Canine Parvovirus

It strikes with frightening speed, is highly contagious and can kill a young puppy within 24 hours.

To keep your new puppy safe from this horrible illness there are a few things you need to know and I've gathered it all together right here on this page.

From learning about the prevention, all the way through to the aftercare your puppy needs in order to make a full recovery, the information and advice you need to protect your precious puppy is right here....

Quick Links:

• Transmission of the Parvo virus


• Parvo Symptoms


• Treatment


• Aftercare


• Prevention

There is some good though, and it's that Parvo is, in most cases, a very preventable illness, and the recommended 3-sets of puppy shots (starting at 7 weeks of age and given at 3 week intervals) can protect your precious puppy.

There are some breeds, notably Rottweilers, Doberman Pinschers and Pitbulls (and other black-and-tan and bully-type breeds), that seem to be especially vulnerable to this disease - a genetic predisposition.

Even when fully vaccinated these breeds don't always reach a level of protection that most others will. For puppies of these breeds, it's recommended that they get a fourth canine parvovirus vaccination at around 16 weeks (can be done at the same time as the Rabies shot)

Also, if you own one of these breeds, take extra precautions to avoid the possibility of catching parvo by making sure that they are not exposed to other dogs or to public areas until they're fully vaccinated.

Transmission of Canine Parvovirus

The virus can be found in the stools of infected puppies several days before any symptoms show up, and for at least 2 weeks after a puppy has completely recovered.

There are more than one strain of Parvo, and each one can affect a pup differently. There is a strain that targets the heart and can result in very sudden death. This is most often seen in very young puppies (under 8 weeks old).

First seen in the late 1960's, scientists and researchers are aware that different strains of Parvo are constantly evolving and emerging. Recently a new strain (CPV-C2)was discovered in the USA, which affects both vaccinated, adult dogs as well as puppies (it also seems to be able to be transmitted to cats).

You can find tons of information on this latest development Animal Medical Veterinary Associations' website at www.avma.org/animal_health

Symptoms of Canine Parvovirus

• Diarrhea - Severe, watery or bloody diarrhea is the most obvious sign of parvovirus. This type of diarrhea is difficult to miss as it's explosive, foul smelling and frequent. It may be very dark in color, almost black, or thin and watery with visible blood,. Any blood in your puppy's diarrhea should be cause for emergency vet attention. There are other, less serious possibilities, but never take a chance on it being something else. Get a diagnosis right away.


• Vomiting - Severe, repeated vomiting is the second most common symptom of parvo. If your pup vomits over and over again and is unable to even keep water down, he's in danger of becoming dehydrated very quickly. In a young puppy the dehydration itself can be serious enough to cause major health problems, even death. It's this total dehydration that is responsible for the death of many parvo puppies.


• Fever - Puppies with canine parvovirus will usually run a fever of 103 - 104F or higher. It may not happen immediately though.


• Lethargy - Extreme lethargy (tiredness), a total disinterest in their surroundings and complete lack of appetite are all classic symptoms of parvo. Of course, lethargy is often present in other diseases or illnesses, but if it's coupled with any of the above symptoms, canine parvovirus should be seriously considered.

All of these symptoms can appear in other dog illnesses, and it's not possible to diagnose Parvo on the basis of symptoms alone. A fecal test is necessary to make a definitive diagnosis and your vet will do this for you.

If your pup has been vaccinated with the 'live' vaccine within 2 weeks of showing symptoms, there could possibly be a 'false positive' result to a fecal test. So be sure to let the veterinarian know when your pups' last vaccination took place.

The virus can (and does) attack various different organs, but causes the most damage to the intestines resulting in severe inflammation, ulcers and sometimes 'intussusception' (telescoping of the intestines). Some strains can cause cardiac complications and sudden heart failure.

Treatment of Canine Parvovirus

The main treatment for canine parvovirus is hospitalization, rest, intravenous fluids to combat the severe dehydration that result from the constant diarrhea and vomiting, and antibiotics to treat any secondary infections. This is called 'supportive care'.

This kind of care is absolutely essential if you want your puppy to have the best possible chance of survival. Left untreated, statistics show that around 80% of puppies will die from this infection.

Individual puppies can react quite differently to this disease, and although early diagnosis and treatment is vital, it's not a guarantee of recovery. The most acute phase of the illness usually lasts somewhere between 7 and 14 days, and if a puppy survives this long he has a good chance of making a full recovery.

