Dr. Burns discusses what your options are if your puppy has been diagnosed with canine parvovirus enteritis

1. Canine
Par voviru s
Enteritis and
your Puppy
By Dr. Jacquel yn
Holmes Burns
MY PUPPY HAS PARVO
NOW WHAT?
©Jacquelyn Holmes Burns, DVM 2011

2. THIS MATERIAL
 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.

3. WHAT IS CANINE PARVOVIRUS?
 A common puppyhood disease
 Ver y 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 par vovirus
 Suddenly sick!
 Appetite loss
 Vomiting—can be foamy, milky or watery
 Diarrhea, often bloody and foul-smelling
 Salivation—thick, ropey saliva
 Unseen consequences of Par vo
 Lowered white blood cell count
 Weakens the immune system
 Easier to get secondary infections/sepsis

4. THERE ARE TWO KINDS OF FOUR MONTH
OLD PUPPIES…
Those that have been vaccinated
appropriately
and
Those that are going to get parvo

5. HOW PARVO AFFECTS THE PUPPY’S BODY
 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 parasites
 Can be fatal!!!

6. HOW DID MY PUPPY GET PARVO???
 Virus particles are almost ever ywhere in nature
 Transmission is fecal  oral
Sick puppy Virus particles Unvaccinated
poops out Virus particles present in soil puppy walks on
millions of are very stable can stay for contaminated
virus particles in the soil— years. Soil soil, licks feet
in each bowel resist heat & cannot be afterwards, ingesti
movement cold disinfected ng the virus

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

8. BUT THE PERSON WHO SOLD ME THE
PUPPY TOLD ME
“HE’S HAD ALL OF HIS SHOTS.”
 It is quite commonplace to be told this by
breeders, seller s, and dealer s. What they
mean is that he’s had his f ir st set o f shots
for all of t he following diseases:
distemper, adenovirus, parainfluenza and
par vovirus
 In order to be completely immune to
par vovirus, t he average puppy has to have
three sets of shots, with the final shot given
af ter the ag e of 1 2 to 14 weeks.
 In theor y, a pu ppy could be vaccinated 3 to 5
t imes before t he ag e of 1 2 weeks and st ill
not be immune to Par vo.
 Usual vaccination t iming: 8, 11 and 14
weeks, beginning about t wo weeks af ter
weaning
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..

9. SYMPTOMS
 Come on so quickly many people
think their puppy has been
poisoned
 Vomiting
 Watery
 Foamy
 Milky
 Slimy
 Diarrhea
 Often bloody
 Foul-smelling
 Appetite loss
 Listless or depressed attitude
 Thick, ropey saliva
 Often have dull, glassy -eyed stare

10. HOW DOES MY VET DIAGNOSE PARVO?
 History
 Physical Exam findings
 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

11. IS THERE A TREATMENT?
 Yes and no
 There is not a specific 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
puppies
 Treatment 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

12. WHAT ARE MY TREATMENT
OPTIONS?
Hospitalization Outpatient
with IV Fluids Care
 Ideal approach; better chance  Patient is kept at home
of sur vival
 Patient is hospitalized here  Brought in twice a day for
 IV catheter used to give fluids subcutaneous fluids
and meds intravenously (fluids are put under the
 Cerenia for vomiting loose skin over the
 Works well! puppy’s shoulders)
 Reglan can be added if needed
 Famotidine can be added if needed  Cerenia for vomiting
 Antibiotics  Antibiotics
 Often two in combination, given IV
 Drugs for pain if needed  Costs less
 Potassium supplementation if  Puppy’s chances of living
needed are not as good as with
hospitalization

13. WHAT IF MONEY IS NO OBJECT AND I
WILL DO ANY THING FOR MY PUPPY?
 Par vovirus is one of the most common diseases encountered in general
veterinar y practice
 However, the majority of general practices do not have a 24 hour
attendant/technician. In most practices, your puppy will be alone at
night and much of the day on weekends.
 If you are concerned about this, or if your veterinarian thinks your
puppy could be better managed at another facility, your puppy could be
transferred to one of the area’s animal emergency clinics for 24 hour
care
 Advantages of 24 hour facilities:
 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 difficult 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.‖

14. WILL MY PUPPY LIVE?
 Even with proper treatment, some puppies die from Par vo
 Those with the lowest white blood cell counts are more likely to
die
 Those where IV fluids are not chosen or where IV fluids won’t run
well are harder to keep alive
 Puppies with ver y small body size are more dif ficult to treat
 Puppies of cer tain breeds are more dif ficult to treat
 Pit bulls, Dobermans, Rottweiler
 Puppies with a lot of worms or other parasites are more dif ficult
to treat
 Puppies with sepsis or aspiration pneumonia are more dif ficult
to treat
 Some year s, the virus is just plain more virulent (dangerous)
than other s, much like the flu varies from year to year
With early and aggressive treatment
, the majority of puppies with Parvo
live

15. I LOVE MY PUPPY, BUT I JUST DON’T
HAVE THE MONEY!
 We understand. We are faced with
many hard decisions ever y 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 unflavored
Pedialyte with a dropper at home to
help augment the subcutaneous
fluids given by your vet’s team
 Our vets will give you instructions as to
how much fluid to give your puppy at
home

16. FAQ
 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.

17. 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.

18. 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 parvovirus
 Q: 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.

19. SLIDE SHOW COURTESY OF
JACQUELYN H. BURNS, DVM
 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
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.