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What is Parvo?
Parvo is the shortened term for the Canine parvovirus, a serious viral disease that affects dogs. The disease most commonly affects puppies and young dogs, but animals of all ages can become infected. Usually, the worst effects are on the intestines, causing vomiting and diarrhea that is often bloody, but it also affects the bone marrow and may damage the heart, causing it to fail. The disease is often, though not always, fatal. Parvo is the most common lethal virus known to affect dogs, but it is preventable with a vaccine.
Sources of Infection
The virus is spread through the feces and vomit of infected dogs. It is extremely contagious, but direct contact with other dogs is not necessary, as it is found practically everywhere. Infected animals release very large quantities of the virus, which can live for weeks or months in areas where feces or vomit from infected dogs have been deposited. As these bodily products break down, the virus is scattered around and can be carried by humans on shoes, clothing and skin, and by other animals. It can therefore be found in homes and gardens, and dogs can become infected without coming near another animal.
Effects and Symptoms
Canine parvovirus tends to infect cells that divide frequently, such as those in the walls of the intestine, the bone marrow and the lymph nodes. The first symptoms generally appear after an incubation period of three to seven days. During this time, the virus multiplies in the lymph nodes of the throat without causing any symptoms. After a few days, large numbers enter the bloodstream and infect the immune cells in the bone marrow, reducing the dog’s immune response and leaving the cells of the intestinal wall vulnerable to attack.
Since this infection prevents the regeneration of cells in the intestinal wall, a dog with parvo will be largely unable to absorb nutrients from food, and will suffer from severe diarrhea, resulting in dehydration. Other complications are blood loss through damage to the intestinal wall, and the effects of toxins produced by bacteria, normally confined to the gut, which have entered the bloodstream. The heart may also be affected. The initial symptoms of the disease are lethargy and loss of appetite, followed by fever, diarrhea, and vomiting.
Diagnosis
A dog that displays any of these symptoms should be taken to a veterinarian without delay, because if left untreated, the disease can sometimes kill in 24 hours. Fortunately, there is a quick, simple, and fairly accurate test using a sample of feces that can usually detect the presence of the virus. This may be combined with a blood test to check for a low white blood cell count. If both come up positive, parvo is the likely cause.
Treatment
Like most viral infections, there are no drugs that are effective in eliminating the virus itself, although antibiotics may be given to combat bacteria from the intestines that have entered the bloodstream. Otherwise, the treatment centers on alleviating the worst of the effects until the disease has run its course. To combat dehydration and the inability to absorb food through the intestines, the dog may be given fluids and nutrients by an intravenous drip, although this treatment is not always successful.
Prevention
There is no practical way of preventing a dog from coming into contact with parvovirus. Parvo is unusually resilient, and it can survive harsh conditions in the open air and also contact with most household cleaners. Strong bleach will kill it, but there is little that can be done about virus particles in gardens, parks, or other outdoor areas.
The most important preventative measure is vaccination. This is part of routine veterinary vaccinations recommended for all puppies and dogs. It is generally administered around six weeks, re-administered three to four additional times before the dog is a year old, and annually after that. With the proper vaccination, the dog will be protected from the virus, but any pet owner who believes that his unprotected dog has contracted this disease or knows it has been exposed to it should consult a veterinarian. People who have a dog without vaccination records or who are unsure of its medical history should take it to a veterinarian for examination.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is canine parvovirus, and how does it affect dogs?
Canine parvovirus, commonly known as parvo, is a highly contagious viral disease that affects dogs, particularly puppies. It targets the gastrointestinal tract, leading to symptoms like severe vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, and lethargy. Without prompt treatment, parvo can cause dehydration, damage to the intestines, and a weakened immune system, potentially leading to death.
How is parvo transmitted among dogs?
Parvo is transmitted through direct contact with an infected dog or indirectly by contact with a contaminated environment, objects, or people. The virus is shed in the feces of infected dogs and can survive in the environment for months. Dogs can contract the virus by sniffing or consuming contaminated feces or by coming into contact with contaminated surfaces.
What are the signs and symptoms of parvo in dogs?
Signs and symptoms of parvo in dogs include severe vomiting, bloody diarrhea, high fever, lethargy, anorexia, and rapid weight loss. Infected dogs may also show signs of severe dehydration. Symptoms typically appear within 5-10 days after exposure to the virus. Immediate veterinary attention is crucial upon noticing these symptoms.
Can parvo be treated, and what is the survival rate for infected dogs?
Parvo can be treated with supportive care that includes fluid therapy, anti-nausea medications, antibiotics, and hospitalization. There is no cure for the virus itself, so treatment focuses on managing symptoms and preventing secondary infections. With aggressive treatment, the survival rate for dogs with parvo can be 68-92%, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association.
Is there a vaccine for parvo, and how effective is it?
Yes, there is a highly effective vaccine for parvo. Puppies typically receive their first parvo vaccination between 6-8 weeks of age, followed by booster shots every 3-4 weeks until they are 16 weeks old. Adult dogs should be revaccinated every 1-3 years. The vaccine is considered highly effective in preventing parvo when administered correctly.
How can I prevent my dog from getting parvo?
To prevent parvo, ensure your dog is up-to-date on vaccinations and avoid exposing them to potentially contaminated environments. Keep puppies away from public areas until they've completed their vaccination series. Practice good hygiene by disinfecting objects and areas where dogs frequent, and immediately remove and properly dispose of feces to minimize environmental contamination.
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![Puppies and young dogs are most at risk of contracting parvo.]()
By: fotowebboxPuppies and young dogs are most at risk of contracting parvo. -
![A dog exhibiting any of the parvo symptoms, including diarrhea, loss of appetite or lethargy, should be immediately taken to a vet.]()
By: mico_imagesA dog exhibiting any of the parvo symptoms, including diarrhea, loss of appetite or lethargy, should be immediately taken to a vet. -
![Parvo is spread through the feces and vomit of dogs with the infection.]()
By: paul prescottParvo is spread through the feces and vomit of dogs with the infection. -
![The parvo vaccine is suggested as it protects dogs from the parvo virus.]()
By: TsuboyaThe parvo vaccine is suggested as it protects dogs from the parvo virus. -
![Parvo is the colloquial term for canine parvovirus.]()
By: Mat HaywardParvo is the colloquial term for canine parvovirus.
Discussion Comments
I was told parvo is in the ground. I have had three different dogs that have contracted it, and took all three to the vet. All of them survived. The sicker they are, the more it will cost. One dog that I took had IV fluids and returned home with me. She survived. Now I go to the feed store to buy the shots and let a neighbor give them.
Parvo is proof of an uncaring God of nature, although God exists. Millions of pups have suffered miserably and perished because of this entirely useless virus. My puppy died earlier tonight and I didn't know why, until I read this thread. I'm so sad, I have felt like mush for hours. I am so angry. My previous Minkie was killed by this omnipresent killer.
I had an eight month old Yorkie and she had Parvo. How did I figure it out? Read on. (I am so sorry for the people who have gone through this like me, a 12 year old girl.)
Please read.
My puppy’s name was Mia and she had Parvo. I figured it out the day before she died. Her Parvo number was 1.4, the smallest, meaning the worst. Instead of having a 10.0, she had the lowest – a 1.4.
She was in her little cupcake bed while my mom was driving while crying her eyes out and I was in a different car just leaving the store when my mom told my grandma the news and my grandma told me what was going on our way to the animal hospital. I was in the back praying God would not take her away from me because I love her so much. She was by my side always. In good or bad, she was always there for me like I was there for her.
