Encountering Parvovirus
Things to be aware of while taking your dog out into the "real world"
Parvo is a feces to mouth disease, so it cannot be contracted airborne. But one must contemplate the facts of this quandary. The virus can be carried into the earth, and then lay dormant until almost 6 months later, and picked up on someone's feet, paws, or any object of contact. Thus it can be carried onto the next victim, unbeknown to anyone involved.
What are some of the precautions you can take?
1) Vaccinate your litter for the first time at 4 weeks old, just with parvo, then give it to them again in a combination shot at 6 weeks. There is a big disparity between types of vaccines available on the market. The most internationally respected one is by Pfizer, or the Vanguard product. This product uses a weakened live vaccine, but with an inhibiting blocker, so the recipient cannot contract the disease.
2) Vaccinate your puppy from the breeder about 3 weeks difference from the time they gave the last set of shots. Usually you will receive a dog at around 8 weeksof age. This dog should have received two sets of shots to ward off the chances of contracting this deadly disease. Although mother's milk stops the immune system from taking in any outside attack, the idea of vaccinating your puppies twice is the "extra, just in case theory".
3) The last set of boosters should be received at around the 14-15 week old period in your pups life, but, be aware, again, they do not have their immune system intact until about another 30 days from that time. So, take special care to keep your dog away from the rest of the outside world...especially dog parks, or outside areas where other dogs roam. This is especially a problem for people who show their dogs, as they are always being thrown into potential disease compromising situations. So, be keep your dog contained in your own little area around your vehicle as much as possible. This can be the difference between a live healthy dog or lots of vet bills.
4) Be sure to keep lots of gloves, newspaper, and disinfectant around to help keep your shoes, crates, car, and hands and feet of your pet clean. Often your pet will clean his paws, and voila, he has contracted the problem. Pet wipes are especially handy to keep in the car when in transit. Wipe your dog's feet off before he boards into his sterile environment.
Disinfectants
Ved-X and Rocal are two products available to purchase from your vet in bulk to make a spray to use for cleaning and care. These products are also non-toxic to breathe, while bleach is not as effective and is also very harmful for you and your animals to inhale.
Things to be aware of if you do contract the disease
1) The main thing is to keep your pet in the least stressful environment.
2) Metronidazole, or Flagyl, is the most prescribed drug to keep the stomach from continuing to slough. The vomiting, and diarrhea, are the most stressful, as they cause the dog to lose their body fluids, and the only way to keep them from dehydrating is to shut the gut down. These are in pill form and can be prescribed to keep on hand while you are traveling and they are great to have in any stomach upset problem.
3) Then get to a veterinarian as soon as possible for a test to confirm parvovirus. They will prescribe an IV treatment of fluids and antibiotics to try to maintain the dog's vitals. But, again, it is mother-nature working maybe in favor or against you for the final results. Most young pups do not make it, especially if they have been in a different environment. This stress of adjustment in a new environment really works against them. Some are stronger than others, and even if they did originally receive their first set of shots, it may or may not have been enough to stimulate the immune system to help combat this deadly problem.
In essence, it is a scenario not unlike in humans... you and I may contract a disease and ward it off well, but a child may not.
It is important to stay calm in order to assess the problem. Make the best choices you can in your set of circumstances.
Make sure you keep all other dogs away from the areas that the sick dog has been exposed to, and disinfect all grounds so that you do not set yourself up for a re-infestation problem.
Do pass this information on to anyone who has been interested in dogs, as all folks need to become educated.