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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Original poster

my dad thinks his new dog has parvo virus

63 replies

DooinMeCleanin · 09/05/2011 18:33

i was meant to be going round their house to help my mam with something but she phoned me up and asked me not to go incase i transfer it to my dogs.

is this possible my dogs are both upto date with their vaccinations.

what is parvo virus? is it curable? and how much cost is likely to be involved?

OP posts:
exexpat · 09/05/2011 18:36

If your dogs are vaccinated they should be OK, and I don' t think it could be transmitted via humans anyway, if that's what she means - but I wouldn't take the dogs round just in case they are in the small minority of dogs where the vaccine doesn't work. Parvo virus is very nasty and can be fatal - there was an outbreak near here (lots of unvaccinated dogs around, I think) and several dogs died. He needs to call the vet if he hasn't already.

exexpat · 09/05/2011 18:37

Canine parvovirus

Original poster
DooinMeCleanin · 09/05/2011 19:28

Thanks expat. I have spoken to them in more detail now. I got a 30 second phone call from my mum while I was making dinner warning me not to go round.

I asked Dh to post (hence the terrible lack of capital letters and punctuation - it would seem he did not attend English lessons at school Grin) as I was fairly certain it couldn't be transferred via humans or to vaccinated dogs.

My Dad has spoken to the vet who assured him his resident dog and my dogs are not at risk, as they are all upto date. New dog is to be taken in first thing in the morning. Both the vet and my Dad are not sure it is Parvo, going on the symptoms - it could be Parvo, it could be stress from having been in three different homes in just two weeks. Poor dog. I hope it recovers, my Dad will be devestated if she doesn't. He feels responsible for her ending up in the pound, where he got her from because he didn't go to collect her from the person who found her straight away.

OP posts:
baileyslover · 09/05/2011 19:40

Hi, fingers crossed it isn't parvovirus, there are lots of bugs out there which present with similar clinical signs so will keep fingers crossed. With regards to human transmission - we can carry the virus on clothes/ shoes if contaminated so need to be careful if diagnosed, not so much for the vaccinated dogs, but in case you or your parents come in contact with other unvaccinated dogs.

WhereTheWildThingsWere · 09/05/2011 20:13

Odd advice from the vet, the vaccine for parvo doesn't give 100% protection (what vaccine does?) and some vaccinated dogs do catch parvo.

And yes it can be carried by clothing/shoes afaiaa.

Hope it is something else, parvo is awful.

Original poster
DooinMeCleanin · 09/05/2011 20:29

It is possible my Dad is down playing things a bit. My mum is hysterical enough about New Dog without finding out her own dog/my dogs are at risk. I'll chat with him in private tonight if I can.

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OldBagWantsNewBag · 09/05/2011 21:01

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musicposy · 09/05/2011 21:46

Oh, poor new dog Sad. I do hope it is something else and he recovers quickly. Keep us posted.

Scuttlebutter · 09/05/2011 22:31

If it is Parvo, then your dad might want to let the pound/kennel know where he got the dog from. As others have said, I wouldn't hesitate to get the dog to the vet - hours can make a huge difference with a severe illness.

Booboostoo · 09/05/2011 22:32

Ditto OldBagWantsNewBag, the dog should see a vet tonight if you suspect parvo. If it is parvo it will need immediate intervention to have the best chance of survival. I would keep other dogs well away, no vaccine is 100% effective and this is a dreadful disease.

BluddyMoFo · 09/05/2011 22:32

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Vallhala · 09/05/2011 22:47

What ScuttleButter said. Definitely let the pound know and see a vet soonest. Vaccination isn't foolproof and Parvo can be transmitted on human's clothing and footwear and the vius can live for a remarkably long time.

Please keep us informed - if it is Parvo the pound should have a complete shutdown and sadly it will probably result in the deaths or PTS of dogs there. If they do have Parvo rescue needs to know as not only do we need to reduce the risk of it spreading by trying to persuade the pound to test and isolate etc we need to kick up an almighty fuss to get them to go into shutdown mode if necessary.

