In Memory of My Beloved Xandi
Parvovirus in dogs has been around a long time. It seems to come in waves and is generally worse in the spring. But it can occur anytime!
Symptoms
“The clinical signs of CPV disease can vary but generally include severe vomiting and diarrhea. The diarrhea often has a powerful smell, may contain lots of mucus, and may or may not contain blood. Additionally, affected dogs often exhibit a lack of appetite, marked listlessness and depression, and fever. It is important to note that many dogs may not show every clinical sign, but vomiting and diarrhea are the most common and consistent signs; vomiting usually begins first.”
“Parvo may affect dogs of all ages but is most common in unvaccinated dogs less than one year of age. Young puppies under five months of age are usually the most severely affected and difficult to treat. Any unvaccinated puppy showing severe vomiting or diarrhea should be tested for CPV.”
VCA Hospitals
Remember these symptoms. It generally starts with a lack of appetite, then vomiting, diarrhea and listlessness. At the beginning of any of these symptoms, get your dog tested for parvo immediately! Time is of essence for the best treatment.
Most dogs are between puppies and up to 2 years of age. Vaccination is paramount as the first step in protecting your dogs. Remember to not only vaccinate at 8, 12 and 16 weeks, but also at 20 weeks. Studies have shown this gives your dogs the best protection.
And most vaccine companies will compensate for your dog’s hospitalization during this protocol. More information on that later.
Treatments Available
If you dog is tested positive for Parvo, you must start treatment right away.
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The first step is IV fluids, nausea medication and antibiotics in a clinical setting. Antibiotics DO NOT TREAT PARVO but help control bacterial infections that may also occur.
Monoclonal Antibodies
The very best treatment is brand new: it is monoclonal antibodies specific for Parvo. It is truly a miracle and has been proven to cure parvo in 9 out of 10 dogs. It needs to be given as soon as possible but still helps dogs in later stages. It is given by IV, and the antibodies literally surround the parvo virus and stop it from multiplying.
It is not cheap. In my area it is about $300 to treat a dog under 15 lbs. and $2100 for a large dog. But it cuts the infection back by days and with fewer days of hospitalization, it saves money. I suggest finding out now which veterinarians in your area have this drug. Having that information in advance will save precious time. Here is more information on this wonderful new drug. Elanco can overnight this drug to your vet, except on weekends.
Acyclovir
Another treatment is acyclovir. It has been used in dogs with some success. It helps to stop your dog’s immune system from being totally destroyed.
“In parvo-infected dogs, marked hemoconcentration, leucopenia, neutropenia, and alterations in the biochemical profile were noticed as compared to healthy dogs. The Acyclovir along with supportive treatment progressively improved the leukocyte, neutrophil counts over time in parvovirus-infected dogs compared to dogs that received only supportive treatment. Our obtained results show that Acyclovir has the best effect in the prevention of CPV2 replication in puppies through the absence of a clinical sign of CPV-2 and hematological recovery.”
IT Medical Team
Acyclovir needs a prescription to obtain. It is a type of anti-viral drug used in humans. While it is specific for certain types of human issues, it does help with treating parvo. It is certainly useful to treat parvo. Small dogs would get about 125mg a day, and large dogs would need 500 mg daily.
Tamiflu
While Tamiflu won’t kill parvo, it offers support to the dog’s digestive tract. It can help treat parvo by stopping the worst part of the parvo virus, which destroys the lining of the intestinal tract. It is also useful to give to any other dogs in your home, which can make a parvo infection less deadly. It is certainly worth a try.
I used this when my dog had parvo, and only one other dog got parvo, but her case was mild. I knew then to start her immediately on the monoclonal antibodies. She was completely cured in 3 days.
Plasma
Plasma has had some effectiveness in combating parvo. Nothing is as good as the monoclonal antibodies, but it is certainly worth a try if you waiting to have the mononclonal antibodies shipped or replenished at your veterinarian’s office.
Vaccinations
All vaccines for parvo are effective. Remember, these need to given at 8 weeks, 12 weeks, and most importantly, 20 weeks. The issue is finding the right time when the mother’s immunity has worn off and doesn’t render these shots ineffective.
One vaccine that has been thought to be more potent is Neopar. They claim it can be effective even if mothers’ antibodies are blocking the vaccine. I can’t say for sure, but here is more information: Neotech
Please note, if your dog has been vaccinated at the recommended doses of what is effective, and you have the records to prove it, most vaccine companies will pay for the parvo treatment. While it doesn’t replace your dog, it can help pay your bills. Here are several links to the companies to learn more and learn how to apply.
The Importance of Thorough Cleanup
Parvovirus can live a long time. It has been in the ground and even doorknobs for up to a year. Bleach is the best defense, at about one part bleach to 30 parts water. I have used this solution in my house (walls, floors, and non-cloth fabric furniture) and even my yard, which is about an acre. Don’t forget walls, inside and out that dogs can have contact with all doors and any other surfaces.
It takes time, but it is important to kill all traces of the virus on all surfaces in and around your house. I would do this weekly for some time and I would wait a year before bringing any new puppy home. More details can be found here: Tampa Bay Vets.
Isolate Affected Dogs
When you bring your recovered dog home, it is truly a celebration! However, if you have other dogs at home, you still need to protect them. This means keeping the dog in another room, or part of the house away from the other dogs. When you touch your dog, and take them in and out, all areas where the dog walked must be bleached, as well as your hands.
The dog can shed parvo up to two weeks. It would be good to keep the dog in an X pen during this time, picking up all stool and disposing of it, as well as bleaching the ground after each use. I would suggest not using that area ever again, if possible. Here is more detailed information: Cornell Veterinary.
How to Track Parvo in Your State
Conclusions
This article is a result in my journey with my beloved Xandi, a Rottweiler. This is about what I learned about Parvo on the that journey and sadly, it was too late to help her. I do want to share what I learned in the hopes of helping other dogs and their owners have all this information at their fingertips. Please feel free to share this article to save dog owners from the tremendous grief of losing their dogs.
