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Parvovirus is a nightmare for puppy owners and breeders. This delayed onset condition targets a puppy’s immune system, increasing the risk of life-threatening complications. Without treatment, parvovirus can prove fatal very quickly.
While puppies can recover from parvo with prompt veterinary care, prevention is truly the best medicine when it comes to this common yet devastating condition. By understanding the stages of infection, their corresponding symptoms, and other related information, you can work to prevent parvo or act quickly to prioritize your dog’s health if they get sick.
In This Article
What Is Parvovirus?
The canine parvovirus, a highly contagious pathogen that can spread through direct or indirect contact, is the cause of parvo in puppies. They can be directly exposed to CPV when they sniff, lick, or consume contaminated feces. They may also indirectly encounter the virus through contaminated food bowls, accessories, and people who have handled infected animals, such as raccoons, foxes, and skunks.
Although some older dogs can contract parvovirus, it most commonly affects unvaccinated puppies between 6 weeks and 6 months old. Ideally, puppies younger than 6 weeks have immunity to the virus because of the antibodies in their vaccinated mothers’ bloodstream. Strategically scheduled vaccinations at 6, 8, and 12 weeks work to prevent the virus. Puppies should also receive a dose of the parvovirus vaccine between 14 and 16 weeks of age. Dogs in higher-risk environments, such as kennels or rescues, may benefit from an additional vaccination at 18 to 20 weeks of age. It’s essential to stick to the vaccination schedule recommended by your veterinarian for your dog’s specific needs to ensure optimal protection against the virus.
Once parvo infects a dog, it compromises the body’s ability to fight infection, produce healthy cells, and break down toxins. 90% of puppies who do not receive treatment for parvo don’t survive, and symptoms can prove fatal within days of manifesting. For that reason, if you even suspect your puppy has parvo or has been exposed to parvo, consult a veterinarian immediately.
What Are the Stages of Parvo?
Parvovirus infections develop in stages and don’t exhibit outward symptoms until they’ve already taken hold. Parvo often catches pet owners off guard because it can take days from when an initial exposure occurs to the onset of symptoms. Once a puppy has been exposed to parvo and contracts the disease, symptoms will typically appear within three to seven days.
From there, the stages of parvovirus include:
- Incubation: An infected puppy will test positive for parvovirus but may exhibit no symptoms.
- Prodromal phase: A puppy will start displaying the first symptoms of parvo, which may seem generalized and related to other less dangerous health conditions.
- Acute phase: The most advanced stage, in which the virus attacks the dog’s immune system. Without intensive vet care, an affected dog could become septic, vulnerable to secondary infections, and die.
What Are the Symptoms of Parvo in Puppies?
A puppy that is displaying symptoms of parvo is already very sick and has likely been carrying the virus for several days. The sooner you can spot the signs, the sooner you can get your dog essential medical treatment.
Symptoms of parvovirus include:
- Bloody diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Fever
- Lethargy
- Loss of appetite
- Weight loss
- Weakness
- Dehydration
- Depression
All of these symptoms are serious. Even if your puppy doesn’t have parvo, they could have another medical condition that requires urgent care. Always consult your veterinarian as soon as possible when a puppy seems unwell or isn’t acting like a “normal” puppy should. Puppies can decline rapidly, even if what’s causing the symptoms isn’t parvo. It’s critical to speak with your vet rather than wait to see if the symptoms resolve on their own.
How Is Parvovirus Diagnosed?
Your veterinarian will assess your dog by first evaluating their symptoms. Even if they suspect parvo immediately, they may conduct clinical testing to rule out other conditions, as parvo shares other symptoms with other common ailments.
One such test is the ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay), a rapid test that yields results in less than 15 minutes. It utilizes the same type of technology found in many home pregnancy tests. Here, your veterinarian will take a fecal sample and add it to a chamber with immobilized parvovirus antibodies. In a positive case, the antibodies will attach to the parvovirus proteins, and the solution will change color in reaction to a color-changing chemical.
ELISA tests help veterinarians make time-sensitive decisions regarding a dog’s condition, but these tests can sometimes yield false positives, which sometimes prompt additional testing. Conducting a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test yields strong results. However, it requires specialized lab testing that may not be possible in emergency situations.
Perhaps the most tried and true method of diagnosing parvo is measuring a puppy’s white blood cell count. Parvovirus selectively attacks the bone marrow, and a low white blood cell count is a hallmark of the disease. A veterinarian may use an ELISA test and check a dog’s blood white cell count to make a definite diagnosis.
Why Do Puppies Get Parvo?
Many factors could make a puppy vulnerable to parvo. For example, the stress of weaning can lower a puppy’s immune system, leaving them more susceptible to pathogen exposure. Being exposed to parvo in combination with another pre-existing health condition, like internal parasites or an infection, can lower a puppy’s natural resistance to developing parvo.
People can also unknowingly transmit parvo to susceptible puppies and dogs via their hands, clothing, and even the bottom of their shoes. Washing and disinfecting your hands, changing your clothes, and cleaning your shoes after being in an higher-risk environment such as a dog park or doggy daycare can help prevent the spread of germs.
