| Canine parvovirus |
| Parvo is a devastating disease. Because the virus typically strikes puppies, many of the cases of parvo we see each year are puppies recently adopted or purchased. As any dog lover knows, it takes just a few minutes with a new pet at home to become completely attached. Although there is no cure for parvo once the virus has been contracted, the primary veterinary approach to treatment involves boosting the victim's strength as much as possible so that the immune system can fight off the viral invader. This mainly involves giving the pet fluids intravenously over a period of days in order to counteract the dehydrating effects of the diarrhea and vomiting associated with the disease and to flush the system of virus and pollutants. Parvovirus itself may be less of a direct cause of mortality amongst canines than the dehydration the infection causes and the toxicity incurred as the intestinal walls are stripped of their lining. Symptoms of parvo infection include unusual, prolonged lethargy (puppies do sleep plenty but their playful spurts are intense), vomiting, and extremely foul-smelling diarrhea. The foul smell is in part due to the shedding of blood in the feces. Red-tinged or black liquid stool may be a sign of parvovirus infection. If you believe you dog may have contracted parvo, contact your veterinarian immediately. Any suspect animal should be isolated from other canines. Parvovirus is rare among adult canines, both because their immune systems are stronger and more fully developed than a puppy's, and due to the widespread use of the DHLPP vaccine. |
| Indian Hills Animal Clinic Tuscaloosa, Alabama |