Parvo and pet stores
 

Hi! :)

Is it possible to bring parvo home from a pet store? Parvo seems to be going around these days. Though it might be mostly a rescue shelter/kennel problem. I read an artice that said you could bring it home on your shoes! I was thinking of picking up a couple toys for a possible new girl. I wasn't sure with dogs being allowed in some pet stores, whether or not there is some risk of bringing it home?

Maybe Im just paranoid!

Amy:animal-pa

My Border Collie mix (Cindy) got it from the vet's office while being spayed but survived. A program a few weeks ago showed kennels that were suspected of having the virus and transmitting it by selling pups to pet stores.

I won't take either Cindy or Reesie to a pet store for that reason.

No, you are not paranoid about picking up parvo from a pet store escecially one that sells puppies. As we are all aware, puppies that are sold in pet stores all come from puppy mills. The dogs in puppymills that are used for breeding are almost always lacking in basic vet care. The puppies that are sold to stores could be exposed and then spread Parvo (or other diseases) quickly since they are removed at such young ages they are not fully vaccinated. Diseases such as Parvo are know to be transmitted while the puppies are confined for days on transport trucks as they are shipped all over this country. Parvo is very contagious and has a long life in the soil, on the ground and even in your home. I personally never patronize any stores that sell puppies and I also hope that others do the same. I'm also very cautious with stores that sell set supplies as well. My theory is that many people are so excited after purchasing their new puppy at the petshop down the street that might be unknowingly infected stop to shop on their way home. Their new puppy might not be showng signs of (for example) Parvo and being a new and uneducated pet owner let the puppy walk on the ground at the store. A couple of days later the puppy gets sick and now that puppy has possibly contaminated the store.

I do believe that you have a misconception though about shelter dogs and especially rescue having issues with Parvo. There might be the case occasionally where a sick dog is dropped at a shelter and it turns out to be Parvo but I do not believe that is the norm. Rescues on the other hand are fully vetted, vaccinated and tested while in their foster homes. The changes of you bringing something home from visiting with a rescue is pretty minuscule.

As for picking it up at the vet's office that is also a concern. Once again you can refer back to the idea of the sick puppies from the pet shop being brought in the vet now presenting with symptoms of Parvo. :(

When my 3 were little I would always hold them while in the office and not let them on the ground to wonder. But I also do not allow it at places like Petco either~there they are put into the shopping cart with a blanket. ;)

I'm in Orlando and just 2 days ago the news put out an alert to pet owners that Parvo is going around. They reminded everyone how important it is to have your pets UTD on vaccinations.