what are some of the signs of a puppy having parvo?

Answer 1

Parvovirus is a severe gastrointestinal disease. It initially causes weakness, depression, and lethargy. After a few days to weeks, it causes vomiting and lack of appetite. The dogs develop a very high fever. Very severe diarrhea ensues, gray in color, often with blood and tissue. Because of the vomiting and diarrhea, the dogs become very weak and dehydrated. Puppies and dogs less than two years old, may also suffer from heart disease caused by the virus, causing sudden death

Answer 2

my puppy had parvo a few months ago she was very lethargic vomiting and had bloody foul smelling diarrhea. all the poor thing would do it lay in my arms and kind of cry. if you think the puppy has parvo take them to the vet asap to be tested. they told me that my puppy would not make it because she was so small she was only 3lbs at the time. but after i got the diagnosis i took her home and gave her pedialite and baby food with a syringe every 2 hours day and night for 4 days. she is now a very healthy 13lb litle girl. with parvo you have to treat it fast and hard because a majority of puppie will die from it

Answer 3

A puppy with parvo is very listless. If the pup is normally very playful, but is just laying around and not responding to things it normally loves....this is a telltale sign. My yellow lab pup had parvo back in the summer. He was typically very playful...running around, chasing balls, playing tug-o-war. With parvo he didn't want to do anything....If you suspect your puppy has parvo....get it to the doctor immediately.....getting them to the vet early is the key to survival....It is a very expensive disease so be prepared to pay for medical care....my bill was $1,600 because it was discovered on a weekend. Best of luck to you.

Answer 4

'Parvo' is a highly contagious disease characterized by diarrhea that is often bloody and is caused by a pathogen called canine parvovirus, Type 2 (CPV-2).

There is a broad range in the severity of symptoms shown by dogs that are infected with parvovirus. Many adult dogs exposed to the virus show very few if any symptoms. 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. There are also significant differences in response to CPV-2 infections and vaccines among different breeds of dogs, with Rottweilers, Doberman Pinschers, and Labrador Retrievers being more susceptible than other breeds.

The most common form of the disease is the intestinal form known as enteritis. CPV-2 enteritis is characterized by vomiting (often severe), diarrhea, dehydration, dark or bloody feces, and in severe cases, fever and lowered white blood cell counts. Acute CPV-2 enteritis can be seen in dogs of any breed, sex, or age. The disease will progress very rapidly and death can occur as early as two days after the onset of the disease. The presence of gram negative bacteria, parasites, or other viruses can worsen the severity of the disease and slow recovery.

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 only way to know if a dog has Parvovirus is through a positive diagnostic test. In addition to the more time consuming and expensive traditional testing of the blood for titers, a newer and simpler test of the fecal matter with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay antigen test (ELISA) are also available through most veterinary clinics. Testing of all suspect cases of Parvo is the only way to correctly diagnose and treat this disease.

Answer 5

If you even suspect parvo you should get the dog to the vet asap they can be saved with treatment if you get them there soon enough.

Answer 6

Some vomiting but mostly alot of very runny, very stinky uncontrollable diarrhea. It doesn't have a poop smell, it has a SMELL OF DEATH, literally. They have lower energy than normal and their ribs start to show. Take your pup to the vet immediately even if you suspect it. The cost of the vet is nothing compared to saving a life!

Answer 7

bloody diarrhea, vomiting,not eating,laying around, the smell is awful, if you think it's parvo it needs to be treated ASAP, so it has a chance of living

Answer 8

Vomiting (with or without blood), diarrhea (with or without blood), lethargy, loss of appetite, weight loss are the main ones. No or inadequate vaccines too.

Answer 9

About Parvo Virus...


Parvo virus causes severe intestinal tract disease in dogs. Parvo first appeared in 1978 and quickly spread all over the world, now being famous as one of the most contagious and deadly diseases in the dog population.



How Common Is Parvo?


Parvo virus is an epidemic worldwide, especially in metropolitan areas and regions where vaccination programs are sporadic.



What Are The Clinical Signs Of Parvo?


