About Parvo Virus...
Parvo virus causes severe intestinal tract disease in dogs. Parvo first appeared in 1978 and quickly spread all over the world, now being famous as one of the most contagious and deadly diseases in the dog population.
How Common Is Parvo?
Parvo virus is an epidemic worldwide, especially in metropolitan areas and regions where vaccination programs are sporadic.
What Are The Clinical Signs Of Parvo?
The classic symptoms of Parvo are severe vomiting and diarrhea (often with blood in it) along with extreme weakness and dehydration. Parvo literally destroys the lining of the GI tract, allowing bacteria to infect the bloodstream (a serious condition called septicemia). On those occasions when puppies (and sometimes adult dogs) die from Parvo it's usually due to the combined effects of dehydration, upset in the pH balance of the bloodstream, and septicemia. The symptoms of Parvo are remarkably similar to, and as serious as, those of people with radiation sickness (such as from nuclear fallout) with the difference being that recovery is usually complete (meaning with no lasting side effects) in those puppies who recover from Parvo. Although veterinary medicine has made tremendous progress in the treatment of Parvo in recent years and manypuppies are being saved, Parvo should still be considered an extremely serious and often fatal disease.
How Is Parvo Diagnosed?
Parvo is diagnosed on the basis of patient history, clinical signs, and laboratory tests. The two common laboratory testsused to diagnose Parvo are (1) the fecal Parvo CITE test and (2) the Complete Blood Cell count (often called the CBC). Through the fecal Parvo CITE test we are looking directly for the presence of the virus in the patient's stool. Through the Complete Blood Cell count (CBC) we are looking at characteristic changes in the numbers of white blood cell which indicate a viral disease
How Is Parvo Virus Transmitted?
Dogs acquire infection with Parvo virus by ingesting (meaning to swallow) the infectious virus particles. The Parvo virus is one of the hardiest viruses known to science and this virus can live outside the body in a dormant yet infectious state for one to two years. Puppies do not have to be in direct contact with other dogs to catch Parvo since the virus can be spread by people's clothing, shoes, and other inanimate surfaces, and can even travel on the dust in the air. A dog (or puppy) who is shedding the Parvo virus can defecate (go to the bathroom) on a surface and then a susceptible puppy can come by and sniff or lick this surface over a year later and can still catch Parvo.
How Is Parvo Treated?
As with the common cold virus in humans, we have no medication which works directly against the Parvo virus itself. Ourtherapy, therefore, is directed at providing as much supportive care as possible until the virus has 'run its course'. Parvo is usually treated by administering fluids, antibiotic injections, and medications designed to curb vomiting and diarrhea. In many cases, successful Parvo therapy requires around-the-clock intensive care hospitalization.
What Is The Prognosis For A Case Of Parvo?
The prognosis varies from case to case, with the prognosis always being at least guarded. Factors which generally affect the prognosis are (1) breed of dog (Dobermans, Rottweilers, and toy breed dogs have a harder time recovering); (2) age of the dog (young puppies have a harder time recovering than do older puppies and adults); (3) vaccination status (those dogs who have had at least some exposure to vaccine-no matter how inadequate-usually fair better; and (4) promptness of intensive care (those who receive fluids and medications immediately will fair better than those who don't).
How Is Parvo Prevented?
The best way to prevent Parvo is through adequate vaccination. Adequate vaccination begins before birth which means the mother dog should be current on her vaccinations at the time she gives birth because the puppy acquires its first immunity toward Parvo from the antibodies it receives from its mother (called Passive Transfer of immunity). Then its important that the puppy receive an initial vaccination against Parvo early in life, followed by the full series of puppy boosters. At Sun Lakes Animal Clinic we vaccinate puppies with a Parvo vaccine at 6 weeks followed by a booster at 9, 12, 15, and 18 weeks. Then the puppy (dog) should receive a booster once yearly thereafter. The main thing to remember in this regard is that the puppy series for Parvo is begun very early (usually around 6 weeks).
What Could Happen If The Puppy Does Not Receive Or Stay On This Vaccination Program?
It has been my experience with Parvo that if a good vaccination schedule is not adopted or adhered to then the puppy is at greatly increased risk of acquiring Parvo.
What Are Other Ways To Prevent The Spread Of Parvo?
Common disinfectants (such as Lysterine, Lysol, alcohol, etc) will not kill Parvo. The only two things which will kill Parvo outright are fire (burning contaminated blankets, newspapers, etc) and a dilute Clorox solution (1 part Clorox to 32 parts water).
Can My Cat Catch Parvo?
No, cats cannot catch Parvo from a dog or any other source. However, cats are susceptible to another similar disease called Feline Panleukopenia (also called Feline Distemper-see related topics at the end of this document) which is closely related to Parvo. We have a vaccination for Feline Panleukopenia (often called the Feline Distemper shot).
PARVO:
Alot of pups are coming down with Parvo around here it seems, so I asked my rescue friend to write out what she does in Parvo cases. Heer success rate is greater then 90% with this method. I have seen her pull back puppies from the edge many times.
