There are many viruses that can affect puppy intestines, but the one we are most wary of is parvovirus. It is a common illness in puppies and can be spread to your dog by walking around the house in your shoes, walking your puppy in an area where a sick dog has had diarrhea, and can even be spread on hands if you stroked it. a puppy who has been exposed to the virus.

In some places, they have even discovered cases of puppies being infected with rodents and insects, so it is almost impossible to keep the puppy safe at all times.

Related: How to Care for a Dog Who Has Survived Parvo?

Ages concerned

Parvovirus usually affects puppies younger than 20 weeks old. This can occur in older dogs who were never vaccinated as puppies, and some studies indicate that adults who become ill and are not treated die about 10% of the time, which is much less than adults. 90% of puppies die from parvo when infected and treated at home – but many nonetheless.

In very young puppies whose mothers have never been vaccinated, a form of parvovirus (CPV-2) that causes heart syndrome is most common. This is myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle, seen in puppies under 3 months old. They do not have diarrhea, since the virus spreads in the heart, and they die before the virus can spread in the body.

About 70% of puppies will die if infected within 8 weeks, even with treatment, and among the 30% that survive, heart changes will occur that often lead to their death months or even years later. If puppies are a little older, they may simply have a weak heart, be unable to exercise without collapsing, and have a abdomen swollen with fluid.

Transmission

The virus is found in the soil where any infected dog has defecated. Puppies tend to spread it because it gets stuck to their paws, and since puppies also tend to roll around in the grass, it also ends up on their fur. People can spread the virus through their shoes and any toys they bring into the home.

Prevent infections

The first way to prevent parvovirus infection is to not let your puppy be exposed. Many people have been told that it is a good idea to keep a puppy confined to the house until vaccinations are complete, but due to the ease of transmission, this method is not foolproof.

A more practical way to prevent parvovirus infection is to vaccinate your puppy.

Vaccination

All puppies fed from vaccinated mothers will have antibodies in their blood protecting them from infection, but if for some reason the mother does not produce antibodies, the puppies can become infected. It is not practical to test a dog’s blood and know exactly when maternal antibodies are no longer present. This is why puppies usually receive their first parvo vaccination before they even go to their forever homes.

However, if the breeder does not give the vaccine, it should be administered as soon as the puppy is brought home, at 8 or 9 weeks of age. The vaccines are then administered at intervals of 2, 3 or 4 weeks.

The last vaccination should be given after approximately 20 weeks (5 months), so the most common recommendation is to finish at around 16 weeks and then give a booster at one year of age. Although some vaccines should be given more often, your dog will likely be protected against parvovirus for the rest of his life. However, some veterinary groups recommend administering boosters every 3 years.

Related: How soon can I vaccinate my dog ​​after Parvo?

Socialization and parvo infection

If you want to reduce the chances of your dog contracting parvo, he should be carried everywhere and never allowed in a home where anyone wears shoes until the vaccination series is completed around 4 months of age. No big pet stores, no puppy training classes, when he goes to the veterinarian, he must stay in your arms, and above all never go for a walk or spend an afternoon at the park.

This is not very practical and is not in your dog’s best interest.

The critical socialization window

The reason this is not in the dog’s best interest is that puppies need to be socialized so that they do not become neophobic or afraid of new things. (Most people have encountered dogs who never leave the house and cower behind their owners whenever a visitor comes to their home.)

There is a window of time during which this socialization must be carried out. Although we now know that this is variable, 16 weeksthis window is closed in many puppies. Although they can still be somewhat socialized, it won’t happen in the same way as when they are younger.

This is very important because poorly socialized puppies will turn into fear biters. Your dog may never bite you or the people he was around early in his life, but as soon as he is exposed to a new situation, like a Fourth of July picnic with fires, fireworks and excited children, the puppy will be scared. and bite someone.

A Note About Rottweilers

The worst cases of fearful behavior I see are found Rottweilerswhose owners are asked never to take their puppies out into the street until all their vaccinations are completed. Parvo is a big concern in Rotties, so many veterinarians will recommend extra caution and confinement until they are at least 16 weeks old.

However, this is certainly not a breed that can be confined until the sensitive socialization period is over. They grow up fearful of new sights, new sounds, outside dogs, and even new children. Rotties are often cited as a dangerous breed because many of them are poorly socialized and end up biting a neighborhood child. They are so strong that these bites end up being life threatening.

It will be up to the puppy’s owner to socialize their puppy. In a study of puppies who took socialization classes, researchers found that the rate of parvo infection was no higher than that of puppies who did not take classes (2).

Avoid, vaccinate and socialize

Parvo is a very serious infection that causes many puppies to die when exposed to it. It’s up to you to keep your puppy safe by avoiding infection when he’s young and vaccinating him, and it’s also up to you to make sure your dog behaves normally for the rest of his life .

Related: Home Remedies for Parvo in Puppies

Sources

1. Nandi S, Kumar M. Canine parvovirus: current perspective. Indian J Virol. June 2010;21(1):31-44. doi: 10.1007/s13337-010-0007-y. Online publication September 3, 2010. PMID: 23637476; PMCID: PMC3550768. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3550768

2. Stepita ME, Bain MJ, Kass PH. Frequency of CPV infection in vaccinated puppies who have attended puppy socialization classes. J Am Anim Hosp Assoc. 2013 March-April; 49(2):95-100. doi:10.5326/JAAHA-MS-5825. Online publication January 16, 2013. PMID: 23325595.