The classic symptoms of Parvo are severe vomiting and diarrhea (often with blood in it) along with extreme weakness and dehydration. Parvo literally destroys the lining of the GI tract, allowing bacteria to infect the bloodstream (a serious condition called septicemia). On those occasions when puppies (and sometimes adult dogs) die from Parvo it's usually due to the combined effects of dehydration, upset in the pH balance of the bloodstream, and septicemia. The symptoms of Parvo are remarkably similar to, and as serious as, those of people with radiation sickness (such as from nuclear fallout) with the difference being that recovery is usually complete (meaning with no lasting side effects) in those puppies who recover from Parvo. Although veterinary medicine has made tremendous progress in the treatment of Parvo in recent years and many puppies are being saved, Parvo should still be considered an extremely serious and often fatal disease.



How Is Parvo Diagnosed?


Parvo is diagnosed on the basis of patient history, clinical signs, and laboratory tests. The two common laboratory tests used to diagnose Parvo are (1) the fecal Parvo CITE test and (2) the Complete Blood Cell count (often called the CBC). Through the fecal Parvo CITE test we are looking directly for the presence of the virus in the patient's stool. Through the Complete Blood Cell count (CBC) we are looking at characteristic changes in the numbers of white blood cells which indicate a viral disease.


How Is Parvo Virus Transmitted?



Dogs acquire infection with Parvo virus by ingesting (meaning to swallow) the infectious virus particles. The Parvo virus is one of the hardiest viruses known to science and this virus can live outside the body in a dormant yet infectious state for one to two years. Puppies do not have to be in direct contact with other dogs to catch Parvo since the virus can be spread by people's clothing, shoes, and other inanimate surfaces, and can even travel on the dust in the air. A dog (or puppy) who is shedding the Parvo virus can defecate (go to the bathroom) on a surface and then a susceptible puppy can come by and sniff or lick this surface over a year later and can still catch Parvo.



How Is Parvo Treated?


As with the common cold virus in humans, we have no medication which works directly against the Parvo virus itself. Our therapy, therefore, is directed at providing as much supportive care as possible until the virus has 'run its course'. Parvo is usually treated by administering fluids, antibiotic injections, and medications designed to curb vomiting and diarrhea. In many cases, successful Parvo therapy requires around-the-clock intensive care hospitalization.



What Is The Prognosis For A Case Of Parvo?


The prognosis varies from case to case, with the prognosis always being at least guarded. Factors which generally affect the prognosis are (1) breed of dog (Dobermans, Rottweilers, and toy breed dogs have a harder time recovering); (2) age of the dog (young puppies have a harder time recovering than do older puppies and adults); (3) vaccination status (those dogs who have had at least some exposure to vaccine-no matter how inadequate-usually fair better; and (4) promptness of intensive care (those who receive fluids and medications immediately will fair better than those who don't).



How Is Parvo Prevented?


The best way to prevent Parvo is through adequate vaccination. Adequate vaccination begins before birth which means the mother dog should be current on her vaccinations at the time she gives birth because the puppy acquires its first immunity toward Parvo from the antibodies it receives from its mother (called Passive Transfer of immunity). Then its important that the puppy receive an initial vaccination against Parvo early in life, followed by the full series of puppy boosters. At Sun Lakes Animal Clinic we vaccinate puppies with a Parvo vaccine at 6 weeks followed by a booster at 9, 12, 15, and 18 weeks. Then the puppy (dog) should receive a booster once yearly thereafter. The main thing to remember in this regard is that the puppy series for Parvo is begun very early (usually around 6 weeks).



What Could Happen If The Puppy Does Not Receive Or Stay On This Vaccination Program?


It has been my experience with Parvo that if a good vaccination schedule is not adopted or adhered to then the puppy is at greatly increased risk of acquiring Parvo.



What Are Other Ways To Prevent The Spread Of Parvo?


Common disinfectants (such as Lysterine, Lysol, alcohol, etc) will not kill Parvo. The only two things which will kill Parvo outright are fire (burning contaminated blankets, newspapers, etc) and a dilute Clorox solution (1 part Clorox to 32 parts water).



Can My Cat Catch Parvo?


No, cats cannot catch Parvo from a dog or any other source. However, cats are susceptible to another similar disease called Feline Panleukopenia (also called Feline Distemper-see related topics at the end of this document) which is closely related to Parvo. We have a vaccination for Feline Panleukopenia (often called the Feline Distemper shot).

Answer 10

Vomiting, lethargy, weeping eyes, falling down when trying to walk, not eating or drinking, loss of urine and feces control.