Parvovirus infection in dogs represents the potentially lethal health condition with a high mortality rate that reaches almost 90 percent. Even though it typically appears in younger dogs, parvo may affect adult dogs as well. The reason for this is - poor prevention. Fighting the infection can be a hard and long process with uncertain results. If you suspect your dog has caught parvo, veterinarians from Eastshore Vet, the best veterinary agency in Madison, urge you to act immediately and take your dog to your closest vet. They recommend the following steps to prevent your dog from getting parvovirus this summer.
The virus strain causing canine parvovirus is highly contagious and resistant to typical disinfectants. This persistent strain may survive for extremely long periods of time outside the host. It can live up to 7 months on bowls, beds, carpets, toys, and other things contaminated by an infected dog. Because of that, the best way to protect your dog from parvo is vaccination.
However, to be sure that your dog is fully protected, you need to go through the whole vaccination schedule. He needs to get the initial dose at the seventh week of age. Nevertheless, your dog is not protected from parvo yet. You should keep your puppy separated from infected dogs. When your puppy reaches the tenth week of age, you should take him for the second dose. This booster dose should be administered together with the vaccination against leptospirosis, parainfluenza, and hepatitis. During the fourteenth week of age, your dog gets the third vaccine. It will keep him fully protected. After that, you need to revaccinate your dog each year to maintain his immune response to parvo the best you can.
If you skip some of these steps and your dog gets parvovirus, don’t panic. To prevent the worst case scenario, act fast and go to your vet immediately. Watch for the symptoms such as unusual behavior, loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, and dehydration. Pay special attention to vomiting. It is the most common sign of parvovirus in dogs, particularly when your dog throws up green bile. Keep in mind that immediate action may save your dog’s life. The sooner you take your dog to a vet, the bigger are the chances for his survival.
Even though this infection can be fatal, you will do your best if you follow these steps to prevent your dog from getting parvovirus this summer.
.png){kind=small}