Parvo is caused by a virus and there is no way to treat virus, we keep the body function supported, fight secondary bacterial infection and encourage the puppy's spirit with a lot of physical contact.
Inject Lactated Ringer's solution under the skin (SubQ or sub-cutaneous) three to four times a day. Use a 35 or 50 cc syringe and a 10 ga needle. Smaller needle is easier on a tiny puppy but takes a lot longer to get all the fluid in. For a 6-9 lb puppy I will give 50 cc of fluid three to four times a day, depends on how well the puppy is urinating. Pull the skin up, if it snaps right back into place the puppy is well hydrated, if the skin standsup in a peak the puppy is dehydrated and needs fluid. Lactated Ringers and the syringe and needles is available from most vets. Open a fresh bag of ringers for each new case. Use it at room temperature. Offer the puppy electrolyte and water, half and half Pedialyte any flavor. Once they get drinking stop the SubQ. If they spit up remove the water bowl.
Start giving fluid at the top of the back of the puppys neck and work your way down each time to minimize leakage from the previous injection site.
Give the puppy 1/2 to 1 cc of Penicillin in the muscle (IM or intra-muscular) twice a day. A 50-cc bottle of Penicillin is about $10 at feed stores. Keep it in the refrigerator.
Nutri-Cal or Vet-Cal is available from vets. It is a concentrated calorie paste. Give the puppy a half-inch to an inch strip twice a day. Put it on the roof of their mouth.
Withhold food at first sign of diarrhea. You can give squirts of Pepto Bismol but it doesn't help much. Best to just let the digestive system shut down and heal itself. There will be one or two bloody diarrheas as the lining of the gut is shed. After that there should be nothing come out for a couple of days while you are keeping the puppy alive with SubQ fluids and NutriCal.
Take the temperature twice a day. Use a digital thermometer and put a little vaseline on it, hold it inside the rectum til it registers. Should be 101 to 102. More than 103 give baby aspirin and alcohol baths. More than 104 put the puppy in room-temperature water bath until you get it down.
Wear two treeshirts tucked into your jeans and between treatments put the puppy inside and carry it everywhere with you. Talk to the puppy and pet it a lot and let it know you want it to live. Let the puppy hear you pray for it. To sleep at night put the puppy in your hand and wrap a towel around, cuddle the puppy to your chest as you lay on your side. If the puppy wakes and tries to move it will wake you. Put towels underneath to protect your mattress just in case.
When the puppy starts drinking water again you can offer strained chicken baby food, then cat food, then puppy food. It may take something like ice cream or sardines to get a puppy jump started but don't insist, the puppy will eat when his gut is healed enough to handle food.
Parvo virus causes severe intestinal tract disease in dogs. Parvo first appeared in 1978 and quickly spread all over the world, now being famous as one of the most contagious and deadly diseases in the dog population.
How Common Is Parvo?
Parvo virus is an epidemic worldwide, especially in metropolitan areas and regions where vaccination programs are sporadic.
What Are The Clinical Signs Of Parvo?
The classic symptoms of Parvo are severe vomiting and diarrhea (often with blood in it) along with extreme weakness and dehydration. Parvo literally destroys the lining of the GI tract, allowing bacteria to infect the bloodstream (a serious condition called septicemia). On those occasions when puppies (and sometimes adult dogs) die from Parvo it's usually due to the combined effects of dehydration, upset in the pH balance of the bloodstream, and septicemia. The symptoms of Parvo are remarkably similar to, and as serious as, those of people with radiation sickness (such as from nuclear fallout) with the difference being that recovery is usually complete (meaning with no lasting side effects) in those puppies who recover from Parvo. Although veterinary medicine has made tremendous progress in the treatment of Parvo in recent years and manypuppies are being saved, Parvo should still be considered an extremely serious and often fatal disease.
How Is Parvo Diagnosed?
Parvo is diagnosed on the basis of patient history, clinical signs, and laboratory tests. The two common laboratory testsused to diagnose Parvo are (1) the fecal Parvo CITE test and (2) the Complete Blood Cell count (often called the CBC). Through the fecal Parvo CITE test we are looking directly for the presence of the virus in the patient's stool. Through the Complete Blood Cell count (CBC) we are looking at characteristic changes in the numbers of white blood cell which indicate a viral disease
How Is Parvo Virus Transmitted?
Dogs acquire infection with Parvo virus by ingesting (meaning to swallow) the infectious virus particles. The Parvo virus is one of the hardiest viruses known to science and this virus can live outside the body in a dormant yet infectious state for one to two years. Puppies do not have to be in direct contact with other dogs to catch Parvo since the virus can be spread by people's clothing, shoes, and other inanimate surfaces, and can even travel on the dust in the air. A dog (or puppy) who is shedding the Parvo virus can defecate (go to the bathroom) on a surface and then a susceptible puppy can come by and sniff or lick this surface over a year later and can still catch Parvo.
How Is Parvo Treated?
As with the common cold virus in humans, we have no medication which works directly against the Parvo virus itself. Ourtherapy, therefore, is directed at providing as much supportive care as possible until the virus has 'run its course'. Parvo is usually treated by administering fluids, antibiotic injections, and medications designed to curb vomiting and diarrhea. In many cases, successful Parvo therapy requires around-the-clock intensive care hospitalization.
