The parvo virus is causing an epidemic of parvoviral enteritis in the Maricopa area.

Most of us have heard the horror stories of puppies with parvo.  The false information is that puppies will die despite treatment.  The truth is that it is expensive to treat.  What if your puppy was diagnosed with parvoviral enteritis and your vet told you it would only cost $138 to cure it?  Sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it?  Well that’s the cost of 3 puppy vaccine visits at our hospital. and we guarantee our vaccines.  That’s right, for $138, you can give yourself and your puppy the best chance of avoiding the whole parvovirus nightmare, and have a guarantee of paid treatment if your puppy does come down with parvoviral enteritis after the vaccine series has been completed.  Please call our hospital for details of our guarantee.

Important Points about Parvoviral Enteritis:

1.  Parvovirus is an extremely hearty virus that persists in the environment for long periods of time, possibly years.

2.  Parvoviral enteritis is the disease caused by the parvo virus.

3.  Parvoviral enteritis is a disease of un-vaccinated and under-vaccinated puppies and young dogs.  It is extremely rare for older dogs with adequate vaccination status to acquire parvoviral enteritis (unless their immune system is supressed for some other reason).

4.  Puppies require vaccines starting at 6-8 weeks of age and every 3-4 weeks until at least 18-20 weeks of age.  Some breeds of dogs are more susceptible to the parvo virus and may need an additional set of vaccines.  We can guide you regarding the best course of vaccination for your dog.

5. The first signs of parvovirus infection include lack of energy, lack of normal active puppy behavior, lack of appetite, sluggishness, vomiting, and diarrhea, which may turn bloody.

6. The success of parvo treatment is improved with early diagnosis and treatment.   A parvo test should be considered if any of the above signs occur in an un-vaccinated or under-vaccinated puppy.

7.  Parvovirus infects the cells lining the intestines and causes the lining to be sloughed or shed.  The blood vessels lining the intestines are no longer able to hold fluid in or keep bacteria out.  Fluid loss from diarrhea and vomiting, and inability to take in fluid due to vomiting, result in profound and progressive dehydration.   Blood starts to sludge and clot in the small vessels that supply oxygen to the tissues.  This lack of oxygen combined with the bacteria and bacterial toxins results in tissue death.  The intestine starts to die, increasing the pain to excrutiating levels.  Often, death occurs due to rupture of the intestine and peritonitis.  It is not a kind death.

8. Treatment is aimed at combating the fluid losses, fighting the bacterial infection, easing the pain, and controlling the vomiting so that much needed food can pass through the intestines and aid in regenerating the intestinal lining.   We can not kill the virus, only the puppy’s immune system can do that.  We can only fight the bacteria and provide supportive treatment until the virus is cleared.

9.  In mild cases of parvoviral enteritis, treatment can be given at home with fluids under the skin and oral medications.  If vomiting persists, fluids must be given by IV fluids, and medications by injection, until the vomiting is controlled.  In some cases plasma transfusions and other special fluids may be needed.  Blood tests done in our hospital help us determine which treatments will best benefit each individual patient.  Treatment may require several days of hospitalization, which can be done on an inpatient or outpatient basis.

10. Every patient is unique.  There is no way to predict the course of the disease.  We have seen very sick puppies that we feared may not survive, turn around and completely heal with no ill after effects.

PARVOVIRAL ENTERITIS IS A VERY PREVENTABLE DISEASE!!!!

And parvoviral enteritis is a very treatable disease.   But we would prefer to prevent than to treat.  We don’t like seeing parvo any more than you do.  Let’s all do what we can to make parvo a rarity in our neighborhoods.  Please, vaccinate your puppies!

For more information about parvovirus, go to MORE INFORMATION  and enter “parvo” into the search line.