What Are the Early Signs of Parvo?
Parvo symptoms can worsen quickly, and the disease can be fatal. If your dog shows any of the following early signs of parvo, see your veterinarian immediately:
Key takeaway Canine Parvovirus is a serious condition that affects young puppies and unvaccinated dogs. Knowing what the symptoms of parvo are can help you and your veterinarian act immediately to give your pup the medical attention they need. Taking preventative measures and promptly acting when your pet begins showing some of the symptoms of parvo in dogs, such as vomiting and diarrhea, can protect your dog and prevent the disease from spreading.
If you’ve had a puppy before or are considering getting one in the future, you’ve probably heard of and been warned about parvo. Parvo gets a lot of talk around it and while you may have heard of it, you might be wondering what are the symptoms of parvo in dogs and how you can treat it.
Canine parvovirus, often referred to as parvo, is a highly contagious virus that commonly affects puppies. However, the disease can pose a risk to unvaccinated adult dogs as well.
While parvo can be a life-threatening disease, knowing the prevention strategies, signs, and symptoms are key to making sure your pup remains healthy and safe. Common symptoms and signs that your dog may be suffering from parvovirus can include diarrhea, lethargy, anorexia, fever, vomiting, depression, dehydration, and if left untreated, can result in septic shock and death.
If you’re looking to ease the worries you have for your pup, we’ve got you covered.
Canine parvovirus is highly contagious and most commonly affects young pups under four months of age and unvaccinated dogs.
Canine parvovirus is a relatively new virus in dogs, with some of the first cases and discussions about the disease dating back to the 1970s. The virus can be found in essentially any environment, living in soil for up to a year, but before you panic, a number of other causes can lead to a puppy actually contracting the virus, like your pet’s immune system.
When a dog contracts parvovirus, they can be contagious within 4-5 days of the virus entering their system, often before the incubation period has been completed and your dog begins to show signs and symptoms. Your pup will remain contagious throughout the time they are sick and for around 10 days after they’ve received treatment.
Dogs can contract the virus by coming into oral or nasal contact with infected feces or by coming into contact with objects or an environment that has been contaminated with parvo. The virus can remain viable in a contaminated environment for over 6 months and be transmitted to many animals.1
Canine Parvo Symptoms: Frequently Asked Questions
Initial signs that your dog may have contracted parvo are running a fever, lethargy, lack of appetite, and anorexia. These initial signs may progress and can result in vomiting and diarrhea within two days after showing their first symptom.
Identifying Parvo Poop & Other Signs Of Parvovirus
Parvo, or canine parvovirus (CPV) infection is a relatively new disease that appeared for the first time in dogs in 1978. Because of the severity of the disease and its rapid spread through the canine population, CPV has aroused a great deal of public interest. The virus that causes this disease is very similar to feline panleukopenia (feline distemper) and the two diseases are almost identical. It has been speculated that the canine virus is a mutation of the feline virus. However, that has never been scientifically proven.