Dogs are companions who offer their owners unconditional love, and the least we can do for them is give them all the love possible, along with the necessary care to ensure their optimal health. To that end, it's important to understand what Canine Parvovirus is and everything related to this disease.
Definition of the disease
Canine parvovirus is a disease that primarily affects puppies of all dog breeds . It's important to know that even vaccinated dogs can still contract this disease. This highly contagious virus can be fatal to untreated dogs.
The virus directly affects the intestines of the sick dog, giving diarrhea as the first symptom in which the animal's blood can be seen. You have to know that the aforementioned symptom can also be due to other diseases of lesser or greater risk, so it is essential that you consult a veterinarian if you see something like this in your dog.
In 1978, the virus was defined, allowing for its diagnosis. Since then, the disease has undergone many variations, making detection more difficult. This parvovirus can be transmitted by dogs , wolves, and coyotes, which belong to the Canidae family; therefore, it does not affect humans.
How does it act?
Canine parvovirus is a virulent infection that is extremely resistant and easily survives in the environment. It spreads so rapidly because it resides in rapidly reproducing cells found in all tissues belonging to the immune system, the intestinal tract, and fetal tissues.
If it affects the dog in the worst possible way, it can do a lot of damage to the heart and cause death. When inside the animal, the animal has a high chance of contracting any other bacterial infection.
Another factor that gives the virus more advantages in damaging the animal is that, if the epithelial tissue is damaged in any way, the virus can pass into the dog's blood and cause an infection throughout its body, that is, at a general level.
Symptom
Having a dog as a pet means it's essential to constantly monitor its behavior to detect diseases like parvovirus or any of the many others that could affect it. The following are some symptoms of parvovirus that can serve as warning signs of this serious illness:
- The dog no longer has the same appetite as before, because it eats little or does not want to eat.
- He has constant, quite strong vomiting.
- He has tired behaviors, is very calm and looks sleepy all day.
- He has diarrhea in which traces of the dog's blood can be seen.
- High temperatures, either fever or breakdown.
- Severe dehydration.
- He is very weak.
- You can have episodes of shock due to the constant loss of fluids, either due to vomiting or diarrhea.
When these symptoms of parvovirus are seen in dogs , they may also have a disease known as Gastroenteritis or Poisoning, things that present the same symptoms and therefore can be confused, running the risk that the diagnosis of Parvovirus will be made late.
When the dog has the symptoms that have been mentioned, it is necessary to go to a veterinarian immediately because it quickly develops dehydration and treatment must be applied as soon as possible.
When cases are already very advanced , the following symptoms may be present:
- The number of white blood cells is greatly reduced.
- In the case of those puppies that unfortunately have the disease, they can have a serious inflammation of their heart.
- This must be kept in mind because when this happens, the symptom of diarrhea is usually not seen, so its owner does not perceive the condition and the puppy can die in a very short time.
The dogs that manage to survive all the symptoms of Parvovirus, mainly those that went through the most serious parts. They can have a life in which they will present many heart problems, which at any moment can be the cause of their death, even if it is a long time later.
Whatever the case, the dog owner should go to the veterinarian immediately to receive the appropriate assistance.
contagion of the virus
This type of virus that is being talked about is extremely stable. This means that it can be kept in the same place for many days, even months. Due to this characteristic, dogs are infected mostly when they are in kennels, dog parks, shelters, poultry houses or any place where an infected dog may have been.
Are there dogs that are more prone to the disease?
The answer is yes. In the case of the most prone breeds, the following can be found:
- German shepherd.
- Doberman.
- Rottweiler.
- Pibull Terrier.
- Springer Spaniels.
Although those are the prone breeds, any dog that suffers from intestinal parasites, stress or lives in an overpopulation of dogs, has a high chance of contracting this virus.
From what age are they prone to the virus?
This virus typically affects puppies under six months old. However, it can also affect older dogs that haven't received the necessary vaccinations. Regular veterinary checkups are essential for optimal control. The symptoms of parvovirus in puppies are the same as those mentioned previously.
transmission route
There are many ways the virus can enter a dog's body, but it's usually through oral contact . This can happen when the dog touches the feces or urine of an infected dog. It's also possible if the dog consumes breast milk or food that has come into contact with an infected dog.
