Canine Parvovirus

'Canine Parvovirus', just the name can strike fear into the heart of any new puppy owner. The dreaded Parvo pounces quickly, and can kill a young puppy within 24 hours.

However, the good news is that it is also, in most cases, a very preventable illness. A full set of three vaccinations, starting at 7 weeks of age and given at 3 week intervals, will give your puppy immunity to canine parvovirus.

It's important to realize though, that one or two sets doesn't give the same level of protection. A puppy can't really be considered 'safe' from the parvo virus until the full set of shots have been given.

There are also some breeds, notably Rottweilers, Doberman Pinschers and Pitbulls (and other bully-type breeds), that seem to have a genetic predisposition to this disease, and even when fully vaccinated they don't always have the level of protection that most breeds attain.

If you own one of these breeds, take extra precautions to avoid the possibility of catching parvo, and give your puppy a fourth canine parvovirus vaccination at around 16 weeks of age.

Transmission of Canine Parvovirus

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).

Scientists and researchers are aware that different strains of Parvo are constantly evolving and emerging. Recently a new strain was discovered in the USA, which affects both vaccinated, adult dogs as well as puppies. This is very unusual, as up until now canine parvovirus has been mainly limited to unvaccinated puppies. There are now current vaccines that provide protection against this new strain. Check with your veterinarian.

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.

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'.

You can also 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 not recommend that you give this instead of professional veterinary treatment, but rather use it IN ADDITION TO VETERINARY CARE. Get more info on PetAlive Parvo-K here

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.

Parvobusters are also a great way to protect your pup from ever catching the dreaded Parvovirus. Their immune system properties are invaluable.

There's a FREE e-book with more information on Parvo and homeopathic treatment/prevention that's definitely worth reading. Just click on the banner below to order your FREE copy (no obligation, no catch!).

The disease usually 'runs it's course' within about 10 - 14 days, and if your puppy survives this long he has a good chance of making a full recovery.

After Canine Parvovirus

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!

It's important to know that the parvo virus itself is extremely hardy and can live on surfaces and in the ground indefinitely. When in the soil, it's not affected by heat, rain, cold, frost or any other climatic condition. It can literally survive for decades. 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 catch parvo if they come in contact with the infected soil.

The only thing that kills Parvovirus is chlorine bleach, and you can clean everything (floors, toys, walls, crates etc.) with a bleach/water solution. This will kill the virus. You can also spray or soak the ground outside with this solution and use it to clean any concrete/asphalt areas your puppy may have used.

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....

'We had two puppies get parvo. Sic from the same litter got it and the 3 that received veterinary attention survived, the 3 that didn't, died.

Our 2 survived but a few months later both of them got demodectic mange, which I understand is an immune problem.

My feeling is that the amount of antibiotics they took to combat the parvo - which is what saved them - lead to the mange. So we got them treated for that, but I also started feeding them yogurt very day with the idea of increasing the levels of good bacteria in their intestinal tract. In humans it's believed that low levels of good bacterial lead to immune problems, so why not dogs too?

Luckily both our puppies are fine now, but if I ever had a puppy get canine parvovirus again I would feed yogurt for several months after they return from the vets'

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.

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

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Prevention of Canine Parvovirus

Don't let your puppy become a victim of this horrible disease, protect him properly!

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