| Parvo. It's a word that strikes fear to the hearts | | | | upset, get that dog to the vet. If you catch it |
| of shelter and rescue workers. | | | | soon enough, you may be able to save the dog. |
| Parvo is a disease that attacks a dog's | | | | Protect All the Dogs you meet... |
| gastro-intestinal tract and then moves into its | | | | Humans often spread Parvo without even noticing. |
| bone marrow. When treated at home, survival | | | | By forming some new habits...and instilling them in |
| rates are less than 50%. When treated with I.V. | | | | your children...you can help stop the spread of this |
| therapy in an animal hospital, survival rates are still | | | | dread disease. |
| only 80 to 90%. Our vet called it "The Meanest | | | | First...Wash your hands. Before you touch a |
| Guy in Town." | | | | puppy... wash your hands. After you pet a dog... |
| Spring is a time of high incidence...probably | | | | wash your hands. You don't know where you |
| because it is "puppy season" and the young ones | | | | might pick up this virus... it could even be sitting on |
| are the most susceptible. Add to that the fact | | | | the handle of a grocery store cart...left there by |
| that everyone wants to pet a puppy...and the | | | | some other customer. So wash your hands! |
| disease spreads. | | | | One significant outbreak of Parvo traced back to |
| None of us can remove all chances that our | | | | kids walking home from school and petting the |
| puppies will contract this disease, but there ARE | | | | puppies in yards along the way. They carried the |
| steps to take to minimize the risk. | | | | disease along their entire route from school to |
| First, make sure all of your adult dogs are | | | | home. |
| vaccinated, de-wormed, and carrying a healthy | | | | YES...they're adorable, and YES you like to give |
| weight. The de-worming is important because | | | | them attention and pet them... but by doing so |
| worms weaken the stomach lining, giving the | | | | could kill them. Don't. |
| Parvo virus an easy target. Then, be sure that all | | | | Next, if you happen to step in a pile... don't just |
| your puppies get their first shots at 6 weeks of | | | | wipe your shoes. Wipe them with a mild bleach |
| age. Give another shot every 3 weeks...making | | | | solution. If you know you've held a dog with |
| sure that they get two after 12 weeks of age. | | | | Parvo, bleach your clothes as well. And if you've |
| You can take them to the vet, or you can | | | | had a sick puppy in your home, you need to |
| purchase the shots at a feed store or pharmacy | | | | bleach all areas it occupied. |
| and give them yourself. | | | | Vaccination is the first line of defense and careful |
| If you bring a new dog into your home, especially | | | | habits is the second. Please use them both to |
| a puppy, keep it isolated from your other animals | | | | keep your dogs alive and healthy. |
| for 14 days. That is, unless you KNOW its history | | | | CATS ARE ALSO AT RISK! |
| and know it has been vaccinated. And, since older, | | | | Parvo doesn't affect cats...but there are other |
| stronger dogs can carry the virus without | | | | diseases that do. And they are just as deadly. |
| becoming ill, keep your pup away from older dogs | | | | Use the same precautions with kittens as you do |
| until he's had two shots after 12 weeks of age. | | | | with puppies... but more. Cat diseases are airborne, |
| A pup who looks perfectly happy one day can be | | | | so don't take your kitty visiting anywhere until |
| deathly ill the next. At the first sign of intestinal | | | | he's had all his shots. |