There is a broad range in the severity of symptoms shown by dogs that are infected with parvovirus. The majority of cases are seen in dogs less than 6 months of age with the most severe cases seen in puppies younger than 12 weeks of age, though any unvaccinated dogs are susceptible to infection. The most common form of the disease is the intestinal form known as enteritis. Parvoviral enteritis is characterized by vomiting (often severe), diarrhea, dehydration, dark or bloody feces, and, in severe cases, fever and lowered white blood cell counts. The disease will progress very rapidly and death can occur as early as two days after the onset of the disease.
Not all cases of bloody diarrhea with or without vomiting are caused by parvovirus and many sick puppies are misdiagnosed as having parvo. The most common in-house parvo test uses a rectal swab to test for the canine parvovirus antigen. Testing of all suspect cases of parvo is the only way to correctly diagnose and treat this disease. A complete physical exam and additional laboratory tests such as a CBC and chemistry panel help to determine the severity of the disease.
Cost to treat cases of parvovirus infection can range between $500 and $2000 or more depending on the size of the dog and the severity of the infection.
Recovery rates for dogs that receive medical treatment are around 85%; recovery rates for dogs that do not receive medical treatment are around 10%. If early treatment is initiated, most dogs will recover within days to a couple weeks.
After recovery, dogs should be monitored for gastrointestinal signs such as vomiting or diarrhea, which may indicate that the GI system has not fully healed.
Vaccination and hygiene are critical to preventing parvo virus infection. Vaccination should be started in puppies between 6 and 8 weeks of age. They should receive booster vaccines every 3-4 weeks, with the last vaccination received between 14 and 16 weeks of age. Owners should take care that vaccination is up-to-date through adulthood. Until a puppy has received a complete vaccination series, care should be taken to limit exposure to other puppies and adult dogs whose vaccination status is questionable. Parvovirus is spread through contact with feces containing the virus. The virus is known to survive in the environment and on inanimate objects - such as clothing, food bowls, and cage floors - for up to 2 years in the right conditions. This means any fecal material needs to be removed with a detergent before a diluted bleach solution is used to kill the virus. The bleach solution should be used on bedding, dishes, kennel floors, and other impervious materials that may be contaminated. There is no way to kill the virus on the ground outside. The normal incubation period is 7-14 days. Virus can be found in the feces several days before clinical signs of disease appear which means that an infected dog can spread the virus before it becomes sick. Dogs can continue to shed the virus in feces for 2 months after recovery.
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