Canine Parvovirus Enterit is and your Puppy

By Dr. Jacquelyn Holmes Burns

MY PUPPY HAS PARVO

NOW WHAT?©Jacquelyn Holmes Burns, DVM 2011

Is intended to educate pet owners about parvovirus enteritis and the approach that we at Holmes Veterinary Hospital take in the diagnosis and treatment of puppies with canine parvovirus. It is not intended as a substitute for advice, diagnostics and treatment for your dog by your veterinarian.

THIS MATERIAL

A common puppyhood disease Very contagious!!! Puppies are usually age 4 to 6 months

Sometimes older Seldom over 8 or 9 months old

Sometimes younger Puppies usually are unvaccinated or not

fully vaccinated Signs of parvovirus

Suddenly sick! Appetite loss Vomiting—can be foamy, milky or watery Diarrhea, often bloody and foul-smelling Salivation—thick, ropey saliva

Unseen consequences of Parvo Lowered white blood cell count Weakens the immune system Easier to get secondary infections/sepsis

WHAT IS CANINE PARVOVIRUS?

Those that have been vaccinated appropriately

and

Those that are going to get parvo

THERE ARE TWO KINDS OF FOUR MONTH OLD PUPPIES…

Virus damages cells lining the small intestine, eroding the intestine’s lining Causes appetite loss Causes vomiting Causes diarrhea Lost intestinal lining cells take about a week to be replaced Results in dehydration, which can be fatal

Virus lowers the white blood cell count Easier to get secondary bacterial infection

Can result in sepsis or septic shock

Can be further complicated if the pet has parasitesCan be fatal!!!

HOW PARVO AFFECTS THE PUPPY’S BODY

Virus particles are almost everywhere in natureTransmission is fecal oral

HOW DID MY PUPPY GET PARVO???

Sick puppy poops out millions of

virus particles in each bowel movement

Virus particles are very stable in the soil—resist heat &

cold

Virus particles

present in soil can stay for years. Soil cannot

be disinfected

Unvaccinated puppy walks on contaminated soil, licks feet afterwards,

ingesting the virus

From the time your puppy is exposed to parvovirus particles until he or she gets sick takes about a week (5 – 10 days).

INCUBATION PERIOD

I t is quite commonplace to be told this by breeders, sel lers, and dealers. What they mean is that he’s had his fi rst set of shots for all of the following diseases: distemper, adenovirus, parainfl uenza and parvovirus

In order to be completely immune to parvovirus, the average puppy has to have three sets of shots, with the fi nal shot given after the age of 12 to 14 weeks.

In theory, a puppy could be vaccinated 3 to 5 times before the age of 12 weeks and still not be immune to Parvo.

Usual vaccination timing: 8, 11 and 14 weeks, beginning about two weeks after weaning

BUT THE PERSON WHO SOLD ME THE PUPPY TOLD ME

“HE’S HAD ALL OF HIS SHOTS.”

Therefore, if your puppy is less than 12 to 14 weeks when purchased he or she could not possibly have had all of his shots. Since most puppies are sold at 6 to 8 weeks of age, almost no puppies have had all of their shots at the time they’re sold..

Come on so quickly many people think their puppy has been poisoned

Vomiting Watery Foamy Milky Slimy

Diarrhea Often bloody Foul-smelling

Appetite lossListless or depressed attitudeThick, ropey salivaOften have dull, glassy-eyed

stare

SYMPTOMS

History Physical Exam fi ndings

Dehydration Sometimes abdominal pain Sometimes fever

Fecal Flotation Tells whether or not worms are also

present Fecal Swab for Parvo ELISA antigen

test Detects virus particles in the stool

CBC Low white blood cell count Helps to establish prognosis

Sometimes x-rays Help rule out other conditions

HOW DOES MY VET DIAGNOSE PARVO?

Yes and noThere is not a specifi c

treatment or cure for this virus Like the flu in people, the virus

has to run its course About a week of illness for most

puppiesTreatment is considered

supportive Control vomiting Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate

Usually IV fluids Sometimes subcutaneous fluids

(under the skin) Antibiotics to control secondary

bacterial infection or sepsis Sometimes several drugs

IS THERE A TREATMENT?

Hospitalization with IV Fluids

Ideal approach; better chance of survival

Patient is hospitalized here IV catheter used to give

fl uids and meds intravenously Cerenia for vomiting

Works well! Reglan can be added if needed Famotidine can be added if

needed Antibiotics

Often two in combination, given IV Drugs for pain if needed Potassium supplementation if

needed

Outpatient Care

Patient is kept at homeBrought in twice a day for

subcutaneous fl uids (fl uids are put under the loose skin over the puppy’s shoulders)

Cerenia for vomitingAntibioticsCosts lessPuppy’s chances of living

are not as good as with hospitalization

WHAT ARE MY TREATMENT OPTIONS?