Additionally, some breeds are more likely to get parvo than others, including:
- Rottweilers
- Doberman Pinschers
- American Staffordshire Terriers
- English Springer Spaniels
- German Shepherd Dogs
- Labrador Retrievers
Research suggests that these breeds may carry genetic traits that weaken their immune response to parvovirus or are at an increased risk due to a lack of antibodies.
How Long Are Puppies With Parvo Contagious?
Puppies with parvo start shedding the virus and are infectious within four to five days of exposure. They’ll continue to shed the virus for up to 10 days after clinical recovery, so it’s important to quarantine your puppy from unvaccinated, vulnerable, or unfamiliar dogs until this window has passed.
The virus can survive indoors in the environment and on surfaces for at least one month. Outdoors, it can survive for months or even a year under the right conditions. Rain or regularly watering your lawn can dilute the virus and reduce the risk of exposure. You can also use a cleaner proven to kill parvovirus for your outdoor kennel or dog run, as well as objects that a sick puppy has come into contact with, such as indoor surfaces, floors, bedding, bowls, and toys.
Treating Parvo in Puppies
Treatment for parvo focuses more on keeping your dog stable and addressing their symptoms than it does on targeting the virus itself. Your puppy will be hospitalized for several days and receive around-the-clock veterinary care. The crux of their care involves combating dehydration, which is exacerbated by vomiting, diarrhea, and loss of appetite.
Another aspect of your puppy’s care involves maintaining a highly sanitized environment that protects them from secondary infections. Serious viruses like parvo weaken a puppy’s immune system and lower their white blood cell count, reducing their ability to fight off pathogens that healthy dogs could just shrug off.
The damage the virus does to a dog’s intestinal wall increases the likelihood of a secondary infection. Your vet may prescribe an antibiotic medication to combat these bacterial infections and monitor your puppy further for potential complications.
As of 2023, a new treatment option utilizing monoclonal antibodies is available. Canine Parvovirus Monoclonal Antibody (CPMA) selectively binds to the parvovirus, therefore blocking its ability to attach to and enter intestinal cells. By preventing entry, this targeted therapy protects a dog’s intestinal lining and directly fights the infection. Approved for use in dogs 8 weeks of age and older, CPMA is typically administered as a single-dose IV treatment.
This treatment can be expensive. However, when used promptly, it can be life-saving and may significantly reduce the severity of illness for dogs with mild to moderate infections. Clinical studies have shown that puppies treated with CPMA have a higher chance of survival and may experience symptoms, such as vomiting and lethargy, for a shorter period of time than dogs that only receive supportive care.
What Happens After a Puppy Gets Treated for Parvo?
The survival rate when treated for parvo is 68 to 90%, with the success rate on the higher end of the scale. Most puppies that survive three to four days after the onset of symptoms are able to go home without any issues. Recovery times vary depending on the severity of the case, but it usually takes approximately one week for puppies to recover from parvo symptoms. However, they’ll continue to shed the virus for up to 10 days.
Your veterinarian will walk you through the appropriate treatment steps for your puppy’s condition. They’ll also advise you on any precautionary measures to take afterward. It’s extremely rare for a dog to contract parvo twice, but the infection can make them more susceptible to other conditions in the future, including chronic gastrointestinal issues.
Preventing Parvo in Puppies
Parvo is a preventable virus. The cost of the parvovirus vaccine series, one of the core puppy vaccines, pales in comparison to the price of treatment, which can easily cost thousands of dollars when accounting for multiple days of hospitalization, medications, and 24/7 medical support.
Experienced, ethical breeders should ensure their bitches are up-to-date on their parvo vaccinations, and they’ll act quickly to quarantine puppies that show signs of illness. As a prospective puppy owner, you can ask your breeder about which disinfectants they use to sanitize surfaces and objects that puppies come into contact with. Bleach, for example, is effective because it inactivates CPV and its related virus, feline panleukopenia virus (FPV).
Once your puppy comes home, it’s crucial to ensure they receive the full series of parvo vaccines to build resistance. Until they’ve completed this regimen, hold off on letting them interact with unknown dogs or walk around in high-traffic public areas. There are plenty of ways to socialize your puppy without putting their health at risk.
At AKC Marketplace, we can help you find your dream dog. You can find AKC-registerable puppies from responsible, passionate breeders, and we provide the tools you need for every step of the process. Visit marketplace.akc.org to start connecting with dog breeders in your area!
This article is intended solely as general guidance, and does not constitute health or other professional advice. Individual situations and applicable laws vary by jurisdiction, and you are encouraged to obtain appropriate advice from qualified professionals in the applicable jurisdictions. We make no representations or warranties concerning any course of action taken by any person following or otherwise using the information offered or provided in this article, including any such information associated with and provided in connection with third-party products, and we will not be liable for any direct, indirect, consequential, special, exemplary or other damages that may result, including but not limited to economic loss, injury, illness or death.