You recently brought home your first puppy, Rocky, a handsome 8-week-old rottweiler, who soon becomes your best buddy. You take him everywhere—the park, the pet store, your friend’s house, and the field where all the neighborhood dogs play together. Sadly, your idyllic start as a puppy owner ends when Rocky suddenly becomes seriously ill with profuse vomiting and bloody diarrhea. You take him to your Caldwell Animal Hospital veterinarian, who diagnoses parvovirus, hospitalizes Rocky, and tells you that your new best friend may not survive.

You are devastated and confused, because you had no idea the single vaccination Rocky received when he was 6 weeks old wouldn’t protect him fully, or that you had unwittingly increased his risk of contracting parvovirus by taking him to all those public places. If only you could go back in time to your pre-Rocky self, knowing the following facts that would have kept your sweet boy safe. 

How puppies get parvovirus disease

Parvovirus is a highly contagious, but preventable, virus in dogs spread mostly by contact with infected feces. The hardy virus can survive in the environment for up to a year, and is resistant to many household disinfectants, although it can be killed by a 1 part bleach to 30 part water solution. An infected dog sheds 35 million viral particles per ounce of feces for two weeks after exposure, and only about 1,000 viral particles (i.e., an amount of feces equal to 2.5 poppy seeds) can create a parvovirus infection in an unvaccinated or incompletely vaccinated dog. These virus attributes mean that many areas frequented by dogs, such as dog parks, walking trails, dog kennels, or unfenced yards, can contain parvovirus particles, thus posing an infection risk for unprotected dogs. Oral or nasal contact with surfaces containing the viral particles, or with parvovirus-infected dogs in these areas, are the main means of transmission. 

Fact #1: To keep Rocky safe, it would have been better to avoid the park, pet store and neighborhood dog play space, at least until he had finished his vaccination series, but ideally longer, as these areas are more likely to have high loads of viral particles. Exercising him in your backyard, and only visiting people with healthy, fully vaccinated dogs, or no dogs, would have decreased his viral exposure. 

Why puppies need a series of parvovirus vaccinations

Puppies initially receive parvovirus protection through their mother’s milk, but the protection declines over the first few months of life, leaving the puppy susceptible to parvovirus infection. Vaccinations against parvovirus are administered every three to four weeks until the puppy is at least 14 to 16 weeks of age, so their immune system can start to build up protection against the virus. A puppy is not considered protected against parvovirus until the end of the vaccine series, and a small percentage of puppies do not respond to the vaccination, and remain susceptible. After the initial series, the vaccination is repeated in one year, and then every three years, to remind the immune system to keep protecting the body against parvovirus. 

Fact #2: Rocky had received one vaccination against parvo, which wasn’t sufficient to provide protection, and the immunity from his mom had declined and was no longer protective, so you should have completed the vaccination series. Certain dog breeds, such as rottweilers, Doberman pinschers, American pit bull terriers, English springer spaniels, Labrador retrievers, and German shepherd dogs are at increased risk for contracting parvovirus, so Rocky had that working against him, too. 

How to recognize parvovirus in dogs

Dogs or puppies with parvovirus may have clinical signs such as:

  • Vomiting
  • Foul smelling, sometimes bloody, diarrhea
  • Weakness
  • Lethargy
  • Loss of appetite
  • Fever or low body temperature

Fact #3: As you did with Rocky, your Caldwell Animal Hospital veterinarian, or your nearest emergency hospital, must be contacted immediately, if your puppy is showing these signs, as parvovirus can become rapidly fatal if left untreated. Because parvovirus is highly contagious, your veterinarian may give special instructions regarding your visit, to decrease the risk to other patients. 

How parvovirus is diagnosed and treated

An in-house fecal test is used to rapidly diagnose parvovirus, and allow prompt treatment, which usually involves hospitalization in an isolation ward. With prompt, aggressive medical treatment, parvovirus has a 90% survival rate.

The following treatments may be administered:

  • IV fluids for rehydration, and electrolyte or protein replacement
  • Medications to manage vomiting or diarrhea
  • Antibiotics to prevent bacterial infection caused by parvovirus weakening the body’s defenses
  • A special diet to allow the gastrointestinal tract to heal

Fact #4: Because you recognized quickly that Rocky was ill, and because he received excellent care at Caldwell Animal Hospital, he made a full recovery and will be back home with you soon.

Although you can’t actually go back in time, there was a happy ending for Rocky, and you now have firsthand knowledge about parvovirus to protect any future pets, and to share with others, so they can avoid your heartache. 

If Rocky’s story resonated with you, and you want to ensure that your canine companion is protected against parvovirus, give us a call.