Parvovirus is one of the most common diseases encountered in general veterinary practice

However, the majority of general practices do not have a 24 hour attendant/technician. In most practices, your puppy wil l be alone at night and much of the day on weekends.

I f you are concerned about this, or if your veterinarian thinks your puppy could be better managed at another facil ity, your puppy could be transferred to one of the area’s animal emergency cl inics for 24 hour care

Advantages of 24 hour facil it ies: Fluid amounts can be adjusted as the patient’s needs change Some patients get tangled up in IV lines or lines get kinked and don’t run

well Small puppies or breeds with very short legs—it’s diffi cult to keep their IV’s

running correctly even when an attendant is present, much less when one isn’t present

Some have warmed cages to keep body temp from dropping For puppies that are “crashing”

Sometimes a whole blood or fresh plasma transfusion can be given 24 hour facilities are more likely to have this capability or have it “on

hand.”

WHAT IF MONEY IS NO OBJECT AND I WILL DO ANYTHING FOR MY

PUPPY?

Even with proper treatment, some puppies die from Parvo Those with the lowest white blood cell counts are more l ikely

to die Those where IV fl uids are not chosen or where IV fl uids won’t

run well are harder to keep alive Puppies with very small body size are more diffi cult to treat Puppies of certain breeds are more diffi cult to treat

Pit bulls, Dobermans, Rottweiler Puppies with a lot of worms or other parasites are more

diffi cult to treat Puppies with sepsis or aspiration pneumonia are more

diffi cult to treat Some years, the virus is just plain more virulent (dangerous)

than others, much like the fl u varies from year to year

WILL MY PUPPY LIVE?

With early and aggressive treatment , the majority of

puppies with Parvo live

We understand. We are faced with many hard decisions every day. We know you care deeply about your puppy and yet you have to make ends meet for yourself and your family .

Many puppies survive and do quite well with outpatient care

Nothing ventured, nothing gained! You can keep your puppy clean and

dry and loved at home You can also give unfl avored

Pedialyte with a dropper at home to help augment the subcutaneous fl uids given by your vet’s team Our vets will give you instructions as to

how much fluid to give your puppy at home

I LOVE MY PUPPY, BUT I JUST DON’T HAVE THE MONEY!

Q: Can my other dog get Parvo?A: Adult dogs with healthy immune systems seldom

get Parvo, especially if they’ve been vaccinated. Puppies that have not had ALL recommended shots at the recommended ages are susceptible and very likely could get it

Q: Should we vaccinate my other puppy right away?A: Some people choose to do this, but our vets do

not recommend it. If your other puppy has been exposed, challenging his or her immune system with vaccination may not be the best thing to do. We recommend waiting a week, and if they puppy still hasn’t gotten Parvo, proceed with vaccinations.

Q: Should we give my adult dog a Parvo booster right away?

A: Yes, if it’s been more than a year since the last shot.

FAQ

Q: What can I do to disinfect my home?A: Smooth, hard surfaces may be disinfected with a

mixture of 1 part Clorox liquid bleach to 9 equal parts water

Q: How can I disinfect my yard?A: Soil is very resistant to disinfection. Simply put, you

can’t do it.Q: What can I do to prevent future puppies from getting

Parvo?A: Disinfect or discard all toys, bowls, leashes/collars,

doghouses, dog beds, etc. And get any future puppies vaccinated according to your veterinarian’s recommendations, starting as soon as you get them.

Q: Can my puppy get Parvo again?A: No, after recovery, your puppy is immune to Parvo.

FAQ

Q: If my puppy can’t get Parvo again, why did the vet recommend that I bring him in for shot in a week?

A: The shots also protect against several other diseases, so it’s still important for your puppy to get regular vaccinations and checkups.

Q: Can people get Parvo?A: No, people cannot be infected with canine

parvovirusQ: I heard that Parvo comes from cats. Should I get rid

of my cats?A: No. Canine parvovirus originated from a feline virus

that mutated in the 1970’s. But now there is a cat parvovirus (feline panleukopenia or feline distemper) and a dog parvovirus. Dogs don’t get the cat form and cats don’t get the dog form.

FAQ

Slide show courtesy of Jacquelyn H. Burns, DVM

Holmes Veterinary Hospital 1001 Church Street Laurens, SC 29360 www.holmesvethospital.com© Jacquelyn H. Burns, DVM, 2011

SLIDE SHOW COURTESY OF JACQUELYN H. BURNS, DVM

Information in this slide presentation is for client education purposes only and it not intended as a

substitute for your veterinarian’s examination, clinical judgment and treatment recommendations.