How to Protect Your Puppy from Parvo

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By Janet Ford
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Protect your precious puppy from parvo

Canine Parvovirus, commonly referred to as 'parvo', is one of the leading causes of death in puppies every year. Parvo is a contagious gastrointestinal disease. Though adults can get parvo they can usually pull through whereas puppies often die.

Parvovirus attacks the lining of the digestive tract making the dog/puppy very nauseated and lethargic. They often pass bloody, mucousy diarrhea with an unmistakable odor to it.

Parvovirus must be diagnosed by your veterinarian who will use an antigen test on a stool sample. There are other diseases, such as Giardia, which can mimic the early onset of parvo yet the treatments are very different. There is no time to waste in diagnosing and beginning treatment for parvo. Up to 50% of parvo puppies cared for by veterinarians don't make it and with veterinarian fees ranging up to the thousands of dollars to try for that 50/50 chance, all dog and puppy owners need to take every precaution necessary to prevent parvo in the first place.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Veterinarian
Vaccinations
Understanding

Step 1

Vaccinate your dog/puppy against parvo

Vaccinate your puppy/dog. An adult dog requires a yearly booster vaccination. A puppy needs to be vaccinated every 3-4 weeks from six to eight weeks of age until they are 16-18 weeks of age. Understand that these vaccinations work on a 'hit or miss' basis. You are not building up the immunity but rather attempting to vaccinate at the earliest point possible for the earliest protection. By 16-18 weeks of age, you can rest assured your puppy is covered. Until then, you must treat them as unvaccinated and vulnerable to infection.
Step 2

Parvo remains in the ground for 6 months or more

Avoid bringing your puppy to public areas frequented by other dogs who may be infected with parvo or any other disease until they have had their last set of shots. These areas include rest areas, dog parks and, yes, veterinarian grounds. Avoiding co-mingling with friend's puppies is also advised at this time. Parvo is transmitted feces to mouth (licking dirty floor/boot, eating grass, etc) so anywhere dogs have went to the bathroom or themselves or their humans have possibly even tracked their feces is a risky area. This can easily include your local Petsmart store.
Step 3

Carry your puppy when possible

Carry your puppy when going to the vet's office. While vets commonly ask that you keep puppies suspected of having parvovirus in your vehicle to be examined, some owners will just bring them in with no warning. Bleach does kill parovirus and vets will have bleached the inside of their offices but the ground outside is not safe.

Comments

AmyJaine said

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on 11/4/2009 I never even thought about a puppy getting parvo from walking into the vets office, great advice.

KingHostile said

on 11/4/2009 Great tips and points a lot of new owners have no idea the devastation this virus can cause. I have seen it sweep through a kennel and take every dog with it.