Parvo question

[jamescandy]

Has anyone had a puppy with parvo and then got a new puppy afterwards? I had a puppy for less than 24 hours before I realized she was seriously sick. The dotor kept her but she died with in hours. She was only on a carpeted area about 2 feet across and other than that was on floors which I could bleach. The vet says wait 6 months for another puppy, but I have bleached everything she was in contact with except that section of carpet and all of her poopy and vomit was in her kennel........ My plan is to get another puppy and not allow the new one in the room where the carpet is until the doctors say she is safe. Any suggestions?

[yorkiekist]

Originally Posted by jamescandy

Has anyone had a puppy with parvo and then got a new puppy afterwards? I had a puppy for less than 24 hours before I realized she was seriously sick. The dotor kept her but she died with in hours. She was only on a carpeted area about 2 feet across and other than that was on floors which I could bleach. The vet says wait 6 months for another puppy, but I have bleached everything she was in contact with except that section of carpet and all of her poopy and vomit was in her kennel........ My plan is to get another puppy and not allow the new one in the room where the carpet is until the doctors say she is safe. Any suggestions?

Parvo is horrid!!! And can stay on your place for a year. Its on your clothes, shoes, carpet, car, etc. Anywhere you or the puppy went, Parvo is there. You might want to rip out that little piece of carpet and bleach underneath it or use a good parvo-cide on the carpet. I brought Parvo home from my place of work. The person I worked with had a puppy with Parvo and never told me and she new that I had a new 7 week old litter. I lost 5 out of 7. You can also track it home from the vet on your shoes.
I would wait a long time to get another puppy. I would throw the kennel away also.

[jamescandy]

How exactly is it transferred? I am hearing different stories. Is it transferred through poop and vomit or just by touching the animal?

[bchgirl]

Parvo is shed in their feces. Anything that has come in contact with the feces can now transmit the disease. Dogs do not have to be exposed to the feces themselves. The feces are gone....the parvo is not. It can be carried on your shoes and hands. It survives for months and the only disinfectant that kills it is bleach.

There is no cure for parvo.

[jamescandy]

Thank you so much, like I said we only had the puppy for less than 24 hours. It only used the potty in its crate and the crate is gone. I have bleached everything I can think of and tossed everything else in the trash I am going to get rid of the clothes that everyone was wearing that day and hopefully we can get another puppy with out transferring anything. In addition the puppy started getting sick soon after we got home so it was never out running through the house. We will keep bleaching in hope for a safe enviroment. I am bleaching far more than just where the puppy was so that anything we touched will be safe and it started the vomiting and diarreah in its kennel so hopefully all is gone. Thank you again.

[bchgirl]

The virus is still alive in that area of carpet...every time someone steps on that spot..the virus is transferred to their shoes and carried elsewhere.

Anything you touched after cleaning up after puppy...now has the virus transferred. The virus isn't killed by soap so washing your hands is ineffective.

Puppies don't have to be in contact with the feces...anything that comes in contact with infected feces...now carries the disease

[jamescandy]

the puppy never pooped on the floor, only walked on it. It did not poop until it was in its crate about 2 hours later.

[Ladymom]

I would listen to your vet and wait. Parvo can live on surfaces for months. Besides, you will have a problem getting another puppy from a reputable breeder if she knows you have parvo in your house. After your experience, I'm sure you now realize how important it is to get a puppy from a reputable breeder.

Here is some information on parvo for you:

Parvovirus: Serious Diarrhea in Puppies & Dogs

[mscat]

I'd wait to bring a puppy into your home. Parvo is a horrid illness which is extremely contagious. It is very difficult to get rid of. Even if a new puppy has had vaccinations, there is not gaurentee that the pup will be safe. Bringing home a new pup , he/she will end up being exposed to the virus in your home even under the best circumstances.
My Vet has told me he even accidently brought parvo home to h is own puppy who nearly died. HE did not know how it happened either, however being a vet one of the pups he examined had it. That is ALL it took.
It is going to be hell for you and your family to bring home a new puppy then lose that one too. I believe a person can clean very very well, and still miss something, and a new pup will catch the same , deadly disease.

[Zanders' mom]

Wooow, this has been a very educational thread. Thanks. So sorry that you lost your little furbaby. Like you I'd want another one asap. but I would hold off for the sake of the puppy. Good luck to you.

