Parvo

Parvo in dogs is a very serious illenss. Since its formal identification in 1978, the Parvovirus, has surfaced as the most prominent pet health risk facing our dogs. This risk to pet health is even more prominent in the winter months. Parvovirus in dogs is similar to Feline Distemper. Despite being an entirely preventable, millions of dogs and cats will die each year of these awful twin diseases. The Parvovirus and Feline Distemper should remind us of the importance of vaccinating our animals to maximize pet health.

The virus is ingested through the mouth and can take three to fourteen days to manifest into symptoms. Parvo attacks the cells found in our pet’s intestines, causing unmitigated damage to their intestinal lining. The damage to the intestinal lining causes severe watery/bloody diarrhea and vomiting. The early diagnosis and treatment of the Parvovirus is vital to regaining pet health. Sadly, even with the best care, canine Parvo can be fatal in up to fifty percent of infected dogs. Your dog’s chances of survival increase with age. For example, an eight-month-old puppy has a much greater chance of surviving the virus than does a three-month-old puppy.

There are three ways the Parvovirus can cause death namely dehydration, insufficient blood sugar (mostly in puppies) and thirdly bacterial infections can affect pet health and other organs causing sepsis.

When your pet starts to exhibit physical symptoms it is contagious to others and sheds the virus through its feces. The virus is exceptionally hardy or virulent; it can live in the environment for up to two years. This means that if an infected dog visits a specific spot outdoors a puppy playing in the same place two years later could catch the disease. Also the shape of the virus particle makes it sticky. This stickiness contributes to the spread the virus by clinging to paws or other things that may have come into contact with the virus particle. A puppy might later groom themselves and get infected.

Preventing the Parvovirus is easy and critical to the health of your pet. Parvo is an easy disease to vaccinate against. A series of two to three vaccinations makes it virtually impossible to get the Parvo virus. Usually the Parvovirus vaccine is just one part of a combination vaccine usually consisting of parainfluenza virus, distemper virus, adenovirus virus, Corona virus and different strains of leptosporosis. These vaccines are regularly given at your veterinarian’s office and likely be scheduled on a few days notice.

When you first adopt a puppy, it is very important to ask about vaccinations. Ask if the breeder gave the vaccine or if it was given at a veterinary office and how the vaccine was stored. If the vaccine was stored incorrectly it won’t protect your puppy. If the puppy is unvaccinated, get the vaccination process started as quickly as possible. An unvaccinated puppy should not be allowed outdoors.

If you have had a previous dog or puppy with the parvovirus and you are thinking of getting a new puppy, make sure your new puppy has had at least two vaccinations before bringing him or her home. Your dog’s health is your responsibility. Protecting your dog’s health is easy. Speak to your veterinarian about the Parvovirus vaccine and other vaccinations necessary to protect the health of your dog.

I welcome your comments on Parvo or any other matters pertaining to pet health.