When we got to the animal hospital, they had already taken Mia to her room where they were going to treat her. While we waited for the Nurse to tell us what she had, I was just thinking to myself, “What am I going to do without her? Why did they do this to me” and it was the day before Thanksgiving. While I'm thinking, the nurse comes in the room that we were in and tells me she had Parvo. One of my family members went up to the nurse and asked her if we could go see Mia. She said, 'Yes, right this way.'' As we made our way to the room, I tried not to cry, but when I got to the room and saw she couldn’t move, I couldn't help myself, so I did cry.
The nurse came in and told me she was very, very sick and that she didn't think Mia would life. She had asked me question that I couldn't answer because of my crying until my mom told me to leave with my grandma. On my way out, I sent a message to my mom asking her what happened, what did they say, and to please answer me. And a minute later she sends me a message saying, “I'm so sorry baby, but Mia is gone.” Then I send her a message saying, “Why? Where is she at?” And mom said, “In the cemetery.”
From that day on I have been wishing I was the dead one, not her. I hope this never happens to anyone.
My story with the deadly disease is about a year ago, I was going though a hard time and it was close to my 15th birthday and my mom decided to let me get a puppy. I was so excited and so I got a puppy at Noah and I named him Riley. He was only four months old, and at Noah animals are more expensive. He was about 350 dollars and what was cool was he came with a free month trial of 24 pet watch.
When he got to my house, he started to get sick and he slept a lot and you could just tell he wasn't feeling good at all, so me and my mom took him to the vet since it was free since we had insurance on him.
The vet said that he wanted to test him for parvo and I said no, he couldn't have parvo. It's not possible. I have only had him for five days and you never would have guessed he had parvo. I didn't know what to do. I was in shock and kept thinking why would God give me this amazing little gift and just decide to make it go away?
Well luckily, we had the 24 pet watch and it did cover parvo treatment so I am glad that we had that because now I have my one year old puppy, Riley. I do think the treatment did mess up his brain a little bit since he's a little special, but I love him for that. I guess that's the defect from the treatment is that good little puppy or dog that you had before may not be the same after the dog is sick. I never saw his true self so I guess that's the bad thing about it, but I am blessed to have my dog.
I have a now two year old German Shepherd. When she was 12 weeks, we were taking her in to the vet for her very last set of shots. While we were there, they had a Rottweiler who had parvo, but they didn't tell us that until after our dog already came into contact with theirs.
Three days later, after we took her home from the vet, she started vomiting everywhere. I knew something wasn't right so I took her in right away. After four days of vet care and a huge vet bill, they told us we can come get her, she will be fine. When she got home, she was eating everything in sight: popcorn. pizza, etc. She is my baby.
It is very important to bring your pets in as soon as you think something isn't right. When you notice your dog not acting normal, bring it in. It might not even be parvo. But you don't want to risk your baby's life on a thought. Mine just had her second birthday, weighs 89.80 pounds and is playful as ever. I don't know what I would have done if I had lost her.
My dog was spayed four days ago. She began vomiting immediately and continued to until her death this morning. She was a pound puppy, a chihuahua mix, that we had for three weeks. The vets treated her with cerenia and I administered pedialyte. She had no fever and a little diarrhea towards the end. Does this sound like parvo?
I'd like to see a chart showing the mortality/survival rates.
I think it is very important to remember the function of antibiotics and what they are formulated for which is not for viruses but for "bacteria".
So please, everyone save your money when a virus is involved and stop using antibiotics for anything virus related; they do nothing. Nothing man made will kill a virus and or viral infection. This is a very basic principle that seems to be horribly set aside.
Thank you all for your posts. It was after reading the majority of them that I felt compelled to post.
I rescued a German shepherd puppy from the animal shelter last Tuesday. On Thursday, she started exhibiting signs of parvo. At the same time she was getting sick, the animal shelter called to say that two of her siblings had tested positive. Knowing her diagnosis, I rushed her to the ER right away. They admitted her Thursday night through Saturday afternoon. She had no vomiting, diarrhea or other symptoms while in the hospital. Also, she was very interested in eating while under their care. I have had her home for two days and she refuses to eat. I have been back to the vet three times and I am administering IV fluids to her at home and antibiotic medications. Still, she has no interest in eating whatsoever. I have another appointment this afternoon but am conflicted. I’m pretty sure they will recommend additional hospitalization, but I have already spent $1,200 only to have her still sick. What if she is fine there again and not at home? I would have thought the parvo would have run its course by now. She’s been sick for almost five days.
She has no bloody stools and when taken outside, she will walk around and smell the flowers. Other than that, she is very lethargic. Really hoping that she pulls through and that all of your pets do too.
Parvo is extremely serious to puppies and adult dogs. Children can also suffer this virus which is apparently called slap face and stems from parvo virus. This virus can kill unborn children in the first trimester also, so please consider other people and animals if your pet does get the parvo virus.
I urge all of you to be responsible pet owners and get dogs vaccinated. I know that this does not always stop the dog from contracting the virus, but it gives the dog a far greater chance of not contracting it.
Please read. This is a very important post regarding post 66.
I have some additional info to add to my post 66 that I wanted to make sure anyone reading is made completely aware of. I am in no way advocating what I did was in place of getting medical assistance, attention, advice or going to them ASAP. If you see the signs, then move and fast. In all my 53 years of caring for dogs, cats, birds and God knows what else, I never encountered anything like this. Plus, I unfortunately had this hell happen to me when my regular vet was closed and my only option was
to contact the ER vets. I spoke to many different people on the phone, and still got many apologies for them being unable to help me financially (no pit plans, either). In the end, I was given additional numbers to get financial assistance from organizations. I left my phone number with them (voice mail) to no avail (and here I am several days later and still haven't heard a word).
I was told by the ER vets each dog would be a minimum of $125 to walk in (average price) and then anything done to the animal would be in addition to that (I think it was $150 to put them down. Not 100 percent sure anymore), and it would in the end, probably cost hundreds, if not thousands, for the three, and not counting Bella at that point.
I was a wreck with nothing positive happening and unfortunately, no financial help and up against the wall with that whole night from hell to look toward. After they passed, I was so physically, mentally and emotionally exhausted (just trying to maintain myself, and my other dogs) and desperate to help
Bella since she had me concerned but had not had any symptoms like the others from the start. I was
still somehow able to gather the strength to get out the notebook and pen, document everything that had
happened and start the internet search for hours until it got light outside. Primarily, this page had the most important info, along with a few other sites here and there after that. This site and post 60, along with all my notes, helped me make my decision of what I had to do to try to save Bella, my two-year-old chihuahua mom.
The person who wrote post 60 made the most sense to me and now that is what brings us to my post 66. So please read it and post 60. I just wanted to make sure I made it very clear that I wasn't saying what I did was in place of veterinary help. Please, please, please make sure if you can do it or have assistance financially, or the place will take payments – anything – then call or go to your vet ASAP, if you even sense something not right about your dog.
Two days ago, I buried my three babies in a special spot on the property by three trees and later that night, we had a full moon with a dusting of snow falling while I checked to make sure things were OK. What a special sense of sadness yet peace came over me, knowing my Bella had made it, and all the rest of the dogs in my life are being watched by their owners very closely now.
It's bad when you lose your special pet. They are your family and friend. In this case, I had the honor of
being there when these three entered the world, as well as when they left. It pains me beyond words. I am spreading this information to anyone I meet.
It's really a shame that they don't have a medication easily accessible that can be given that contains everything needed to fight this horror without the torture for all those involved.
Anyway, again with many thanks, much gratitude and gratefulness, even those words cannot express the miracle I had with my Bella and feel coming to this page along with that very special person who posted no. 60.
This is a very special thank you to an angel: anon171842
Post 60. It was unfortunate that I lost my beloved year old sister chihuahuas Eevee and Rosabella and my baby, six month old "tiny dancer" malchi Bertha before I realized what had been happening to my babies.
