Your puppy should receive IV fluids with electrolytes to combat dehydration, medication to combat vomiting and diarrhea, and antibiotics to prevent secondary bacterial infection. The initial treatment for parvo is aggressive and typically lasts three to four days.
IV fluids and management of electrolytes are the cornerstone of treatment for parvo. Antibiotics are given to prevent secondary infections, along with medications to help relieve vomiting, nausea and pain. De-wormer should be given since many puppies also have intestinal parasites that can worsen diarrhea.
The survival rate for hospitalization is 90%. The survival rate for at-home care is 50%.
Parvo virus causes severe life threatening diarrhea, often the diarrhea has blood in it. Once a puppy has symptoms of parvo, if left untreated they can die within 48 - 72 hours. It can be simply diagnosed and survival is possible if treated soon enough. If left untreated the mortality rate is as high as 91%.
It is essential to begin treatment as soon as a dog has been diagnosed. With proper veterinary care, the survival rate of dogs who contract parvo can be up to 90 percent, but without treatment, the mortality rate is more than 80 percent.
Symptoms of Parvo
Your dog will not drink water nor eat, and very soon the pup will be stretched out and down on the ground, unable to get back up. They will become limp, weak, and unable to hold themselves up. Parvovirus, when left untreated, is often fatal. It requires veterinary oversight.
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. So consider doing a humane thing by putting your puppy to sleep.
When a dog develops parvo, treatment can be very expensive, and the dog may die despite aggressive treatment. Early recognition and aggressive treatment are very important in successful outcomes. With proper treatment, survival rates can approach 90%.
The highest risk of death occurs around 24-72 hours after you see the symptoms of parvo in dogs. If a puppy is hospitalized, given lots of supportive care, and monitored closely, the survival rate is usually around 75-80%.
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.
The virus is very infectious to dogs but fortunately, it is not a virus that is contagious to people. You do not need to worry that you or your family will catch Parvovirus from your dog if anyone has touched her while she is poorly with Parvo.
While prompt veterinary care is the best way to treat parvo, some home remedies can help alleviate symptoms, including bland diets of boiled chicken and rice, electrolyte supplements, and probiotics. It's important to note that these remedies should not replace professional veterinary care, especially in severe cases.
Fluid therapy. Isotonic crystalloids should be administered subcutaneously at a dose of 40ml/kg every 8 hours to provide maintenance fluid and account for ongoing losses. Over the first 24 hours, dehydration should be corrected by administering the calculated fluid deficit in addition to maintenance fluids.
The best household cleaner to use to kill parvovirus is bleach (1 part bleach to 30 parts water). It should be used on hard surfaces including tiles, concrete, paving bottoms of shoes etc – leave the bleach on the surface at least 10-15 minutes. Anything that can be washed in bleach should be.
Baytril (Enrofloxacin) 100mg/mL Antibiotic SQ diluted 0.05mL/lb SID Room Temp Warning: Always dilute by at least 1:20. Otherwise, painful skin necrosis and abscess will result. Warning: If given IV, will cause seizures and death.
Home Food options for Parvo include:
Cooked white rice. Feeding egg yolks can help a puppy with Parvo. Apple cider vinegar and always water down it in a large amount of water.
Luckily, parvovirus is only contagious between dogs; humans and other species cannot be contaminated. However, anyone can transmit the virus if they come into contact with an infected pet or areas. Your dog's best line of defense is routine, up-to-date vaccination.
Parvovirus B19 most commonly causes fifth disease, a mild rash illness that usually affects children. Adults can get infected with parvovirus B19 resulting in fifth disease too.
You can tell if your dog is getting better from parvo if their stool is starting to go back to standard color and consistency. If there's no blood and the feces are firmer, it means that the intestines are healing well.
contagious virus infecting members of the canine family, including dogs, coyotes, foxes and wolves. Commonly called “parvo”, the organism is very stable in the environment, able to withstand freezing temperatures and many disinfectants to survive as long as seven months in a contaminated area.
They are very ill, with significant abdominal pain. The virus is so strong that it literally causes the lining of the intestines to slough. It is painful to eat, and with the severe diarrhea and vomiting that is present, they rapidly become dehydrated.
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.
Diarrhea or projectile diarrhea: The stool will become very watery and is often made up of "old blood" in the intestinal tract. Limb weakness and shaking.
There is evidence suggesting that CPV loses some of its ability to infect an animal after one month in an indoor environment. Outside, you cannot (and should not) bleach your lawn, but rain or watering can dilute the concentration of the virus over time.
When preparing it, only use water and never milk. Even healthy dogs struggle to digest dairy properly, much less one that's still recovering from the gastrointestinal effects of Parvo. Unseasoned, boiled, skinless chicken breast is another popular easily digestible food for dogs that are recovering from Parvo.