In fact, the dog can be infected with objects, be it toys or things that are used in the daily life of people who may have been in contact with an infected dog or place.
The virus can also be mobilized by insects or rodents that carry it, which can be avoided by constantly deworming the dog. Fleas and ticks have a high level of virus transmission.
Those dogs that have been affected by this terrible virus can eliminate it on their own in a period of 3 weeks, they may even do so without presenting any of the aforementioned symptoms. When they get rid of the virus, your body continues to eliminate it for a long time on a regular basis.
How is it diagnosed?
When the dog presents the symptoms that the Parvovirus brings with it, a quick diagnosis can be made. But it is always important to corroborate with all the laboratory tests that are pertinent, because other diseases can present similar symptoms.
For this reason, it is important to attend a veterinarian so that he can examine the dog's excrement and another series of tests that allow him to know exactly that it is Parvovirus.
Suggested Treatments
When it is specifically diagnosed that the dog has been affected by Parvovirus, it is strictly forbidden to medicate it or apply any treatment without the help of a veterinarian. When it is detected, treatment must be started quickly, taking the first step of treating the symptoms that it is presenting, be it vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration or any of the aforementioned.
Until today, there is no exact type of treatment to combat this disease. But despite that, committed veterinarians will always do the possible treatments to cure the affected dog. Generally, the treatments that they begin to do are the following:
Hydration
Due to the great loss of fluids that the dog presents when contracting the disease, the veterinarians begin a rehydration with a dose of serum. They normally use Ringer-Lactate to do this treatment through intravenous lines.
Heart or kidney problems
In dogs that have come to have heart or kidney problems, they must have serum treatments that are administered to their body gently and carefully, since there are dogs that cannot tolerate these medications.
blood transfusions
When dogs lose blood from diarrhea caused by Parvovirus, blood transfusions can be given to return blood levels to the affected dog's body.
fluid therapy
When the patient is stabilized with the previous steps, it is necessary to do a fluid therapy treatment. It is a treatment that consists of sugars and potassium chloride. There are cases where potassium has to be supplied for recovery to continue.
Pharmaceutical products
Veterinarians may also choose to give affected dogs antibiotic and antiemetic medications. Sometimes they also choose to use Timaflu, which has proven to be very effective for the treatment of this disease, but always stabilizing the dog with previous treatments.
Support Treatments
When the dog manages to improve, it is necessary to remain hospitalized or under constant observation and treatment, especially affected puppies that have not had previous vaccinations. The recommended vaccines are:
Vaccines
- Primary vaccination.
- Polyvalent.
- Reminder.
In the case of affected dogs that have 2 or 3 of the mentioned vaccines, when their symptoms improve, they generally do not require that they stay in veterinary centers after improving, this is because due to the defenses of the vaccines, they have a greater opportunity to live.
¿What to do if you are not hospitalized?
In the case of people who have to take care of their dogs at home since they do not require hospitalization, they should ask the veterinarian to indicate the treatment to do it correctly. In the case of serum treatments, it is necessary to know what the recommended doses are and it can be done with serum backpacks.
When you are at home, it is necessary to prevent the cured dog from coming into contact with other dogs, because it can transmit the virus to them. After a few days have passed, constant visits to the vet should be made to keep track of the progress of the patient.
How do I remove the virus from home?
When at home, it's necessary to thoroughly clean everything with bleach , which eliminates the virus from the environment where the dog spends time. After cleaning with bleach, follow with ammonia and then concentrated chlorine.
You cannot mix any of the mentioned products and when using them to clean, you must have masks and gloves, because they are very strong products.
At the time of cleaning, the other people who live there should not be there, nor any of the dogs. This is because they are very toxic products when breathing their fumes. They must be isolated in places where the smoke from the products does not reach and where there is a lot of ventilation.
It is recommended to discard all the objects that the dog has touched, be it his bed, his food cups, toys, clothes, etc. Another option is to sterilize them well to have good hygiene throughout the environment, the whole house, patio, terraces, etc.
How long should I isolate the dog from contact with others?
If you want to adopt another dog or you want to put the affected dog in contact with other dogs, you have to wait at least 6 months after it is completely healed and all sterilized for it. This is because the virus is very resistant in the environment.
Even after having constantly sanitized with the mentioned products, the virus can be there. While these 6 months pass, more cleaning products can be used to sanitize the areas, these can be found in veterinary or poultry stores. Everything should be consulted with an expert before use.