I went crazy. My dogs had shots and after I calmed down, I spent all night online researching the dreaded Parvo. Thank God for this page. I read through it all and when I read what you posted, I realized I had almost all the things you described and could save my little mother, Bella, who had started with the symptoms but had appeared depressed instead of having diarrhea. It clicked with all the info on this page and I created my own cocktail with gatorade and began to force it into her She was so small and frail this chihuahua had one locked jaw, but I got two doses into her that night.
The next day, I purchased the Boiron Oscillococcinum. I took one vial and made three doses for her. I got every pearl in her. The next morning she got off the bed on her own for the first time in two days. I sat up and saw she drank water on her own. She walked over to the bed, was able to put her front paws on the top of the bed, and stretched with her butt sticking out, and had this huge grin and squinted eyes as if to say "I'm back!!" We proceeded to the kitchen and I got out a can of chicken health extension. She had turned her nose up at it the day before, but now she wanted it. She gobbled three huge bites and got stuffed and looked at me, since her stomach had shrunk from not eating.
My friend, you are the reason she is alive today. I gave her two more of my "cocktails" and the other two doses of the antiviral meds. and my baby girl is her old self. Like you said, it was an extremely quick recovery.
I have several other dogs in the house and I'm watching them all for any signs of anything, then antiviral meds here we come! May God bless you and karma be unto you. You were concerned about someone out there after the hell you had been through and that someone was me. You saved many lives my friend and I will never forget you and what you did for all of us here. Thank you!
If your dog is sick or even appears to be down in the dumps, like not eating or drinking, is hiding in closets/under beds, seems very tired like or otherwise sick, get your much loved pet to your vet immediately! Do not waste time and do not wait until Monday! Do not try to treat your pet yourself by giving them medication for humans, that you may have read on a website.
Parvo is an infection and works so fast that your pup/dog can be running and chasing trucks or what have you one minute, and the next, they are dead!
I am pretty much flabbergasted about others' comments here and I'm like, what are you people thinking?
Our baby is a year old and has just been diagnosed with parvo. She started vomiting on Saturday and we took her to the vet on Monday morning. She was put on a drip the same day for two hours and we took her home. We are giving her Clopamon to stop the vomiting and an antibiotic. She refuses to drink and clenches her jaw shut. The diarrhea has stopped, her vomiting is very little and clear, her eyes have returned to normal and we are force-hydrating her every hour on the hour with a sipper bottle and electrolyte fluid. She is still listless, but today chased a truck that was outside our fence! I believe this is a good sign and I am going to try her on the boiled chicken and rice tonight.
She has to fight the virus as it cannot be treated -- only the symptoms -- and the vet says we are lucky that we caught it early. I don't want her to be another statistic. Please pray she will be OK. I believe she will be.
On Saturday, five days ago, we got a 6 to 8 week old puppy from the pound. Two days ago he stopped eating and was just laying around all the time. Yesterday he was so skinny you could see every rib and his hip bones and spine. He was very dehydrated so we were force feeding him pedialyte to get him hydrated. Then today he was pretty much dying so we took him to the vet to see what they could do. Come to find out he was in the late stages of parvo and he was almost dead on the table so they had to put him to sleep to put him out of his misery. It was so sad!
i have a litter of lab puppies of 12 days old. today two puppies got diarrhea. Could they be infected with parvo or not.
my female dog, Misty, died of parvo just wednesday morning. she was very jumpy all the time, but one day she looked like she was sick and tired. she wouldn't move, so I picked her up and moved her closer to me. she looked really skinny and usually she was fat. but first she wouldn't eat or move, then she threw up the bubbly looking stuff. she never had the bloody diarrhea, though. then on wednesday she was dead and my dad buried her for me. now my other pomeranian has parvo but he is still eating. i don't know what to do.
In the last month, my schnoodle- Dutchie and my miniature schnauzer-Princess contracted Parvo. Both had been vaccinated. Dutchie was sick first. I had no idea of what she had. We thought she had found poison. One of my co-workers, Rachel, had owned and operated a professional kennel for years. She said the symptoms sounded like Parvo. I had heard of Parvo. Mainly from owners of pit bulls. I felt like Dutchie had been delivered a death sentence.
I was at work and my kids had called saying something was real bad wrong. They used the words "all of a sudden". Rachel said it sounded like Parvo and her only chance was if she was taken to the vet ASAP. So I called the vet and made an emergency appt. My oldest son who is 21 called and said she was in a real bad way. I knew it was bad then. Keep in mind she was just fine that morning.
I went to pick all of them up. I went into shock when I saw Dutchie. She looked like death. We rushed to the vet. She couldn't even walk and was trembling all over. Her eyes were so sad and very watery. We were seen immediately. Dutchie was tested for Parvo twice. Both results came back negative. Keep in mind we live in a rural area of Oklahoma. The little town we drove to is very small. The vet was puzzled.
Then in front of the vet, Dutchie started vomiting puddles of yellow bile. Then she had explosive diarrhea that looked to be pure blood. She was going down by the minute. The vet said she didn't care what the test findings were, she knew for a fact Dutchie had Parvo. She said we could hospitalize her and even then her survival would be 50/50. She said they would put an I.V. in her to keep her hydrated, give her anti-nausea meds, antibiotics, pain meds, and monitor her condition over the weekend. She said that a wave of dogs had been coming in and she had 2 in the back hospital as we spoke. She said due to the brutal side effects and suffering involved if we didn't hospitalize her we should have her euthanized. We hospitalized her.
The vet felt she was encountering a new strain of Parvo. Since we had Princess with us, she gave her a booster shot to ensure her safety. We were all traumatized by what we saw. The visit was very expensive and created a financial hardship. She said Dutchie appeared to be in good condition prior to being sick. She said if she made it the next 48 hrs. her chances of survival would be good but not guaranteed. She said dogs had came in who looked as if they would make it and didn't and vice versa. We were a wreck when we left.
Princess was so sad when we left. Over the weekend, it was pitiful to watch her go from room to room looking for Dutchie. Monday, I called the vet as soon as it opened. The receptionist said let me check. She came back and said Dutchie would be ready to go home. She was lively, trying to "gulp" her food down, and had tried to remove her I.V. by herself. She said they needed to clean her up and she would be ready to go home at 2 pm. I was amazed. We had been told it would be 3 to 5 days.
Two weeks later, again on a Friday, in the evening Princess started going down. The kids said it couldn't be Parvo because she got the booster shot. But I knew. She went down so fast and that Parvo smell was present. It is a smell if encountered even briefly that you will never forget. I sent the kids to stay with family for the weekend.
Due to her getting sick so quickly after Dutchie, I couldn't afford a second hospitalization. I was devastated. I felt so much guilt. It hurt that I couldn't give her the same level of care. I had did some serious research when Dutchie became sick. I did non-stop research that night. Several sites had mentioned how the anti-viral med Tamiflu proved to be a miracle drug for Parvo if given as soon as symptoms were identified. It requires a prescription by a vet. Many vets, including mine, will not do this. I was determined Princess would survive.
I compiled what I had found and made a list. It was late when I dropped the kids off and I didn't have what I felt I needed. But I knew I had to do something right then. I also knew that the intestinal system was the area that so many symptoms were generated. The only thing I had was a probiotic called Pearls. I gave her two. Probiotics target the repair and stabilization of the digestive system. I had offered fluids throughout the night. I became so exhausted I fell asleep in the early am. I woke up in a couple of hours. Princess wasn't where I left her.
