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 Below you will find some finds about this dreaded disease

Parovirus

Parvovirus is a very common problem that is a huge killer of puppies. Due to its ability to be transmitted through hands, clothes and most likely rodents and insects it is virtually impossible to have a kennel that won't eventually be exposed to the disease. Modified live vaccines are safe and effective, but despite the best vaccination protocol all puppies will have a window of susceptibility of at least several days where they will be at risk. Using the newer high titer vaccines may shorten the window of susceptibility on many puppies. Prompt treatment by a veterinarian will increase survivability in infected puppies and working with your veterinarian on a vaccination program that is best for your puppy is important. As new information on this disease and vaccines becomes available we will continue to update this article in hopes of keeping you as informed on Parvo as possible. 

Parvo" is a highly contagious disease characterized by diarrhea that is often bloody and is caused by a pathogen called canine parvovirus, type 2 (CPV-2). In 1980 the original strain of CPV-2 was replaced by CPV-2A and in 1986 another variation called CPV-2B appeared. Today CPV-2B has largely replaced the previous strains as the most common isolate. Since all of these strains are similar we will lump them together and refer to them as CPV-2 (parvo). There is currently some discussion that there may be other strains that are beginning to emerge and have yet to be formally identified. Current vaccinations have helped to control the spread of this disease but despite being vaccinated, some dogs still contract and die from parvo. There is much that we don't know about the virus or the best way to control the disease, but we are learning new information daily. Misinformation about the disease, it's spread, and vaccination is widespread in both breeding and veterinary circles. We hope that with a better understanding of the disease pet owners will be able to make good husbandry decisions that will help prevent and reduce the spread of this disease.

CPV-2 is known to survive on inanimate objects- such as clothing, food pans, and cage floors- for 5 months and longer in the right conditions. Insects and rodents may also serve as vectors playing an important role in the transmission of the disease. All parvoviruses are extremely stable and are resistant to adverse environmental influences such as low pH and high heat. Exposure to ultraviolet light, sodium hypochlorite (household bleach) and dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride (Drs. Foster and Smith) can inactivate parvovirus. All of these products can be impaired by organic matter and need to have adequate exposure time and proper concentrations to work effectively. The normal incubation period in the animal is from 7-14 days after initial exposure. Active excretion of the virus in the feces can begin the third day after exposure, often before clinical signs appear, and may last for one to two weeks after the onset of the disease. 

There is a broad range in the severity of symptoms shown by dogs that are infected with parvovirus. Many adult dogs exposed to the virus show very few if any symptoms. The majority of cases are seen in dogs less than 6 months of age with the most severe cases seen in puppies younger than 12 weeks of age. There are also significant differences in response to CPV-2 infections and vaccines among different breeds of dogs, with Rottweilers, Doberman Pinschers, and Labrador retrievers being more susceptible than other breeds.

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