Parvovirus How To Recognize Treat & Prevent It

Parvovirus is considered to be one of the most serious and often fatal dog ailments around. It is a serious virus that can infect every dog you own at once and lead to their death within days. Most deaths will occur within 48 – 72 hours. Even if your dog manages to survive this horrible illness, it's unlikely they will live a long life due to the side effects of parvo. Parvo will damage vital organs such as the heart during it's rein and may unfortunately not allow for a full recovery or shorten their lifespan. rnThis is the reason why parvovirus is so dangerous. It attacks white blood cells, the intestinal tract and as we said above the heart. When this happens, it causes them to stop functioning, which of course leads to death. As a dog owner, you should be able to recognize that your dog is ill quickly. Parvovirus Symptoms The symptoms become serious quite quickly and you will know that your dog is ill. So how do you tell they are sick? It will begin by having severe diarrhea and the smell of the diarrhea will be extreme and foul. They will probably begin to vomit and lose their appetite, as well as, run a fever. They will likely show mood changes and not want to participate in their normal activities. rnRegrettably, by the time your dog is showing these symptoms, the virus has already taken over most of the vital organs. For very young dogs that have not been vaccinated, the situation may be hopeless and many dogs will die within two days from the initial day these symptoms began to show up. Parvo is the #1 killer of puppies. However, a healthier, older dog may have a honest chance to beat the virus. Parvovirus Treatment So how do you begin to treat parvovirus? The first thing you should address is liquids. Parvo dehydrates your dog quickly and without fluids your dog will go downhill fast. It is vital that you start rehydrating them immediately to give them a chance at survival. I'm sure you are asking why fluids are so important, shouldn't the virus itself be the priority? Well, actually there's a little more to it. When your dog becomes infected with the parvovirus it starts by attacking the lining of the gastro intestinal tract or the intestines. It then starts on the tiny, finger-like projections that are approximately 0.5-1mm in length and come out from the wall of the small intestine that help with food absorption. rnThis then causes the vomiting and diarrhea, so what they are expelling is the walls of the small intestines! Yep, they are really “puking up their guts”. Hence the terrible odors. As with humans a dog is made up of mostly water, over 60%. So when they aren't getting enough liquids, the primary organs shut down just like in our bodies leading to a sudden death. Parvovirus Prevention After visualizing some of the above horrific details, I would hope that you would want to know how to take the proper precautions in preventing your dog from contracting the parvovirus. Although parvo is still common, it isn't as frequent as some of the other illnesses due to the vaccine that is available. The catch is that you have to utilize the vaccine for your dog to be protected. Parvovirus How Is It Spread? How is Parvovirus spread? The most common is simple spreading through canine feces. It is transferred through contact very easily, so if you are aware of another dog being infected you need to separate them immediately. Any licking or sniffing or contact touching between dogs will transfer the illness from dog to dog. You will also need to sanitize any bedding, balls, toys, food and water bowls and just throw away any used chew bones etc. The virus can also stay in the ground for extended periods of time, so you may want to move your dog pens and section off that area for a few months. Parvovirus Your Dog Can Survive Parvovirus is a treatable virus if you can identify the symptoms and treat them in a timely manner. You need to contact your veterinarian immediately and rush your dog to their facility for treatment. To prevent having your dog having to go through such an ordeal, make sure your dog's vaccinations are up to date and keep a current vaccination program going at all times. It is also vital that your dog stays in good health through a proper dog food diet, exercise and regular wellness checkups. By following the guidelines, you will be able to give your dog a fighting chance at parvovirus survival.