During the night, Princess trembled uncontrollably and became completely listless. I called for her repeatedly. No Princess. With the help of her sister, I found her quickly but had to get to her. She had crawled to the furthest wall corner under my son's twin bed. She could barely raise her head. I had to move the bed to get her. She looked at me with eyes full of water, shivering all over, and whimpering. The smell was horrific. Honest to God, I wanted to collapse. I knew I couldn't. Time would dictate her life or death.
Please, if you can afford to take your much loved dog to the vet, do so quickly. Home treatment is a duty that requires extreme dedication. I realize now that I had no idea of the true horror of Parvo. Despite my list, my all night research, and my dedication, I was terrified. The following is a list of things I gave/did for Princess. She did survive. Tonight, I felt overjoyed.
Parvo is strange. In my experience, once your loved one makes it around the bend, recovery moves quickly. It is a traumatic experience for you and the one you love. Time seems to stand still. Home treatment never stops. Exhaustion will set in for you. For the first 36 hours, recovery being possible will swing back and forth. Things always get worse at night.
There is one anti-viral,OTC med that can be purchased at Walmart. I remembered the med from when I took it that one season when a viral form of the flu was causing fatalities. It was amazing. I speculated that if the anti-viral med Tamiflu was effective, it was worth a chance to try. About two hours after gave this to her, I began to feel a tiny ray of hope. It is the second med on the list and should be given 30 min. after the anti-nausea medication Delysn for children. I can't emphasize the importance of getting this otc anti-viral med in your dog's system as soon as you see the symptoms occur.
I have to warn you that administering the meds will be difficult and require you to literally pry your dog's mouth apart to give. Try to pour/ squirt fluids inside of the cheek area. So here goes the list of meds/ tactics I did that took my Princess literally from the door of death to in 48 hours drinking on her own, walking on her own, jumping/ playing/wrestling with Dutchie and eating on her own. I was never able to get her to eat anything. Princess loves to eat.
Her refusal to eat, self-imposed isolation, and what appeared to be severe depression was the total opposite of who she is when normal. (Note: Princess diarrhea was not bloody, however it was profuse. I pray that I never encounter that smell again). Her vomit was not yellow. It was white and foamy. I wasn't with Dutchie, but Princess appeared to have mini convulsions. There were periods when she had simultaneous dry heaves/ rectal spasms that wouldn't produce anything.
List:
Delsyn: Anti-nausea med for children. Give this first to decrease dehydration amount and the successful administration of critical meds. Princess is a miniature schnauzer. I gave her a teaspoon two to three times each day as needed.
Oscillococcinum: OTC antiviral that can be found in the flu/ cold section at Walmart or Walgreen's. It is amazing. It was the next best known alternative to Tamiflu. If a study were to be done, I believe it would come out in first place. During the swine flu epidemic, many healthcare professionals stated that it was more effective for that viral disease. It will be in a white box with orange and yellow detail. Boiron is the manufacturer. Boiron is located in Europe. This medication is the number one choice in England for viral illnesses.
In the box will be six vials. Each vial will contain white granules that dissolve immediately to enter the blood stream. Please get this into your pets (Family member in our home) as soon as possible. If I would have thought of making the substitution Friday night, a lot of suffering by Princess and me could have been avoided. She was looking in better condition than I was this evening.
Any kind will of anti-diarrhea tablet will work. I chose mine based on size. I gave two the first day and one today.
Pedialyte: This liquid ensures hydration and electrolytes are supported. Fluids should be given no matter what it takes every two hours at a minimum. Every other time period offer the pedialyte in a bowl. The pedialyte is very important. I read instances in which giving pedialyte was not successful due to inability to pry open the clenched jaws. In these type of cases there is a way you can slowly place fluids with a syringe/ needle just under the skin in the hip areas. You know it is time to repeat the action when skin lays completely flat again. I didn't have to do that.
Children's Motrin: This provides relief from their abdominal pain, fever, and hard chills. Give according to weight chart on box and as needed.
Capsule Amoxicillin: For my Princess, she received 250 mg twice. I opened the capsule and mixed it with water and ended up having to give by syringe. I happened to have these on hand. It is very possible you will not. If this is the scenario, you need to go to the grocery store and get fresh garlic. Peel and chop. Simmer in slow boiling water for 10 minutes. Let cool and suction into syringe. For a small dog, half a syringe should be given every two hours.
Syringes: You will need these the first 24 to 39 hours at a minimum. Syringes are the vehicles that deliver healing.
It is late and despite my exhaustion, I was determined to get this posted. Please forward to others. I was able to save my baby in spite of the fact it took me 15 hours after onset to begin. Princess had made the turnaround in 33 hours. This doesn't sound like a very long time, but it felt like forever. I hope this is of help to someone.
I have just lost a five month old puppy called leo to parvo and yes it happened so quickly. he was one day running around with his sister, mum, aunt and brother in our house then the next thing he is off his water and food.
i rang the vet last night and the told me to keep a eye on him overnight and by 12:00pm uk time he was in a very sorry state. i took him in to the vet and was told it was too far along to help. I know as he was so weak he would only have a slim chance of living so we had him put to sleep for his sake and the owners as it was the right thing to do for him and not let him suffer any more.
it has cost me £260.00 for it all and includes out of hours fee. to anyone here, go get your dog or puppy the shots plus the boosters, i would recommend it to all from j.myerscough in uk
If your puppy has diarrhea or is vomiting, ask about a worming schedule and what the breeder used. parasites can be ugly and can cause this. Also, some dewormers do not catch everything. Strongid will get hook worms and round worms, but not whip worms, coccidia, heartworm or giardia. Check the pups gums, if they are a whitish color, it's not good. They should be pretty pink. Tired, losing weight, etc can also be parasites. Still can be deadly for the puppy, but much easier to treat!
You can pick up Parvo anywhere. It is passed in feces. If your dog or your pups never left the house, they probably didn't get it from you. Spray a 10 percent bleach solution on everything. Pups aren't immune til the series is complete. It could have been tracked in on your feet, or you could have easily got it from the pet store. Lots of dogs there and sometimes accidents happen.
We had Parvo run through three litters of puppies. One set was five weeks old (too young to vaccinate), one was seven weeks old and had one set of shots at six weeks, and the other was 10 weeks old.
My sister had felt sorry for two lab pups at a garage sale and brought them in, but didn't quarantine them. A week later one of the lab pups was spitting up. We thought she was dehydrated. Then we noticed an older pup was looking very bad. Took her to the ER but she did not make it. Then the other lab puppy, and one of the oldest puppies got it, bad. They were on fluids. The seven week old puppies started showing signs of the disease and so were treated with fluids. Unfortunately the five week old pups got it too, and mom's antibodies didn't take care of it very well.
Of the three puppies left out of the oldest litter, one died, one got it very badly but recovered, and one never did anything more than spit up a little. No fluids, nothing. Of the seven week old puppies, three died, but six made it through just fine. One lab puppy was very bad but recovered, and the other one never showed any symptoms at all. Sadly, of the five week old puppies, four out of five of them caught it and were too young to bounce back, so they didn't make it. The fifth puppy never had a problem with it, never showed symptoms and was just fine.
My point is that parvo affects dogs differently. You just need to keep them hydrated and filled with nutrients until the virus runs its course. IV fluids are easiest, pedialyte, plain yogurt, nutrition, honey -- it all helps. So because your dog gets it doesn't mean it's doomed. There are lots of factors.
At the same time, our fourth litter was born. Those puppies didn't come near anything. They stayed totally isolated. We would let the mother out, and we would use the bleach solution on her before letting her back in. No one walked in with the puppies without bleaching shoes, hands and anything that could have been contaminated. They ended up fine. Needless to say, after bleaching everything that dogs could have touched, we didn't have litters for a while.
So if you are worried about Parvo, you shouldn't take your puppy anywhere until that series of three shots is done. One shot really doesn't protect them very well. Advise people of this when they pick up puppies! Hope this helps.