[NeedYorkieLuv]

Please don't get another puppy so soon. You are pretty much asking for this one to get sick as well. We have a Chi that survived parvo but our vet said not to get another puppy for at least one year afterwards and only one that had been fully vaccinated. I'm sorry you lost your puppy but I would really listen to the vet's advice to prevent any further heartache.

[jamescandy]

Yes, I have also heard that a adult dog vaccinated can also still get parvo. Just a horrible experience. Thank you to everyone for all of the advice.

[mscat]

PARVO VIRUS

has been diagnosed anywhere groups of dogs are found: dog shows, obedience trials, breeding and boarding kennels, pet shops, animal shelters, parks, and playgrounds. Dogs that spend their time confined to a house or yard and are not in contact with other dogs have much less chance of exposure to CPV. It's easily transmitted via the hair or feet of infected dogs, and also by contaminated objects such as cages or shoes. CPV is hardy and can remain in feces-contaminated ground for five months or more if conditions are favorable. Although most disinfectants cannot kill it, chlorine bleach is quite effective. There may be other means of transmission of CPV, but they are not known at this time.


Two forms of CPV have been identified: diarrhea syndrome and cardiac syndrome.


Diarrhea syndrome, or enteritis, has an incubation period of five to fourteen days. Dogs with enteritis act like they are in extreme pain. Early symptoms are depression, loss of appetite, vomiting, high fever, and severe diarrhea. Feces can be either grayish or fluid and bloody. Rapid dehydration is a danger, and dogs may continue to vomit and have diarrhea until they die, usually three days after onset of symptoms. Others may recover without complications and have no long-term problems. Puppies can die suddenly of shock as early as two days into the illness.


The second form of CPV is cardiac syndrome, or myocarditis, which can affect puppies under three months old. There is no diarrhea because the virus multiplies rapidly in muscle cells of the immature heart. Puppies may stop suckling and then collapse and die within minutes or days. No effective treatment is available for cardiac syndrome, and surviving puppies may have permanently damaged hearts.


The initial diagnosis of CPV can usually be made by a veterinarian after observing the dog’s symptoms; however, vomiting and diarrhea can be caused by a number of diseases. The rapid spread of illness in a group of dogs is another indication that CPV may be the culprit. A more definitive diagnosis of CPV can be made by testing feces for the virus, either at the veterinarian's office or through an outside laboratory.


Treatment for CPV should be started immediately. Hospitalization is necessary, except in relatively mild cases. Dogs must be kept warm. Dehydration is treated by replacing electrolytes and fluids and controlling vomiting and diarrhea. Antibiotics are used to prevent secondary infections. No drug is yet available that will kill the virus.


The easiest way to prevent CPV in adult dogs has been through annual vaccinations, although increasingly, veterinarians are recommending that vaccinations be administered every three years. Puppies need a series of booster shots, because of uncertainty about when maternal immunity wanes and the time the vaccine can provide puppies with their own immunity. This may be as early as six weeks of age or as late as fourteen weeks of age. If there is still a high level of maternal antibody present in the puppy, it will interfere with a vaccination. Veterinarians recommend that puppies get boosters every three weeks until they are sixteen weeks old, and they should be kept separate from unvaccinated dogs. Vaccinations given to puppies as well as adults also protect against other serious canine diseases like distemper, infectious hepatitis, leptospirosis, parainfluenza, and coronavirus.


Parvo vaccinations are usually required for participation in puppy obedience classes and for boarding your dog at kennels. A vaccination does not guarantee that your puppy will be safe from the virus, but it's good protective insurance.

A parvo-infected dog can shed the virus in his feces, which makes him extremely contagious to other dogs. The following precautions will help prevent the spread of this disease.


· Keep the dog isolated from all other dogs for at least a month after recovery.

· Pick up all the dog's stools in your yard.

· Use chlorine bleach and water to clean food and water bowls. Wash the dog's bedding in bleach and hot water. Disinfect all areas that the dog has been in, including linoleum floors, crates, etc.

· If you have any other dogs who are two years old or younger, or who have not had parvo vaccinations, take them to your veterinarian immediately for a booster shot.

· Feed your dog a bland diet until he recovers. Reintroduce regular food slowly.


A healthy puppy or adult dog should never be allowed contact with the feces of other dogs when walking or playing in public. Dispose of waste material properly and try to keep lawns, sidewalks, and street gutters clear of feces from neighborhood dogs.

I don't want you to have to go through anther heartbreak of losing a puppy through CPV- It is better to wait at least 6 months and still all the necessary percautions to get rid of this deadly virus.

[bchgirl]

Mscat...I'm pretty certain that decision has already been made.