herself, throwing up water, no appetite, and diarhea.....I didnt see any blood in it. She got skinny really fast, I couldnt help her. I took her to the vet and they tested her and she does have parvo. They kept her there the vet said we caught it before it got worse......it can attack their bone marrow.......without the IV and antibiotics, and anti-vomit medicine, she would have died. She is now acting happier than ever and it getting well. The best thing to do when something isnt right is to take the puppy to the vet. It costed me about 400 dollars for the whole vet stay for 4 days. But my puppy is alive!
is parvo just for puppy's?
R.I.P pooppeter we miss you already
MY DOG,LONG HAIR CHIHUAHUA HAD HER FIRST LITTER OF SIX IN OCTOBER. THEY WERE ALL HAPPY AND HEALTHY AND BEAUTIFUL, I WATCHED THEM GROW, AND EACH ONE FORM THEIR CUTE LITTLE PERSONALITIES, AT 7 WEEKS OLD, I LOST MY FIRST BABY GIRL, IT WAS HEARTBREAKING TO FIND HER DEAD, THEN A COUPLE DAYS LATER, I LOST ANOTHER ONE, THEY BOTH WERE VOMITTING AND HAD DIARHEA, AND SO ITOOK REST OF THEM TO THE VET AND THEY HAD PARVO, I LOST ALL SIX PUPPIES,AND LET ME TELL YOU, I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED ANYTHING SO PAINFUL INMY LIFE. I WOULD HAVE EXPECTED THEM TO DIE PERHAPS THE FIRST WEEK OR TWO, BUT NOT 7 WEEKS LATER, HOLDING THEM,LOVING THEM, AND TRYING TO COMFORT THEM, ONLY TO WATCH THEM DIE WAS HORRIBLE. I NOW PRAY THAT MOMMY AND DADDY DO NOT GET IT, BOTH HAVE HAD THEIR SHOTS, BUT DADDY IS NOT QUIET A YEAR OLD YET SO I REALLY WORRY ABOUT BOTH OF THEM. THIS IS A HORRIBLE,FATAL DIEASE, AND VETS WILL TELL YOU THE BEST THING TO DO IS PUT THEM DOWN SO THEY WON'T HAVE TO SUFFER.... AT $65.00 EACH, I COULDN'T AFFORD THAT, SO I HAD TO WATCH THEM SUFFER. I TOO FED THEM PEDILITE OUT OF AN EYE DROPPER, BUT IT STILL DIDN'T SAVE THEM THEM. I AM GETTING MY FEMALE FIXED, CUZ I FIGURE IT WILL JSUT HAPPEN AGAIN CUZ IT WILL REMAIN INMY CARPET, AND WAY TOO PAINFUL FOR ME TO GO THROUGH AGAIN. I LITERALLY HAVE A PET CEMETARY INMY YARD, I BURRIED ALL SIX IN MY FRONT YARD , WRAPPED THEM IN THEIR LITTLE BLANKETS, AND PUT THEM IN 3 GALLON BUCKETS SO NOTHING WOULD DIG THEM UP. RIP MY BEAUTIFUL LITTLE BABIES.i just got a lil white and tan chihuahua pup..... well last night it started vomiting and this am i got and took him to the vet, they did a parvo test and it was just that. not having the 700.00 to keep him there with a 50/50% of not making it i have to put it him down.. it was the hardest thing ever.... he was about 7 weeks old and it broke my heart... i have seen pups die from this and it is a hard way to go..... this sucks i only had him from 4 days.. i loved him at first sight... so now i am at home cleaning and bleaching my house so my other dogs that did not come into contact dont ever get and tomorrow i am going to get that 7 in 1 as a booster.. they have already has thier shots and are up to date.. but i rather be safe then sorry..
If you think your puppy has parvo, take her to the vet now!!! My 5 month old, immunized pug started showing symtoms 4 nights ago. I took him to the vet and he tested positive for Parvo. They gave in sub q fluids, a shot for nausea and a shot of antibiotic. They also sent me home with an antibiotic, a special electrolyte solution for puppies (Pedialyte will work, but this one taste like chicken), and anti-nausea suppositories. After 12 hours, my puppy was doing better. It is SO important to follow the vets instructions EXACTLY. You will have to get up every 1-2 hours to give your puppy fluids. The visit and meds cost me $165 and it saved my puppies life. If you can't be there to give your puppy fluids every 1-2 hours, keep them at the vet on an IV. Dehydration kills a lot of puppies before the parvovirus or secondary infections. There is a product made by Amber Tech called Parvaid. It is an all natural supplement made to be given safely every hour and it helps so much. It helps build the puppies immune system and restores the destroyed digestive tract. It is said to increase the puppies chance of survival to as much as 75% and can be given to exposed dogs to help prevent the virus. It is $45 plus shipping if you can't find it locally and worth every penny. Also, Petsmart carries a product called Nutri-Cal, it is a multi-vitamin and can't be given until the puppy is holding down solid food but will help them get back on their feet faster. Ask your vet before you use either of these products because you don't know how they will react with the meds the vet has given you. Good luck, talk to your puppy, stay positive and follow your vets instructions and you can save your baby!!!!
My 10 week old Choc. lab started to show signs of parvo last night with vomitting. She is in with the vet for the weekend! Does any one know her chances of survival?
I am saddend to read some of the posts. I thought this was a very preventable problem.I found more information related to my dogs by going here, dog disease
can humans if possible catch this disease and if so how do u get rid of it cause i was told if u come in contact with an animal that has parvo humans can catch just had me concerend thank you
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