My name is Stephanie. i have two puppies and one of them got his first shot today and is throwing up and having diarrhea. I don't know if it's parvo. my friend's dog died of it last friday, and i don't have $480 to take him to the vet. I don't know what to do. I've been giving him baby food and pedialyte to keep him hydrated. please i need any advice from anyone.
We have a litter of great shepherds. they are great pyrenees and german shepherds. we lost one puppy to parvo two days ago an we are keeping the second one alive so far with all your help on here, so thank you.
We started off with seven puppies an down to six. But we are hopeful with all the advice on here. I am a single mom of four children and the puppy that is sick now is my baby girl's puppy. Her name is snow white. I wish I had the money to take them to the vet but I don't so we are just going to keep them hydrated and pray for them. Thank you for all the advice on here.
Hopefully my story can bring hope. We recently got two German Shepherd puppies. One afternoon I noticed that our female pup was displaying parvo symptoms. She was lethargic and not eating. She had diarrhea the previous day but we chalked it up to the fact that she had eaten some food that wasn't hers. With the new development of symptoms I called the vet. They got us in immediately. We brought along our male pup too, just in case, as parvo is extremely contagious. She tested positive and he was negative.
We left her there for overnight treatment. We knew she would have a better chance if she stayed there where they could push IV fluids. We brought our male pup home with us.
The next morning they told us that she had not had any diarrhea or vomiting and was eating her food. They told us to call back in a couple of hours to determine if she was ready to come home or if she needed to stay for additional treatment. She came home that day. After getting home she had some diarrhea but otherwise recovered nicely.
She ate boiled chicken, rice and broth from the chicken for several days until she was well enough for kibble again. She made a full recovery. (Her total vet bill was around $400.)
Exactly a week later our male pup started to display symptoms. His were worse than hers and he is a month younger (10 weeks old) so I was very concerned we wouldn't have the same luck with recovery again. Being late Friday night we had to take him to the local animal ER. They, being emergency only, charge much more than our usual vet. They wanted $1200 for the first night. We opted to bring him home and wait until morning. We got up to check on him hourly that night. He was drinking water which was most important. The following morning we took him to the vet. This was yesterday.
Today he was doing well. They are keeping him until tomorrow but he has made a great recovery already. They took him off IV fluids because he is drinking on his own. He isn't having any vomiting or diarrhea anymore either. We are so relieved. His total bill will be around $900 since he is spending two nights.
We assume he had it all along but his symptoms didn't appear immediately. We went to painstaking measures to keep them separated and to keep him away from the yard she voided in. I hope our success stories give someone hope!
i got an 8 week old labrador puppy four days ago and she was fine for two hours then she was sick four times, then became a little lethargic which we put down to tiredness. then sunday she seemed fine till the late afternoon then the diarrhea started and she refused her food so i sat up with her nearly all night.
Monday we took her to a vet and he give her two antibiotic shots and told us to bring her back the next day, but today she has deteriorated so bad we don't have much hope. her water is so bloody and the breeder is picking her up to take to his vet to save on costs, but it's a waiting game. we hope our little puppy will pull through.
What I have so say is taking a lot for me not to cry.
A few days ago, my puppy Gucci was having a normal day running and playing with his brother Kiss as normal. We took them for their normal walk that morning. By 3 p.m. we started to notice that Gucci was not eating or drinking. Thinking he may just have an upset stomach or something, we left him alone. By 10 p.m. he started vomiting so we looked online as most people do to see what might be wrong, still oblivious to what was happening to our five month old baby.
This is very hard to talk about as I am fighting back my tears to share my story as I see others have. So as time went on he was getting sicker by the seconds, and by three days later, he could barely move, had diarrhea, vomiting, and looked like a stray dog. We got up took him to the vet, and about 15 minutes later the vet told us that he had Parvo. The vet explained what parvo is and how rapidly it can break down a puppy's immune system. We were devastated by what he said, and he informed us that he would need to be hospitalized and the rate was $600 a day, which we could not afford.
So the vet gave him about six different shots and sent us home. We did as he instructed, giving him fluids every half hour and trying to feed him chicken broth. The vet also advised us to bring in the brother and our older dog as they may have contracted the virus as well. So the next day, our precious little man was even worse off. About 5:30 p.m., I received a call at work telling me my baby was breathing rapidly so my partner picked him up, and she said, he is dying now as we are speaking. She said that he looked at her, said his final goodbyes and he was gone. I broke down at work and felt like why my baby?
Then by this time, my other puppy Kiss, started having the same symptoms. He too had contracted the virus. We thought that we had caught his in time. He was given an IV and anything else you could imagine, and a couple of days later, he was eating a little and drinking on his own. We were really happy, but this soon came to an end, The next day we returned to see the Vet and he gave us the bad news, stating, and I quote him on this, " Not even $10k can save this dog". Our hearts dropped. We refused to believe that he could make it this far and not make it.
So, we started doing everything we could to save our baby boy Kiss. We used vitamins, probiotics, rice formula, fever and pain reducers, and Pedialyte, all baby and infant formulas. We were hopeful but the next day, he too left us, and now we have heavy hearts.
I know that I may sound crazy but I want to believe that he and his brother are together in doggy heaven playing with each other the way they used to with each other, as well as missing us the way we miss them.
Parvo is a very serious virus for puppies, and a big caution to all pet owners. If you can, keep your pets inside, house train them to use wee wee pads, kill the grass outside your house, or apartment. If you walk your dog where other dogs poop, make sure you leash your dog so that you can watch closely so they do not sniff other dogs or poop.
Parvo has changed our lives forever, taking away two of our precious babies and leaving us feeling very lonely. Even though we still have our older dog, it is not the same, and when you come home to a semi-empty home you feel the loneliness. Vaccinate your pets, especially your puppies, and most of all, keep them from around other dogs until they have they are at least a year or so old.
Best of luck to all who have healthy pets and to those of you that have lost your pets to Parvo my prayers are with you. --mafiya
My great pyrenees had parvo when she was three months old. She looked so sick sometimes i thought she was dead.
I took her to the vet and they wanted to charge me $2,000 to keep her in the hospital or $300 to take the meds and give her the treatment at home.
The vet said they couldn't do anything for her that I couldn't, and that she would honestly do better at home (with non-stop care) because she would know that i was there for her and she would want to pull through. When you leave your puppy there at the hospital they have the stress of being sick and feeling abandoned. So, I took her home.
I gave her the shots and lots of droppers full of pedialyte and her IV. Now, she is a beautiful dog that runs around destroying everything. lol. If i ever have another dog with parvo I will do the treatments myself again. So just give your dog love and fluids.
My baby puppy is a very pretty black lab. she came down with parvo just a couple of days ago. I took her to the vet today and hoping she comes home healthy as can be. I'll die without my baby. she's was so playful and loved to ride in the truck. she's so pretty. she looked so sad today. lost so much weight and wouldn't eat, threw up and all that. it was sad. but I'm praying and hoping she pulls through for me and makes it. i can't wait to see her!
Treatments for Parvo in our area cost 500 bucks, and the alternative method for treatment is water enemas. I am not kidding. It saved two of our puppies and they are now over a year old and healthy.
The vet will prescribe a drug to stop the vomiting and diarrhea and an antibiotic to fight the secondary infections, but the best way to keep your pet's body hydrated is water enemas. You take huge syringe (without a needle) and fill it with water and every four hours you give your dog a dose of water as an enema. It's sick I know, but it works. The colon absorbs the water and dehydrates the body. You have to be easy because you are forcing water into the rectum, so do a little at a time. I did two or three ounces for my little dog. Within 48 hours she was well enough to drink water on her own and the bloody diarrhea had stopped. By day three she was starting to eat again, and we gave her rice with chicken broth because it's easy on the stomach.