Some puppies can get very, very sick for a fairly long period of time, but eventually recover. Others can get sick extremely quickly, and die just as quickly. Still others can get sick, appear to be improving and then die unexpectedly.

The earlier a pup is correctly diagnosed, and the quicker he receives treatment, the better his chances of survival. That's why it's absolutely vital to get your puppy to a veterinarian immediately if you are at all concerned that he may have caught parvo.

Even if it means a 40 minute drive to the 24 hour emergency pet hospital, do it right away. It could mean the difference between life and death for your pup.

You can give your puppy a natural, homeopathic/herbal product called Parvo-K. It helps to maintain a healthy fluid balance and regulate temperature in your puppy. As dehydration (which is worsened by fever) is a major problem in puppies with Parvo, this can be very helpful.

I would definitely NOT recommend that you give this to your puppy instead of professional veterinary treatment, but rather use it IN ADDITION to proper, professional veterinary treatment.

After Parvo - The Recovery Period

He will most likely have lost most of his body fat, and his head and paws will look much too big for his frame. His eyes may still be dull, he'll have little appetite and be very tired.

This can be quite frightening to a new puppy owner, but it's perfectly normal. He's been through a terrible ordeal and needs time to rest and recover. Give him plenty of chance to sleep and rest, that's how his body will repair itself.

Don't worry too much about his appetite, offer good nutritious food and let him eat what he wants. His appetite will come back as he starts to feel better. Do make sure he gets plenty of water though, and you can even add unflavored Pedialyte to his water if he'll drink it.

In spite of his initial condition, you'll be surprised how quickly your puppy will 'bounce back' if he's managed to fight off the canine parvovirus. Within a few short weeks his little body will start to fill out, his appetite and strength will return and soon he'll be his old self again. He'll also have a life-long immunity to canine parvovirus!

I recently got an email from a visitor to my site, Dawn, who has had her own experience with Parvo. She wanted to share this information with other puppy parents in the hope that it may help....

I think Dawn has a very good point there, and after a battle with Parvo a puppy certainly needs all the help he can get. Anything that can help rebuild your puppys' immune system has got to be a plus. A pro-biotic product especially designed for dogs and cats such as Only Natural Pet Probiotic Blend is another excellent way to help restore the balance of microbes in your pets' digestive system.

Thanks Dawn for taking the time to share your experience. I appreciate it.

De-contamination & Disinfection

• Outdoors -
  When in the soil, canine parvovirus is not dramatically affected by heat, rain, cold, frost or any other climatic condition. If the ground is frozen it basically puts the virus into a 'dormant' state and when the ground thaws there is still a risk of contamination.

  If you don't treat/disinfect the ground, this is what you can expect....

  Areas in direct sunlight: contamination lasts approx. 5 - 6 months

  Areas in shade: contamination lasts approx. 7 - 8 months



• Indoors -
  Parvovirus becomes inactive much more quickly indoors than it does outside. Normally contamination will last for approx. 1 month inside your home.

Obviously, if your puppy has had Parvo and survived, he's no longer at risk from the recontamination but other unvaccinated dogs and puppies could easily become infected if they come into contact with the live virus in infected ground.

Although it's impossible to say that anything will completely destroy parvo-virus, the most effective decontamination method is to use a solution of household bleach and water.

You can clean everything - floors, toys, walls, crates etc. - with a bleach/water solution (a 1:30 solution is often suggested, personally I would tend to make it a little stronger, perhaps 1:20).

You can also spray or soak the ground outside with this same strength solution and use it to clean any concrete/asphalt areas your puppy may have used.

It's important to make sure the bleach:water solution remains on the surfaces/objects that you're cleaning for at least 10 - 15 minutes. Soak bowls, toys, mats and so on in the solution if possible, or at least wipe over thoroughly and don't dry off right away. You can rinse and dry them after the 10 - 15 minutes is up.

It's a good idea to steam clean carpets in a home where there's been contamination as this virus is so easily transmitted and it only needs a trace of infected feces or soil to cause trouble.

Steam-cleaning or sterilizing bowls, toys etc. is also relatively easy.

Prevention of Canine Parvovirus

It's also vital to keep your pup away from un-vaccinated puppies or dogs (and from areas where they may have been such as city streets, public parks or open ground), until he has had all the necessary canine vaccinations.

Don't ever take chances with your puppy's health by omitting or delaying his shots. They are literally life-savers.

Find out more about puppy health issues by using the search box below!

Puppy Health

Puppy Vaccinations

Puppy Vomiting

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