Home remedies
As already mentioned, to this day there is no specific treatment to combat Parvovirus. Home remedies can NOT be applied to alleviate this disease, so the owner of the affected animal must go to a veterinarian.
The home remedies that are recommended can help relieve all the symptoms that occur and give the animal relief to lead a calmer life during the illness. In addition, these recommendations help to improve after having received all the pertinent medical treatments by the veterinarian.
homemade hydration
If an IV bag is unavailable, a homemade IV solution can be made . This will allow the dog to receive lost minerals and glucose. It is not a definitive solution, but it will help the dog recover after veterinary treatment. The ingredients are:
- Mineral water: 1 liter.
- Sal Island: 1 teaspoon.
- Sugar: 3 tablespoons.
- Sodium bicarbonate: half a teaspoon.
- Lemon: juice of half a lemon.
Music
Boil the water, and once it reaches a rolling boil, pour it into a glass jar and add the remaining ingredients. Let it cool and give it to the affected dog to drink. If the dog refuses to drink it, gently administer it with a syringe without a needle. This mixture is only effective for 24 hours ; do not use it after that time.
Supplemental Hydration
It's essential to give the affected dog plenty of water to supplement the hydration provided by the veterinarian. Isotonic or sports drinks can be a good option to help your furry friend. These drinks contain mineral salts that the dog likely lost through vomiting and diarrhea.
The affected dog does not eat. What to do?
It's normal for a dog to have a poor appetite due to illness. Experts usually recommend withholding food for 24-48 hours , as this can cause further intestinal damage from the virus. After this time, the dog should be given a proper diet, starting with small portions and gradually increasing the amount.
What should you eat? ideal diet
For the dog to begin to improve its tummy, it must eat specific foods, these are:
- Chicken soup. It must be made at home, no additives or dyes. Everything natural.
- minced boiled chicken.
- white cooked rice. It can be given with chicken.
- soft vegetables. Potato, pumpkin and potato are recommended.
- boiled fish. Only white fish in pieces and without bones.
If the dog is weak, it should be hand-fed or fed with a needleless syringe. The diet, using the recipes mentioned above, should be introduced gradually after 48 hours of refusal to eat.
When the dog is feeling better and the veterinarian allows it , you can continue feeding it with regular dog food or kibble.
natural antiseptics
To combat the infection caused by Parvovirus, you can use Colloidal Silver , which is NOT a complete solution to the disease, but helps improve the condition of affected pets and complements the treatments done by veterinarians.
It can be given to the dog in its liquid form, either undiluted or diluted. This should be discussed with the veterinarian . The amount will depend on the dog's age and weight. It is also important to know the concentration of the colloidal silver.
Another option is apple cider vinegar , which has the same effects as the previous option and can be used in the same way. Always follow a veterinarian's instructions.
Aromatherapy
It is not an option that will improve their health, but it does help the dog to relax and suffer less from the discomfort of Parvovirus. It can be done with essential oils or essences that are not near the dog to prevent it from consuming them.
Patience
Keep in mind that not all dogs can withstand the disease and there are some that recover very slowly, so it is recommended to give them a lot of love and not to have anxious attitudes around the affected dog.
You must follow all the instructions of the veterinarians as if they were laws and have a lot of patience.
How to prevent Parvovirus?
Dog owners must strictly follow the timing of the vaccinations that dogs need to maintain their health. Which are applied since they are puppies about 6 weeks old, as long as they are not at any risky moment in which they should be administered before that time.
Before his adulthood, another dose should be applied. This at 8 and 12 weeks. Then he should be given a reminder once a year, in order to keep him away from Parvovirus.
To prevent the dog from getting this virus, you must take the following precautions:
- Keep the dog up to date with its vaccinations against the disease, which are indicated by a veterinarian.
- Consult with the veterinarian when the deworming of the dog is necessary, which must be periodic.
- Bathe the dog as often as its breed allows.
- Use the products mentioned to disinfect from time to time.
- Keep the area where the dog runs clean. Toys, food, etc.
- Do not let an unvaccinated puppy get along with strange dogs.
It is always recommended to consult a veterinarian before applying any of these tips mentioned, as they are experts in helping the furry ones who are part of the beautiful animals found in this world.
