Parvo - A Potentially Devastating Disease Dr. Robert Baker, DVM
Parvo is a worldwide disease caused by two strains of the same virus which attack primarily young dogs (puppies to six months of age) and if left untreated, can result in high mortality rates.
One strain of the virus tends to attack puppies whose dam is not able to provide passive immunity to the puppies. They are infected either before being born or early in life. This form is relatively uncommon when the dam is properly immunized.
The second form tends to occur in weaned puppies to six months of age who have not been able to produce a good response to immunization or who have not been immunized. Maternal antibody interference is the most frequent cause of vaccine failure.
While parvo can potentially affect any breed, some breeds seem to be more susceptible, including Rottweilers, American Pit Bull Terriers, Doberman Pinschers, German Shepherd Dogs and Labrador Retrievers.
The signs and symptoms can vary with the severity of the infection but normally would include not eating, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy and depression. The foul smelling diarrhea often contains various degrees of blood.
The viruses usually invade the young dog by oral ingestion of a substance contaminated by infected fecal material. Once entering the animal, it is then replicated in the lymphoid system and enters the blood stream. Once in the blood stream, it spreads rather quickly to the absorptive cells of the intestine (villi). These cells rapidly die, which leads to the characteristic hemorrhagic diarrhea. Once these cells are damaged, normally-contained intestinal bacteria can invade the blood stream, causing a bacteremia. Since there is a large loss of fluids from vomiting and diarrhea, dehydration occurs and leads to rapid systemic failure. Prompt medical intervention includes intravenous fluids and electrolytes, good nursing care, antibiotics to help stop secondary bacteremia, and withholding food until the intestinal villi have a chance to reestablish themselves (a process that usually takes 7 to 10 days). Animals who survive usually have no permanent damage.
The diagnosis is based on signs and symptoms and usually a simple in-hospital Elisa test will confirm the presence of viral particles in the fecal material.
Preventive-vaccination protocols usually call for:
- A series of vaccinations starting at 6 to 7 weeks of age and given every 3 to 4 weeks until 16 weeks of age.
- If vaccines are initiated after 6 to 7 weeks of age (not the best practice), a series of two are normally given 3 to 4 weeks apart.
- Annual boosters are currently recommended.
- Proper handling of vaccines, adherence to vaccine protocols and healthy parasite-free pets are important factors in enabling the pet to produce good immunity.
The virus can be killed by disinfecting with a bleach-water solution at a rate of one part bleach to 30 parts water. All contaminated items that the infected animal has come in contact with should be disinfected. The virus can live in the environment for several months if not destroyed by adequate disinfecting.
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