It's not the virus that kills the puppies, it's the dehydration, so if you do this to keep them hydrated they should be OK, if you catch it early enough.
I had two dogs: a four year old mix breed and a dog we found when he was about three months old. They were inside most of the time and played outside in our fenced in yard, but never left the yard.
About six months later, the puppy started throwing up a lot and staying away from everyone. I was only 13 and my mom wouldn't take him to the vet. She said it would pass and he just had the stomach flu. He suffered for three or four days. I had cared for him with droppers of pedialyte and I tried to feed him. He started to look a lot better and he walked a little bit. I was starting to believe he would pull through.
Then I came home from school the next day, and my mom told me he had died. She had finally taken him to the vet but they said they couldn't help, he'd had a fever of 104. I had no idea puppies could contract parvo without ever leaving the yard. Thank goodness it's been five months and my four year old dog hasn't got it.
I have a red nose pit. This is his second day with parvo. he is really sick. we have been giving him medicine and liquids. I hope he makes it!
Why would anyone purchase a dog that hasn't had all its shots or not go to the vet the next day to get all of the shots?
I just got a saint bernard puppy. he got all of his shots even his parvo, and now only 2 1/2 weeks later he is throwing up and had a watery stool and his last stool he had a little blood.
i don't want to lose him but i am hoping there is something i can do. he is just a baby and i have had him only a short time.
I am trying to stay as calm as possible and i hope my little cowboy makes it through it. So i am going to the vet to see if they can help me i don't care how much it is going to cost me as long as i can hold my little baby cowboy.
We just had our puppy (jack russell) Skip die of Parvo. My son noticed that he was not jumping or being his usual self this morning. we brought him inside and took care of him trying to rehydrate. Skip got worse so we took to the vet and were told it was Parvo.
Skip was in a lot of pain and it overtook his body very rapidly. I was told to come home and clean everything with bleach. I pray my black lab doesn't get this horrible disease.
i did do the right thing. my puppies were vaccinated. one of my husky puppies came down with parvo and didn't make it. the other tested negative and had two shots and was about to get a third. she was happy, healthy and robust, then a week later she threw up. i knew what it was.
She is still hanging on. I can't afford to treat her at the vet as i am a single mom of two. I hope and pray my precious puppy makes it. She has hung on for three days.
parvo is not a joke. please take your dog to the vet.
A year ago i had a blue nosed pit and i never took it to the vet. Then one day i woke up and he was throwing up and bleeding. and this year i bought a chihuahua and german shepherd. i took my german shepherd to get his shots but my chihuahua didn't and like four days ago i went out to feed him. he was throwing up.
i took him to the vet they told me it was parvo again. so they gave me medicine we gave it to him but today when i came from school he was dead. the medicine didn't work. this is how bad this is. so take your dogs to the vet!
my seven month old blue beagle has parvo. she was just diagnosed today. her symptoms started the day before yesterday but at first her symptoms didn't seem all that bizarre.
i am married and have two children and Sadie is definitely part of our family. we are not well off but are willing to go to whatever expense we can to take care of her.
needless to say, she will be getting up to date on all of her shots (she missed one, and if she pulls through this). She is in the hospital tonight on IVs to try and save her. all we can do is pray.
please have your pets vaccinated. it's only about $20 and is definitely cheaper that the vet bill i have racked up so far.
My 4 1/2 month old puppy is really sick right now and at the vet with parvo. As I read all these posts, I become more and more worried that he won't make it. They are going to do everything to help him, but apparently this disease is a rough one.
I just hate to see my pup suffer. The vet suggested that I could take him home and treat him or I could leave him there. I chose the latter, as the vet's office knows more what to do than I. I regret every minute not getting him his shots when he was a baby. Please vaccinate your dogs, because I wouldn't wish this worry or expense on anyone!
I just had to put my precious puppy to sleep less than a week ago because he got Parvo. It took less than two days to consume him. I couldn't afford the treatments, as in this day and age, who has $3000 just lying around?
The vet and I discussed our options, but even if I could afford the treatments, he had an 85 percent chance of not making in through the night or at all. He was my precious baby boy. I cared for him from the day he was born. I loved him like he was my child.
Making the decision to put him down was the hardest thing I had ever done. It is really tearing me apart, but I take comfort in the fact that he is not suffering. This is not a feeling I wish upon anyone else. Please make sure your puppies/dogs are vaccinated. I would give anything to have my baby back. He was only 4-1/2 months old, but there was something special about him over the other puppies. I love you and miss you, my precious. At least I get his ashes.
My friend's four month old bull terrier has parvo and is in a bad way. we took him to the vet and they have done the iv and he has all the medication, etc! i am praying he is OK. i am babysitting him at the minute while my friend is at work.
To people saying if you cannot afford the vets then you shouldn't have a dog, join the real world. i live in portugal and the dogs that wander around the streets dying daily from malnutrition is awful so see, so what do we do? we rescue as many as possible, and no, we don't have the money to treat them internally but we have enough to treat them, immunize then and feed them and the love to care for them, walk them play with them and cuddle them.
So i say shut up. A dog is better with love than on the streets or being abused. We don't all have an ab fab job, or more to the point, we aren't all on benefits in the uk!
Thor, i love you and i hope you pull through this. --gina
My dog, a mixed breed from Kazakhstan had virus as a puppy. It was severe and she was treated with IV's, enemas every hour, and an herbal drink. She miraculously made a full recovery and moved back to the States with me. She recovered from an extreme case; the vet didn't think she would made it.
Four years later, just a week ago she became ill again-vomiting, not eating and unable to really poop. I took her to the vet, who thought she swallowed something. We finally agreed to exploratory surgery of her intestines. I got a call that day that damage to her intestines was severe, that scar tissue had formed and finally closed off her intestines in some places and was closed in others.
I had to put her down. She was just four years old. Parvo killed her four years after the fact! Treat your dog and love them every day. I miss my baby girl.
My three-month old goldendoodle contracted parvo, even though he had already had two sets of shots. We explained to the vet that we couldn't afford to treat him, so the vet (a very kind man) showed my husband how to give IM treatments of saline.
We inserted a needle under the dog's skin until a big baseball sized swelling emerged. The vet explained that the puppy's body would absorb the fluid and that would help with the extreme dehydration. Ideally, he should have had IV treatment, but we couldn't afford the hospital stay.
My husband I were vigilant--we fed him eyedroppers of fluid, gave him the IM saline, kept him warm, prayed and hoped against hope. After three days, when the puppy was passing pure blood, we gave up and took him to the vet.
I gave them my visa card and, for the next few days, they put him on IV antibiotics, inserted a nose tube to trickle nutrients into this stomach, and gave him a plasma transfusion.
$3400 later, we took our very skinny puppy home. That was a year ago and I am happy to say he made a full recovery. He is a beautiful, healthy dog and even though we're still paying off the vet bill, it was worth it.
My warning to everyone who has a puppy: Do not even take your dog out of the backyard until he has had his third round of boosters! You can't be too careful. Parvo is a horrible, deadly disease.
To anyone out with dogs or puppies, I recently took my Jack Russell to the local vet to be spayed. I brought her back home, and within 13 days may other Jack puppies contracted parvo.
I battled it for three days. The first dog died Friday evening after the vet closed, the next dog on Sunday and the last dog has contracted this disease and I am down to five hours until the vet's office is open to get treatment.
I started reading about Parvo, interesting disease, one theory is this disease escaped from a lab in Cambridge, (England I assume). Please someone correct me where I am wrong, as I read this disease is a feline disease that crossed over to canine.
