Parvo is a virus that often causes severe illness in unvaccinated small dogs, and according to recent reports, the virus is on the rise.
What is Parvovirus?: Know how it spreads, what the symptoms are, and how to prevent it
Parvo is a virus that often causes severe illness in unvaccinated small dogs, and according to recent reports, the virus is on the rise. The disease affects the body’s rapidly dividing cells, with the greatest impact on the intestinal tract and bone marrow.
Although this virus is primarily seen in puppies and adolescent dogs, it can also affect adult or older dogs if they are not vaccinated.
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How do dogs get Parvovirus?
An extremely contagious disease, Parvovirus spreads very quickly.
- Although canine parvovirus is not airborne, it can be found on some surfaces.
- This virus is spread through contact with contaminated feces.
- In addition, Parvovirus can also live on the ground, on surfaces in cribs, on human hands and on the clothes of infected people.
- Dogs can also be carriers of the virus, which can stick to their fur or paws if they come into contact with contaminated feces.
- Parvovirus can survive outdoors for months and is resistant to many disinfectants.
- Although the virus may appear susceptible to diluted bleach and some specialized cleaners commonly used in veterinary hospitals.
What are the signs of Parvovirus in dogs?
- In dogs, symptoms of parvovirus will begin to appear within three to seven days after infection.
- Puppies infected with the virus may have a fever and often show lethargy as the first sign
- Later signs of the virus progressing may include severe vomiting and diarrhea.
- In severe cases, the puppy may collapse, have a high heart rate, and become hypothermic due to the degree of dehydration and infection.
What is the treatment for Parvovirus?
The fact that there is no cure for parvovirus makes it even more dangerous.
The virus can be fought through a treatment approach that revolves around supporting the puppy so his body can do so.
Supportive care for parvovirus includes:
- Hospitalization with intravenous fluids
- To stop vomiting, antiemetics are used.
- Focus on nutrition, have a feeding tube if necessary
- Correcting any electrolyte imbalance or low blood sugar
If the Puppy shows signs of sepsis, where the intestines leak due to bacteria from the intestines entering the bloodstream, treatment with antibiotics is required.
If your puppy has a high fever or low white blood cell count, he may be given antibiotics.
How to prevent Parvovirus?
- You can prevent your dog from getting parvovirus by giving him a combination vaccine that has various acronyms: DHPP, DAPP, DA2PP, DHLPP, etc.
- This vaccine should be given every three to four weeks from 6 weeks to at least 16 weeks of age as it is the core and most important vaccine.
- It is extremely important to ensure that you get your puppy vaccinated on time because If too much time passes between booster vaccinations, the vaccine series will need to be started again to maintain protection.
- Puppies should only be socialized with fully vaccinated dogs until they are fully vaccinated.
- Parks should be avoided where vaccination status is not guaranteed.
Your dog needs a booster vaccination at one year of age to be considered fully vaccinated and should also continue to receive vaccinations every one to three years throughout his life.
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Frequently asked questions
Can vaccinated dogs get Parvo?
While no vaccine can promise to be 100% effective, the canine parvovirus vaccine is very effective and provides excellent protection against the virus. It is very unlikely that a properly vaccinated dog will contract canine parvovirus.
Can humans get Parvo?
Parvovirus is species-specific, so humans have their own version of the virus. This means that humans cannot get parvovirus from dogs, and dogs cannot get parvovirus from humans. However, it is still important to exercise extreme caution by wearing personal protective equipment if you come into contact with an infected dog. Although you may not have parvo, the virus can be spread to another dog through your hands or the clothes you are wearing.
Can a dog get Parvovirus twice?
Although not impossible, it is very unlikely that a dog who has recovered from canine parvovirus will get the disease again. Immunity to parvovirus lasts for several years. However, this does not mean that your dog does not need to be vaccinated against canine parvovirus if they have recovered from the disease in the past. Routine vaccinations should still be performed.
How is Parvovirus diagnosed in dogs?
Fecal ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) testing is the most common way to diagnose dogs with parvovirus in a clinical setting. The test requires a stool sample and takes about 10 minutes.
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Source: pagasa.edu.vn