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Parvovirus in Dogs

Parvovirus in Dogs

CPV, Parvo

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Updated on September 26, 2024
SUMMARY OF CONTENT
Canine parvovirus disease is currently the most common infectious disorder of dogs in the United States. Parvo is a highly contagious disease characterized by diarrhea that is often bloody. Puppies are most susceptible to infection.
SEVERITY:
Severity is mild to severe
  • Diagnosis Icon
    Requires a diagnosis by a veterinarian
  • Time to Cure
    Resolves within days to weeks
  • Treatment Icon
    Treatable by a veterinarian
  • Prevention Icon
    Vaccination and hygiene are critical to preventing parvovirus infection
  • Spread Icon
    Transmission is possible between dogs but not between dogs and humans
  • Lab Icon
    Diagnosis requires physical exam, parvo test, blood work
VERY COMMON IN
Acute parvovirus enteritis can be seen in dogs of any breed, sex, or age.

Symptoms & Signs

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.

Diagnosis

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.

Causation

Parvo is a highly contagious disease characterized by diarrhea that is often bloody. The virus causes death of the intestinal cells, which leads to an inability to absorb nutrients and water. As the disease progresses, dogs lose the ability to hold any fluids or food in the system, and they become severely dehydrated and ill.

Treatments

icon AT-HOME CARE
Supportive care at home includes providing clean bedding, nutritious food and clean water, and a peaceful place for your dog to sleep. Since a puppy with parvo creates quite a mess, it is important to keep them clean and dry at all times to prevent skin infections. There are several treatments and medications that can be prescribed by a veterinarian to aid in treatment of parvo at home, including subcutaneous fluids, medications for nausea or diarrhea, antibiotics, medications to boost the immune system, and probiotics. Preventing dehydration is the key to success.
icon SUPPORTIVE CARE
Hospitalization is usually the recommended treatment for dogs with parvo since all necessary medications and fluids can be administered intravenously to avoid the risk of causing more vomiting. There is no specific medication to treat parvovirus infection; treatment of parvovirus is fairly straightforward and directed at supportive therapy. Replacing fluids lost through vomiting and diarrhea with intravenous (IV) fluid therapy is probably the single most important treatment. Other treatments include IV injections of antibiotics, electrolytes, medications for nausea, medications to manage low blood protein levels, low white blood cells, and nutritional support.
icon MEDICATIONS
Parvo dogs have a weakened immune system, so antibiotic therapy is usually initiated to help control secondary bacterial infections. Nausea can be minimized with Cerenia (maropitant) or Reglan (metoclopramide). Low white blood cells needed to fight the infections can be mobilized with Neupogen. After the intestinal symptoms begin to subside, a broad spectrum deworming agent and probiotics are often used.
icon DEVICES
None
icon SURGERY
None
icon SPECIALISTS
Most general practice veterinarians can manage parvo. If they are not equipped to hospitalize patients, the patient may be referred to a specialty center.

Cost Of Treatment

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

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.

Monitoring

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.

Prevention

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.

Questions about Parvovirus in Dogs

My dog I heated uses tampon is it an emergency

Unfortunately I'm having a little trouble understand your question as I'm not sure what you mean by "My dog I heated uses tampons..." I'm wondering if Bella ate a tampon or if you wanted to use one on her while she is in heat. I will answer both to be safe. If she ate a tampon, then yes this is a medical emergency and she has to see a vet now. Tampons can easily cause obstructions in the GI tract, especially since they are absorbent and can get large in the stomach from liquid in there. if Bella ate a tampon, you need to take her into a vet immediately to get it removed. If she is on heat, no you cannot use a tampon to control her bleeding. It's not safe to use at all, and are not meant for dogs. You can put a diaper on her to catch any bloody discharge. There are dog specific diapers online and at pets stores, or you can use one made of a human child. Just cut a hole in it for her tail. Hopefully this answers your question. If it doesn't, I'm sorry and ask you post again in the forum for free to it can get answered!

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I have a cat that as a kitten was very ill. We got him from 7 months old. We knew he’d had cat flu prior to him coming here. He is now nearly 5 yrs old. He picks huge fights with our other cat. He keeps urinating and scratching at doors and windows around the house. We allow him to go out via the cat flap unlimited. What is happening to him

I'm glad to see that Pippin has been neutered because this eliminates that possibility of hormone-fueled behavioral changes and aggression. Behavioral changes in cats can occur at any point in time, and could be related to anxiety or stressful situations (even rearranging furniture or introducing new people to the home can be stressful to cats). Without a lot more information and observing Pippin's behaviors, I can't precisely tell you why these changes are occurring. It may be best to consult a veterinary behaviorist in your home so that they can observe everything firsthand. You can also try using calming pheromone collars or diffusers (Feliway is one example), and discussing the use of anxiety medication with Pippin's vet. I hope that all goes well!

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Hi! My cat was recently diagnosed with diabetes. He’s taking insulin and taking antibiotics for a Uti. It’s been 4 weeks and he wobles when he’s walking. He can’t jump up on the bed like he used to.He’s blood sugar is 250 it’s better than it used to. I don’t understand why he’s so wobbly.

Cats can develop what's called diabetic neuropathy, where their hindlegs become progressively weak. The best thing to do is try to get his diabetes under control as quickly as possible. Here is a link describing the conditon: http://www.diabeticcatcare.com/DCCCOK/Neuropathy.htm

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My senior cat has metastized cancer.17 yrs old. My vet gave her predizone1 and one half tabs a day.i wanted to know if i can just stop the meds.

Is there a reason you want to stop the prednisone? I would recommend not stopping it and if you feel it is better to stop the prednisone then I would recommend weaning off of the prednisone. I would discuss how to wean the prednisone with your veterinarian. Thank you for using Boop by Petco.

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My dog has an ear infection

Sorry to hear Marley isn't doing so well with his ears. It is not possible to tell from tge picture tve exact nature of the irritation but if it is indeed infected (typically red, hot, painful and smelly), he will need prescription medication from his regular vet. In the meantime I recommend gently cleaning tge outer war with cotton wool and a pet safe ear cleaner to reduce the build up of wax/discharge

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My dog vomited a pinkish colour. Does this look like blood vomit? She doesn’t have diarrhoea or anything else. Yesterday i fed her plain chicken with rice.

That is very red vomit, however, this color could be linked to a number of things including blood in the vomit, inflammation of the GI tract, having chewed on a toy this color, eaten a food item this color, or gotten into a plant or other item this color. If the vomiting continues, worsens, or other symptoms appear such as a painful or bloated abdomen, diarrhea or blood in the stool, or severe distress, I would schedule a veterinary appointment right away to rule out more severe issues. In the meantime I would continue the bland diet for 24 hours, and monitor for any additional vomiting or illness symptoms.

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Disclaimer

The information contained on this page is for educational purposes only. This medication should only be given under the advice of a veterinarian who has examined your pet under the laws applicable to your state of residence.