Infection by the canine parvovirus (CPV) is an extremely contagious and fairly common disease of domestic dogs. It tends to primarily affect rapidly reproducing cells in puppies, especially the cells lining the digestive tract, causing acute onset of severe gastrointestinal distress.Canine parvovirus is shed in the feces of dogs for several weeks after they become infected. Clinical disease is caused by oral contact with infected fecal matter, which can be present on a dog’s fur,
Parovirus, an aggressive and deadly virus, is particularly dangerous to young dogs, puppies, or dogs with compromised immune systems. This virus acts fast to attack the immune system and intestines, and if proper treatment is not begun in a timely manner the virus can be fatal. Even with aggressive treatments, many puppies and dogs every year die from parvovirus. In addition, treatments generally require at least a 5 day hospital and the veterinary bill can
Canine parvoviral (CPV) infection, commonly called “parvo,” is primarily a gastrointestinal disease of puppies under 8 months of age and of unvaccinated adult domestic dogs.Most dogs begin to show symptoms of illness following a 5-to-10 day incubation period after exposure to feces from an infected dog. Infected dogs typically start shedding the virus in their own feces before they develop observable symptoms. Owners of dogs in the acute stage of parvoviral disease usually observe one
Parvoviral infection should be suspected in any young, unvaccinated or incompletely vaccinated puppy and in any unvaccinated adult dog with acute signs of gastrointestinal distress.When presented with a “sick puppy,” most veterinarians conduct a thorough physical examination and take a complete history. The initial data base typically includes blood work and a urinalysis, the results of which can guide the attending veterinarian toward or away from a diagnosis of canine parvoviral (CPV) infection. Fecal floatation
The immediate goals of treating canine parvoviral infection are to reverse the dehydration, electrolyte and metabolic abnormalities caused by the disease and to prevent or eliminate secondary bacterial infections. The overriding goals are to make the dog comfortable and to restore a pain-free, vomit-free and diarrhea-free quality of life.Dogs clinically infected by the canine parvovirus (CPV) almost universally require hospitalization and intensive medical management. Dehydration and electrolyte imbalances must be corrected as quickly as possible