I am not a conspiracy promoter but I can see something like this happening. Designer diseases, how wonderful. Makes you wonder about how good man is at tampering with nature. We all know how the Africanized bee strain is doing.
I do not have any quarrels with cat owners. My concern is with the direction that biotech is headed and is it in our best interest and at what expense.
My friend's dog just contracted Parvo. We'll keep it in our prayers because her family does not have the money to take it to the vet. Hopefully she will survive.
These are some really sad posts. It reminds me of my old puppy. A 3 month old Jack Russell Terrier puppy. She lived for 7-10 months or so. My family had no idea she would die soon. We also didn't know what had killed her. She was really healthy and playful. Nothing could stop her. Not the wet nor the cold.
It started with the vomiting. One day, when I went outside, I saw my puppy. Not playing as usual but lying there, sad. Then, I saw her get up. I was expecting her to jump up and run around. But instead, she started throwing up. I ran inside to tell my parents. They gave her a meal of rice, chicken, and carrots or something along those lines. She wouldn't touch the food. This went on for the rest of the day.
We were so dumb in not taking her to the vet. We thought she would get over it and become her usual playful self. But we were dead wrong. The next day she was worse. And flies were starting to swarm around her. She was dying. It was such a sad sight. We tried to carry her to a more comfortable site. And blood started to spill out of her rear. She then closed her eyes and died within ten minutes. A puppy died that day in May. We now have a new puppy. A black lab. Today, we took him to the vet to get his Parvo shots. I don't think I could bear it if he dies, especially if he dies form parvo.
Parvo is not a joke. Don't think your dog can survive it. Do yourself and your dog a favor. Get your dog to the vet A.S.A.P for not only parvo shots but all their shots. If you can't afford to take your dog to the vet, then I don't know to how tell you but there's a good chance your doggy's going to get sick and,unfortunately, die. I suggest you read more about parvo so you could be more educated. And if you think your dog's not going to get infected by parvo, think again. It might get it from another dog or something. Parvo is contagious!
Well, I hope you readers take my advice.
Our 6 month old chihuahua just died of parvo. We stayed up all night with a dropper with pedialyte and she passed. We have three other dogs: a border collie about to be 5, another chihuahua 2 years old, and a teacup poodle who is almost 9. They were all around the sick chihuahua. We got them their shots right after the puppy died. They all got their puppy shots. This is their first booster since then.
We want to let them back in the yard but were not sure since it was only three days ago when we gave them their shots.
I got my three month old beagle the 7-in-1 vaccine and four days later he's down with parvo. He was in the vet for a week and the medical bills aren't a joke.
A while later, i accidentally gave him kibbles. I had no idea sick pups with parvo shouldn't be eating dog food yet, since the vet didn't tell me. It made him vomit later. I had to take him to the vet again. It's just so stressful.
Now I'm praying for him to get well.
I've found chicken/beef broth, gatorade, and eggs will help a parvo dog. Our seven month old golden male got it from our new puppy. Even though he had his first shots. He was in a terrible state for like two weeks. He *did* make it through though. Now he is a happy loving dog again.
My one year old Lhasa Apso was diagnosed with Parvo. She has been hospitalized for the past three days. The vet says that tomorrow (her fourth day being treated for the virus) is a crucial day. If she survives until tomorrow, chances are she will overcome the virus. Is this true?
I am somewhat shocked at some posts. Getting an animal takes knowing how to take care of it from day one.
1. Require proof of vaccination when you get a pup from anywhere.
2. Make sure the pup gets all three sets of their puppy vaccinations which includes parvo at 8, 12 and 16 weeks. Really want to be sure the vaccinations worked? Take them back at 14 weeks and do a titer test for parvo.
3. Why in the world a store sold a five week old pup to someone is beyond me. They are not ready to leave their mother at that age.
4. If your dog gets sick, take them to the vet that day! Don't be going on the internet asking what to do!
5. If you cannot afford proper care and vaccinations for a dag, you should not own one. Sorry to be so harsh, but not being able to do those two things is reprehensible.
I just lost a beautiful yellow lab mix, Marley to parvo. What a terrible illness this is. It first started with my neighbor's two dogs, which were Marley's brothers, and they both got really sick and within two days they were already passing nothing but blood in their stools.
The first one, my husband had to take care of because he was just lying in a pool of blood and the neighbors seemed to think he would still recover. Their second dog that died, was in the same condition, but once they noticed he was sick they just put him outside and chained him to the tree. I walked over to the yard and saw him on the chain and he was so out of it.
I tried waking the owners but no such luck. Within an hour the poor dog had died, and the really sad thing is he was struggling to get unstuck from the chain being looped around his neck. I swore up and down and prayed constantly that my dog wouldn't get sick like that.
I had thought for sure Marley would be good to go because he was so well taken care of and I keep him inside and I keep things very sanitized. That day and the neighbor's second dog, Hunter passed, and I noticed Marley wasn't eating that day or drinking, but he was still chasing the cats and playing around with us and the kids.
That night he vomited a whole lot of food, and when he went outside the first time that morning it was diarrhea.(spelling, sorry). I suspected he was sick but he's like twice the size of his siblings and was so smart and healthy I thought for sure he was going to make it right through.
I started right away with the medicine dropper with either syrup, broth, water, gatorade, or canned milk. He was still depressed looking but the next day he was back to himself, still a little weak, but he ate some food and drank water willingly so right away I quit with the dropper and tended back to my four little toddlers.
I really think that's where I messed up at, not tending to the kids, but I just forgot about him and went about my own way. The next day he was in way worse conditions and by that lat afternoon (yesterday) I saw he pooped out straight blood and I told my husband "to please take care of him." I couldn't bear to see an animal in pain like that.
Now after reading all these replies before me I have been crying my eyes out cause I wonder if I would have kept with the dropper he would have recovered. I don't ever want another dog again. I don't know if I can trust the soil here on my property now and this is the second dog in six months that I have lost. I am so heart broken!
April 1, 2010 I came home and found out my husband bought a little Pekingese puppy. We already have a Pekingese, Sookie, and she's five years old.
The little puppy, we named Gizmo.. He's really cute and so hyper. One Saturday, Sookie and I went to work, came home and found that Gizmo had been throwing up and pooped every where.
The next day we took him to the vet and he was diagnosed with Parvo. The doctor told us to take Gizmo to another hospital that will give him treatment but warned us that it can cost us up to $1k for the 1st 24 hours of care.
The doctor gave him a glucose shot and IV and we took him home. My husband and I took turns to watch Gizmo while my other dog, Sookie, stayed with our friend.
The next day we went to the place where we got Gizmo and they told us to take him to the hospital for treatment and they will pay for his treatment. Right now he's still in the hospital and we are hoping that he will respond to the treatment. In the meantime, we still don't have Sookie because we want to make sure that our place is safe for her.
All day today, I have been bleaching all the places where Gizmo has been, had our carpet cleaned and threw away the brand new bed, blanket, towels and lots of stuff we bought for Gizmo.
I am now exhausted emotionally, mentally, physically and financially. My kids, my husband and I are hoping that Gizmo will make it. My advice to those who wants to own a pet, please make sure that your pet is tested for Parvo right away!
i am in grief now. my dog was confined in the hospital just yesterday because of this so called parvovirus. he is a seven months old black labrador.
i'm wondering why he has suffered this kind of disease when in fact he is fully vaccinated. i love my dog. He adds color into my life. i cannot reconcile why he got this disease.
my heart is breaking right now. he is in critical condition. Hope he will be okay tomorrow. i am entrusting him to my God. he is really a part of me.
I just lost a rescued five month old dachshund puppy to this disease. We got Cocoa on Thursday, had the vet check her the very next day, on Friday, just for a health check and he said she looked great (when rescued she had fleas and tapeworms), and she got sick that very Friday night. She died the following Wednesday.
