What Everybody Needs To Know About Parvovirus
Parvovirus or Canine Parvovirus is a disease that you don’t want your dog to get even close to. It is one of the deadliest diseases of dogs that could kill your dog if it is not treated immediately. That’s why we will discuss this Parvovirus and how it could affect not only dogs but also other animals and even humans.
What is Parvovirus?
Parvovirus disease was discovered in the 1970s and it affects mostly canines (Dogs or related to dogs.) This virus is a member of Parvoviridae that has two types, first one is Feline Panleukopenia virus 1 that is common in cats. The second one is Canine Parvovirus that is found in dogs.
Parvovirus in Dogs
It is a highly contagious virus and it spreads from one dog to other dogs so quickly. If it is not treated on time, death is expected very soon.
How do dogs catch Parvovirus?
It normally spreads through solid wastes or stools of dogs. If a dog even sniffs on a stool/feces of an infected dog, that dog will certainly be a victim of this Parvovirus. Normally dogs catch this disease either from a vet clinic or through an external environment where other infected dogs might have released infected wastes or even from infected clothes of humans.
Parvovirus Symptoms
Dogs that are a victim of Parvovirus start to show slowness and inactivity with a lack of appetite. They also start to vomit and the severe condition starts when they start blood diarrhea. Parvovirus attacks the blood cells in the intestine and bone marrow that causes failure to fight this disease. The immunity gets extremely weak and the chances of death increase within 24–48 hours without treatment. This normally happens in the majority of the cases when dogs are not treated in the early stages.
Parvovirus Treatment
In this condition dogs do not take oral feed and fluids are required as feed while medicines are injected. They have to be kept hydrated consistently and in rare cases, dogs can be even admitted to animal hospitals for a week.
Can we treat them at home?
Parvovirus treatment at home
If they can’t be taken to the hospital in any case, there are some ways to treat them at home. Provide soluble feed so they can easily digest. Try to inject anti-diarrhea and anti-vomiting medicines through injections.
Does Bleach kill Parvovirus?
Yes, You may use bleach to clean the possible surfaces and areas where your dog had contact. You need to even avoid carrying stuff from your dog to other areas to stop escalating the virus. Parvovirus could spread through your clothing, footwear, and other handling items that will possibly attack other dogs. You need to use bleach with a ratio of around 1:30, 30 of water, and 1 of bleach. Leave the bleach on the surface for at least 10–15 minutes before cleaning it. You can clean the surface in this way. Try to dispose of those items that are not useful and can’t be washed with bleach.
How long does Parvovirus last?
It can last on surfaces for around 5 months. If your dog has already been contaminated with this virus, this virus will spread to the entire body within 3–4 days. 85% of the dogs survive against this virus.
Parvovirus Vaccine
If your dog has not been vaccinated or if he is less than 6 weeks old, he should be vaccinated as soon as possible. Multiple shots are required with a specific period. Even after vaccination, you must do your job to keep things away that could increase this virus's chances. Puppies that are of age 6 weeks must be vaccinated with a period of 3 weeks per shot until they reach the age of complete vaccination.
Thankfully, the vaccine is already available so the dogs’ immune system can fight this disease. This Vaccine can help them against Parvovirus and other viruses of canine.
Does it spread also in Humans?
Parvovirus B19 (Parvovirus in Humans)
There is another member of this family that is Parvovirus B19. This Parvovirus B19 generally affects babies through respiratory droplets of an infected baby or an adult. This does not spread from Dogs to Humans neither this Parvovirus B19 spreads from humans to dogs. All three categories do not transmit outside their targets. Canine Parvovirus spreads from dog to dog, Parvovirus B19 stays within the category of humans while Feline Panleukopenia virus 1 stays within the category of cats.
Parvovirus in cats (Feline Panleukopenia)
Biological meaning is Pan (all), Leuko (White blood cells), and Penia (Lack of) which means the immune system fails to defend the body. Feline Panleukopenia might attack cats specially Kittens. The behavior of virus, Treatment, and symptoms are almost the same as canine parvovirus.
The best way to keep your pets safe from these viruses is to have your pets vaccinated within 6 weeks of adopting them. The younger the pet, the quicker it will be a victim of this virus. Even if you have them vaccinated, do not expose them to contaminated places where the chances of the virus are high. Last but not the least, please also vaccinate yourself as soon as possible to exterminate the Coronavirus (Covid19).
