Don’t wait, vaccinate!
Within the last week, the Humane Society of Imperial County has received several puppies from the public that were “found as strays.” Shortly upon their arrival to the shelter, a handful of these puppies had very loose and foul-smelling stool and vomiting.
Although there are many different things that can cause these symptoms, when it comes to young dogs that are not properly vaccinated, the culprit most often is canine parvovirus.
Vomiting and diarrhea alone are not a valid diagnosis for parvo. The only way to properly diagnose a puppy for parvo is by taking the puppy (and a stool sample if requested) into your family veterinarian and having the puppy tested specifically for parvo.
People often post questions on Facebook pet-related pages or people have called into the shelter with questions pertaining to home remedies. Some people give some very interesting suggestions on how to treat or cure puppies that may have parvo to avoid having to go through a veterinarian. As always, the Humane Society staff and volunteers strongly recommend that all sick pets are seen by their veterinarian as soon as the owner notices that the pets are ill.
Because parvo is a virus, there aren’t any antibiotics that can be given to cure the illness. When puppies are treated for parvo, the doctor is treating the symptoms. Due to the loss of fluids from excessive vomiting and diarrhea, dehydration is what will ultimately cause the puppy to pass away.
In mild cases where parvo is detected early, a veterinarian may suggest “outpatient” treatment. In severe cases, the puppy may need to be hospitalized and put on IV fluids to help replenish lost fluids and balance out electrolytes. This treatment can be very costly. In fact, it can be so costly that some people are not able to afford treatment and instead of allowing the puppy to slowly suffer to the point where their little bodies give out, having the puppy euthanized may be suggested by the veterinarian.
It should be noted that vaccinating an already parvo-positive puppy with a parvo vaccine will not cure the puppy or speed up the recovery process. Puppies that are current on a full set of vaccinations have a much higher guarantee of not contracting the virus.
One common mistake some pet owners make is not ensuring that their puppies have a full series of vaccinations. Depending on the puppy’s breed and/ or age, the veterinarian will recommend a series of three to four vaccinations that are usually about three weeks apart from each other. Having only one or two vaccinations done will not ensure that a puppy is protected from contracting the virus.
Aside from having all puppies fully vaccinated, there are some other ways to prevent infection. Parvo is a very resilient virus that is hard to kill, is highly contagious, can live in the environment without a host for as long as six months to a year and is resistant to many household cleaning products.
It is recommended to thoroughly disinfect all beds, blankets, toys, and areas that a parvo-positive puppy used or may have been in with a diluted bleach/water solution (1 cup of bleach to 1 gallon of water) and allowed to sit for several minutes. Because there is no way of knowing if someone has not already taken their sick puppy out in public, it is best to make sure that puppies that are not fully vaccinated stay indoors (unless going out for potty breaks), are not taken to parks and/or pet stores and are kept away from other puppies that have not been fully vaccinated.
Common symptoms of parvo include lethargy, depression, loss of appetite, drinking water more frequently, rapid weight loss, vomiting, and foul smelling-bloody diarrhea. Severe cases or cases that are left untreated can quickly lead to death.
To ensure that your puppy is properly vaccinated and fully protected, we strongly urge everyone to consult with their local family veterinarian and talk about starting their pet on a vaccine regimen, today!
Local veterinarians
Desert Veterinary Clinic: (760) 355-0141 El Centro Animal Clinic: (760) 352-4222 Howard Animal Hospital: (760) 344-5738