Her littermate, adopted by a different family, also got parvo and died the same week as my puppy.
Both puppies had only received one shot administered by the rescue. Both had been treated for tapeworms and flea infestation by the rescue, and I had to wonder if the tapeworms in the gut made the gut more susceptible to the parvo virus.
Also, both puppies actually tested negative for the parvo, but post-mortem biopsies I paid for confirmed the parvo virus was responsible.
My two year old, fully immunized dog did have a vomiting episode about three days after Cocoa died that made us run to the vet's office, but it didn't recur and she seems fine. (It's been a week since Cocoa died.)
I have been cleaning like a madwoman. My house smells like bleach. I don't want to risk my other dog's health.
Proper puppy care could have prevented this. Not only immunizations, but flea control and proper worming as well.
My little Bichon/Shiztzu mix - 12 weeks old passed on today of Parvo. We took him to the vet on Monday at the first signs of this disease and they did everything they could and the dog passed away on Friday.
The breeder said there is no way the dog could have had Parvo - and yet my little Sammy is gone today. This is a terrible breeder as a couple of other people picked up their puppies out of the same playpen as me so they are probably sick too.
It is sad the expense and the heartbreak a bad breeder and a poor sick little puppy can bring to a family.
My dog has parvo and she has made it through four days. I am giving her fluids and today is day four. I got some beef juice and a little rice down her. Parov is very serious virus. If she lives I will be getting her shots for parvo. She has suffered so much. I love her but had no money to go to the vet. If your dog gets or has parvo and you can't afford a vet check online for home treatment.
my dog has not had his second shot and what can i do? He is 14 weeks old and He is OK. He is an american staffordshire terrier and has not had his ears cropped.
I had a Pit Bull puppy someone gave me and they told me that his shots were up to date. well to make a long story short, my kids woke up and found our puppy dead on the bathroom floor. He died from parvo. I never knew what that was until i had asked because he wasn't eating or drinking. He just played on me like a new born baby. R.I.P. Damu
i had a Jack Russell get parvo and survive. We forced Maalox, Pepto and Gatorade down him. He was lived four more years until he got out of the fence and a crazy teenage driver ran him over.
I bought a female pekignese that had all her shots. She just had puppies two weeks ago and one died shortly after whelping. I started the remaining four on Albon Monday. My female pup died that afternoon. On Wednesday, I carried the other three puppies to the vet and found out that they had early stages of parvo. I had already started warm water enemas. One was pretty weak and of course he died shortly after returning from the vet.
My other two little boys are doing better with the albon I started them on Monday. What threw me off is they never started throwing up. The mother is a carrier of parvo. Can she be vaccinated again to protect other puppies if I decide to breed her? Please take your pets to the vet for proper vaccines.
I bought a lhasa apso pup in mid-November. The pup started showing symptoms of parvo, which I was unaware of. It was only 40 days old when I took it from the pet shop.
When I took it to the vet a couple of days later, it was too late, as the vet said it was infected even before I took it. It sadly passed away the next day.
My advice to everyone is to have their pups checked by a vet before taking it from any pet shop or breeder.
Four years ago for christmas, me and my brother each got a puppy. in february, they had most of their shots for parvo when we had to board them when we were going out of town. Both caught parvo and mine, buster, died. he was only a two-month-old red, long-haired mini dachshund. my brother's dog survived, but we were feeding him with a dropper. Four years later, i'm 11 and clifford is four years old and still alive, and buster is still with us, in our hearts.
I have not heard of any dog that has survived this parvovirus at all. I had three dogs and they all were diagnosed with parvovirus and all three of them died days later. I don't understand where these dogs pick up this virus or are they sometimes just born with it?
Our 10 year old Dalmatian just recently came down with parvo. He was very healthy and a little thicker but healthy. He showed signs of being sick and not eating. Took him to the vet they said he had parvo. Two days being there they told us he was probably going to be just fine cause of how healthy he was. On the thirrd day he passed away. I haven't read really anywhere yet that a dog survives this parvo. Ours was as healthy as it gets and still didn't make it. I strongly suggest getting your dogs the parvo shots as soon as you can when they are pups.
I just got a 3 and a half month old puppy and he hasn't had all of his shots yet. I heard that i shouldn't take him to parks with other dogs because there is a big risk of getting parvo. What do you think?
i would like to know how long does it take parvo to kill a dog? i guess by you not knowing a person cannot tell. my dog was good and healthy one day and the next day wasn't moving around, not eating or drinking, had diarrhea blood. i still took him to the vet and noticed he had parvo. they treated him with medicine but when i got back home that night he passed away. it really hurt me. he was a family dog and only seven months old.
my best friend has a boxer-lab and they have had her for two weeks. the dog is ll weeks old and they just found out that the dog has parvo. can they treat the do before she dies
i had a 3 month old maltipoo and he died today with that parvo. he had his two months of shots and that did not help him.
I bought my boxer several weeks ago, the man claimed he had shots. I noticed he threw up *once* yesterday. Within 2 hours, he was just sad, no playing, nothing to do with food or water, nothing. I took him to the vet within 4 hours of throwing up. He tested positive for parvo with a fever of 104. Which really shocked me to hear about a 50/50 chance he will make it. They done fluids, a treatment & we were out within 30 mins, $85. They said he wouldn't eat or drink but more die from dehydration than parvo. After hours of researching this stuff, I found different options. I mixed infant rice (for nut. value) and beef broth to appeal him. And had Gatorade, pedialite, baby food with meats in it & fruit yogurt... He's loving the broth & baby rice, sipping blue gatorade, he actually ate *a lot* last nite and today, but not drinking a lot today, and he hasn't thrown up anymore. Until today there was no poop mess... And if I were eating what I have been feeding him, I'd poop like crazy too. But at least he is eating, no vomit, or blood!
Parvo lives on surfaces over a year, even a fly can give it to your pup. This destroys the lining of the belly and the dog will begin pooping and vomiting, both can/will contain blood, in a very short period of time, so it's actually vomiting its own guts and dehydrates itself. It is very cruel, painful, causes terrible odors, and usually by the time your pup shows symptoms, some damage has already been done.
*As soon as* you see your pet vomit, notice the "runs", seems depressed, take it to the vet ASAP. They claim chances are better the earlier it's treated. There are home treatments, but as far as I have read, and researched, the best thing to do is the *vaccination and vet!!* I hope this helps some people. Let's hope my baby makes it through.
Please take your dogs to the vet if they are throwing up or have loose stools. It could be something serious.
It is hard to have another bill to pay in these tough times, but family members (and pets are family) are worth it! Explain to your vet that the situation is serious and they may be able to work something out with you. God Bless and good luck.
my puppy is a bullmastiff and is 9 weeks old. he used 2 run around the back playing with the other dog but now is very lazy he won't eat or drink and is constantly throwing up and has got diarrhea. how can i help him?
my pet is 7 to 8 months old and he has been lying around the house throwing up he has diarrhea and he's has not been drinking much water at all and i love my puppy very much my familiy has already lost his sister and we don't want to lose him too please we need your help what can we do.
hi I've just bought an american staffordshire terrier puppy he is 7wks and 5 days old and since saturday he has had diarrhea, sick and tired all the time he's gone off his food the diarrhea is the same color of whatever he eats the owner was giving him weetbix with water and I've been giving him puppy food could this be to rich for him
My boxer had a litter of 5 puppy. they pretty much all left on sunday june 22, 08 they all had there first round of shot and dewormed done, but one of the puppies got parvo but none of the others did so within 3 days. she is know really sick would she have gotten it from my house or from the person i sold her to? I do know she did take it to the pet store with her could she of got it from there?
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