What Is The Prognosis For A Case Of Parvo?
The prognosis varies from case to case, with the prognosis always being at least guarded. Factors which generally affect the prognosis are (1) breed of dog (Dobermans, Rottweilers, and toy breed dogs have a harder time recovering); (2) age of the dog (young puppies have a harder time recovering than do older puppies and adults); (3) vaccination status (those dogs who have had at least some exposure to vaccine-no matter how inadequate-usually fair better; and (4) promptness of intensive care (those who receive fluids and medications immediately will fair better than those who don't).
How Is Parvo Prevented?
The best way to prevent Parvo is through adequate vaccination. Adequate vaccination begins before birth which means the mother dog should be current on her vaccinations at the time she gives birth because the puppy acquires its first immunity toward Parvo from the antibodies it receives from its mother (called Passive Transfer of immunity). Then its important that the puppy receive an initial vaccination against Parvo early in life, followed by the full series of puppy boosters. At Sun Lakes Animal Clinic we vaccinate puppies with a Parvo vaccine at 6 weeks followed by a booster at 9, 12, 15, and 18 weeks. Then the puppy (dog) should receive a booster once yearly thereafter. The main thing to remember in this regard is that the puppy series for Parvo is begun very early (usually around 6 weeks).
What Could Happen If The Puppy Does Not Receive Or Stay On This Vaccination Program?
It has been my experience with Parvo that if a good vaccination schedule is not adopted or adhered to then the puppy is at greatly increased risk of acquiring Parvo.
What Are Other Ways To Prevent The Spread Of Parvo?
Common disinfectants (such as Lysterine, Lysol, alcohol, etc) will not kill Parvo. The only two things which will kill Parvo outright are fire (burning contaminated blankets, newspapers, etc) and a dilute Clorox solution (1 part Clorox to 32 parts water).
Can My Cat Catch Parvo?
No, cats cannot catch Parvo from a dog or any other source. However, cats are susceptible to another similar disease called Feline Panleukopenia (also called Feline Distemper-see related topics at the end of this document) which is closely related to Parvo. We have a vaccination for Feline Panleukopenia (often called the Feline Distemper shot).
PARVO:
Alot of pups are coming down with Parvo around here it seems, so I asked my rescue friend to write out what she does in Parvo cases. Heer success rate is greater then 90% with this method. I have seen her pull back puppies from the edge many times.
Parvo is caused by a virus and there is no way to treat virus, we keep the body function supported, fight secondary bacterial infection and encourage the puppy's spirit with a lot of physical contact.
Inject Lactated Ringer's solution under the skin (SubQ or sub-cutaneous) three to four times a day. Use a 35 or 50 cc syringe and a 10 ga needle. Smaller needle is easier on a tiny puppy but takes a lot longer to get all the fluid in. For a 6-9 lb puppy I will give 50 cc of fluid three to four times a day, depends on how well the puppy is urinating. Pull the skin up, if it snaps right back into place the puppy is well hydrated, if the skin standsup in a peak the puppy is dehydrated and needs fluid. Lactated Ringers and the syringe and needles is available from most vets. Open a fresh bag of ringers for each new case. Use it at room temperature. Offer the puppy electrolyte and water, half and half Pedialyte any flavor. Once they get drinking stop the SubQ. If they spit up remove the water bowl.
Start giving fluid at the top of the back of the puppys neck and work your way down each time to minimize leakage from the previous injection site.
Give the puppy 1/2 to 1 cc of Penicillin in the muscle (IM or intra-muscular) twice a day. A 50-cc bottle of Penicillin is about $10 at feed stores. Keep it in the refrigerator.
Nutri-Cal or Vet-Cal is available from vets. It is a concentrated calorie paste. Give the puppy a half-inch to an inch strip twice a day. Put it on the roof of their mouth.
Withhold food at first sign of diarrhea. You can give squirts of Pepto Bismol but it doesn't help much. Best to just let the digestive system shut down and heal itself. There will be one or two bloody diarrheas as the lining of the gut is shed. After that there should be nothing come out for a couple of days while you are keeping the puppy alive with SubQ fluids and NutriCal.
Take the temperature twice a day. Use a digital thermometer and put a little vaseline on it, hold it inside the rectum til it registers. Should be 101 to 102. More than 103 give baby aspirin and alcohol baths. More than 104 put the puppy in room-temperature water bath until you get it down.
Wear two treeshirts tucked into your jeans and between treatments put the puppy inside and carry it everywhere with you. Talk to the puppy and pet it a lot and let it know you want it to live. Let the puppy hear you pray for it. To sleep at night put the puppy in your hand and wrap a towel around, cuddle the puppy to your chest as you lay on your side. If the puppy wakes and tries to move it will wake you. Put towels underneath to protect your mattress just in case.
When the puppy starts drinking water again you can offer strained chicken baby food, then cat food, then puppy food. It may take something like ice cream or sardines to get a puppy jump started but don't insist, the puppy will eat when his gut is healed enough to handle food.