Your puppy can always be susceptible to parvovirus, even after vaccination, however vaccination greatly reduces the risk of this disease. At Vetwest, we recommend that puppies receive their first vaccinations between 6 to 8 weeks.
Puppies are vaccinated against parvo at approximately 6, 8, and 12 weeks of age. They are vulnerable to the disease until they have received all three shots in their vaccination series, which means owners need to take extra precaution during this time to prevent their puppies from contracting the virus.
Puppies vaccinated once at 12 to 16 weeks of age with a high titer vaccine, according to research done by Dr Schultz, have a virtually 100% chance of being protected. But aren't the puppies at risk until 12 weeks of age? Yes it is. But ironically, there's even greater risk for puppies given a series of shots.
– At 6 weeks, only 52% of the puppies had developed an immune response. – At 9 weeks, 88% of the puppies responded. – At 12 weeks, 100% of the puppies responded.
How Long After the Parvo Vaccine Is a Dog Protected? The canine parvovirus vaccine typically goes into effect within three to five days and is considered to last at least three to four years according to studies. This is why adult dogs are typically vaccinated against parvo every three years.
Some of the signs of parvovirus include lethargy; loss of appetite; abdominal pain and bloating; fever or low body temperature (hypothermia); vomiting; and severe, often bloody, diarrhea. Persistent vomiting and diarrhea can cause rapid dehydration, and damage to the intestines and immune system can cause septic shock.
“Dogs who have three to five encounters with the vaccine will typically develop the highest amount of antibodies to protect from infection,” Dr. Burch said. And while some fully-vaccinated dogs can still get parvo — remember, this is rare — the vaccine will usually keep your pup completely safe.
Even if your veterinarian does everything right, there is still a chance that your puppy won't survive parvo. The near-death signs of parvo include severe lethargy, continuous bloody diarrhea, anorexia, and bloody vomiting. You may not want to admit it to yourself, but this is the point of no return.
Dogs that develop parvo will show symptoms three to 10 days after being exposed. Symptoms include: vomiting, lethargy, diarrhea (usually bloody) and fever. The gastrointestinal tract is where the heaviest damage occurs.
Your puppy will vomit and have diarrhea if canine parvovirus is present in their system. Vomit may be clear or a yellow or brown color, and diarrhea will often contain blood and be a light yellow or mustard colored hue.
It just isn't worth it to take the chance – which is why vets recommend waiting the full week after vaccination before taking your pup out in public.
Parvo is a preventable disease, but even vaccinated dogs are not 100% protected from the virus. Vaccines for the parvovirus are recommended for all puppies and are usually given in a series of three shots when the pup is between 6-to-8 weeks old, again at 10-to-12 weeks, and at 14-to-16 weeks.
Potty Breaks for Young Puppies
When you bring an eight-week-old dog home, you can start puppy house training by taking him out to go to the bathroom on a regular basis. Since young puppies have tiny bladders, you'll have to take them out for potty breaks often.
Studies have observed that if your Fido is not vaccinated, the chances of him getting parvovirus are very high, and the morbidity rate is 100%. The mortality rate of dogs with parvo is statistically 10% in adult dogs, and 91% in puppies (Appel et al.
There's a near-zero percent chance that your dog catches parvo if they're not around unvaccinated dogs. Wait until your pup has had their first two shots before bringing them around any pets that may not be fully vaccinated.
“Parvovirus is the world's most common canine infectious disease,” Hung explained. “This is a viral infection that is well-known for its contagiousness and severe damage to the intestines, particularly among puppies.
In the U.S., people tend to get infected with parvovirus B19 more often in late winter, spring, and early summer. Mini-outbreaks of parvovirus B19 infection occur about every 3 to 4 years. Since parvovirus B19 only infects humans, a person cannot get the virus from a dog or cat.
Parvo is so infectious that humans can spread it unknowingly to other dogs if they have recently come into contact with an infected pup, just by touching them. This means an innocent pat on the head could result in a life-threatening condition.
Parvo usually progresses quickly—lethargy is often quickly followed by vomiting and diarrhea.
Puppies are at the greatest risk for parvo between the ages of 6 weeks to 6 months. Puppies can receive their parvo vaccinations at 6, 8 and 12 weeks of age. They must receive a full series of vaccinations to ensure complete immunity. Puppies require a parvo booster vaccine between 14 and 16 weeks of age.
Dogs with this virus can vomit anything from yellow vomit through to dark brown, and you may even see some streaks of blood in it. Blood can be seen due to the inflammation in the digestive tract, caused by repeated vomiting. This sign again is not specific to parvovirus and can be seen in other health conditions too.
A pet infected with parvovirus may develop a fever and behave lethargically, possibly refusing food within the first few days of infection. Within 24-48 hours, copious vomiting and diarrhea present, often containing blood in the later stages.
Can vaccinated dogs get parvo? Short answer: YES! Some may think once their dog is vaccinated they can't catch Parvo, but the virus has different strains and reinvents itself. So unfortunately, dogs definitely can still catch the parvovirus.
Q) When can my puppy meet other dogs? A) Puppies can meet vaccinated dogs at any age, but if the vaccination status of the other dog is unknown we advise that they don't mix until 2 weeks after the second vaccination.
Overwhelming viral load
Even if your puppy is vaccinated, and has created antibodies to fight off the infection, she can still become infected with the virus. If you live in a high-risk area or have met a Parvovirus-infected dog your puppy can pick up a large amount of virus material from this interaction.