Parvovirus
Canine parvovirus is a highly contagious and serious disease caused by a virus that attacks the gastrointestinal tract of puppies, dogs, foxes, wolves, and other wild dogs. It also can damage the heart muscle in very young and unborn puppies.
Parvovirus (also called ‘parvo’) is spread by dog-to-dog contact and contact with contaminated faeces, environments, surfaces, or people. It survives in heat, cold, and humidity, and can survive in the environment for up to a year. Parvovirus is easily transmitted via dogs’ hair and feet, and also on the hands, clothes and feet of humans.
All dogs are at risk, but puppies younger than four months old are at increased risk of becoming infected and ill.
Symptoms of parvovirus include lethargy, loss of appetite, fever, vomiting; and severe, often bloody, diarrhoea. Vomiting and diarrhoea can cause rapid dehydration, and most deaths from parvovirus occur within 48 to 72 hours following the onset of clinical signs. If your puppy or dog shows any of these signs, you should contact your vet immediately.
No specific drug is available that will kill the virus in infected dogs, and treatment is aimed at supporting the dog until his immune system can fight off the viral infection. Treatment should be started immediately and consists of combating dehydration, controlling vomiting and diarrhoea, and preventing secondary infections. Early recognition and aggressive treatment are very important in successful outcomes.
Since parvo is highly contagious, infected dogs should be isolated to prevent spread of infection. Kennels and other areas should be cleaned thoroughly and disinfected.
In spite of proper vaccination, a small percentage of dogs do not develop protective immunity and remain susceptible to infection.
Canine parvovirus is a highly contagious and serious disease caused by a virus that attacks the gastrointestinal tract of puppies, dogs, foxes, wolves, and other wild dogs. It also can damage the heart muscle in very young and unborn puppies.
Parvovirus (also called ‘parvo’) is spread by dog-to-dog contact and contact with contaminated faeces, environments, surfaces, or people. It survives in heat, cold, and humidity, and can survive in the environment for up to a year. Parvovirus is easily transmitted via dogs’ hair and feet, and also on the hands, clothes and feet of humans.
All dogs are at risk, but puppies younger than four months old are at increased risk of becoming infected and ill.
Symptoms of parvovirus include lethargy, loss of appetite, fever, vomiting; and severe, often bloody, diarrhoea. Vomiting and diarrhoea can cause rapid dehydration, and most deaths from parvovirus occur within 48 to 72 hours following the onset of clinical signs. If your puppy or dog shows any of these signs, you should contact your vet immediately.
No specific drug is available that will kill the virus in infected dogs, and treatment is aimed at supporting the dog until his immune system can fight off the viral infection. Treatment should be started immediately and consists of combating dehydration, controlling vomiting and diarrhoea, and preventing secondary infections. Early recognition and aggressive treatment are very important in successful outcomes.
Since parvo is highly contagious, infected dogs should be isolated to prevent spread of infection. Kennels and other areas should be cleaned thoroughly and disinfected.
In spite of proper vaccination, a small percentage of dogs do not develop protective immunity and remain susceptible to infection.
According to the World Small Animal Veterinary Association, if you vaccinate a puppy against parvovirus and again after his immune system matures at six months of age, he will most likely be immune to parvovirus for his entire life. You can ask your vet to check for circulating antibodies if you’re at all worried about boosters.
Vets have been vaccinating against parvovirus (and distemper and hepatitis) every year, even though this has never been scientifically shown to be necessary. On the other hand, all vaccines carry the potential to cause severe life-threatening adverse reactions.
There are many natural foodstuffs and products which protect against viral disease. These include Transfer Factor, Garlic, Olive Leaf Extract, Colloidal Silver, Grapefruitseed Extract, and Neem. A biologically appropriate natural diet will also help your dog to withstand viral infection.
A herbal treatment called Parvaid (also used with its sister herbal antibiotic VibactraPlus) that can also be used as a preventative/treatment is also available. Parvaid has often been supplied to a vet when it is looking doubtful that a puppy will survive, and been successful and a full recovery has been made. Unfortunately, although most conventional vets will be happy for the puppy owner to provide Parvaid for them to use, those vets never look into stocking Parvaid themselves as it is a supplemental/herbal product. Such products, along with any alternative treatment, are things that they have been trained to dismiss or ridicule.
It is true to say Parvaid has not been subject to scientific trials etc, and this is all 'anecdotal evidence', but when a pup is going to die and Parvaid saves them - well, make your own mind up.
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