We saw this in a Yorks pound in recent months... they had Parvo twice within about 3 months, didn't shut down at first and dogs not only died but were taken by rescues across the country by transport volunteers, walked on beaches and in public and mixed with other dogs because the pound didn't alert the rescues to the issue, so risking infection to other dogs in the community, in rescue and those belonging to the transport volunteers too.

And of course, for the sake of the dog your Dad has so kindly taken on, she needs seeing by a vet as the quicker it's diagnosed and treated the more chance of recovery she'll have.

baileyslover · 09/05/2011 23:14

One thing to check, at our local pound all new dogs get a parvovirus vaccination within a day or so of them arriving, so worthwhile checking with them to see if that has been done. It doesn't guarantee protection but will certainly help.

Original poster
DooinMeCleanin · 09/05/2011 23:21

New Dog is not too bad at the moment. We are not sure if it is Parvo. She is lethargic, not eating or drinking but they are managing to get water into her via a syringe, which she is taking happily. They are giving her a few ounces of water every hour to prevent dehydration. She has been sick but no diaroeah and the vomit was the wrong colour (?).

She is not hot or feverish and her nose seems cold and wet and her eyes are bright and clear. She does have a cough though, so it coud be kennel cough. Other than the cough her breathing is fine.

The vet is under the impression that it is stress and/or depression, it was my Dad who mentioned Parvo after Googling. She is going in for tests first thing in the morning just incase and will go tonight if she develops difficulty breathing or worsens at all.

My Dad will let the pound know if it is anything contagious. I have told him to tell them I want the AmBull they have and I will pay for any treatment she requires. She has been on their site for months (I have been watching her. I want her but DH says no) and she looks far to proud and smiley to be pts for something treatable after spending so long in that horrific place. I doubt they'll let me have her, but I can try.

The woman at the pound has told my Father they are the Police Dog Kennels now? I thought Police dogs usually went home with their handler after work?

On the brightside she is no longer a Bad Dog in my Mums opinion. She jumped on her lap for a cuddle this morning while she was drinking her coffee, so she is now a Good Dog and may stay (as if there was any doubt about that).

OP posts:
Original poster
DooinMeCleanin · 10/05/2011 10:04

Poor dog Sad. She worsened significantly during the night and was rushed to the vets where she died Sad

My Dad is bereft. I am feilding calls between the kennels, the vets and my Dad as he is too upset to talk to anyone. He suffers badly from depression.

They are not sure if it was Parvo or Meningitis, they are going to run tests and let everyone know asap. The pound seemed very concerned and have asked me to give the vets permission to speak to them urgently, which I have done.

At least she was in a loving home and not alone in the pound. She slept with my sister last night as they didn't want to leave her alone.

OP posts:
exexpat · 10/05/2011 10:32

Oh no - so sorry to hear that. Your poor dad too. I hope they find out quickly what it was and no other dogs are affected.

WhereTheWildThingsWere · 10/05/2011 10:55

So sorry Dooin, poor dog Sad

Original poster
DooinMeCleanin · 10/05/2011 11:00

She went downhill really quickly. I was there last night and while she was fairly inactive she was alert and paying attention to people. She was actively drinking water from the syringe. She certainly didn't look a dog at deaths door. They'd have taken her to the pet hospital out of town if she did. I offered them my credit card for her, if they needed it, but she seemed quite perky.

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OldBagWantsNewBag · 10/05/2011 11:12

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Vallhala · 10/05/2011 11:14

Oh Dooin, I'm so, so sorry. I'm in tears for you all here,

Thanks to your Dad indeed that didn't die alone and was loved, take comfort in that.

Original poster
DooinMeCleanin · 10/05/2011 11:18

I'll let you about the pound as soon as I know. To be fair to the woman she sounded very worried and upset. She enquired about my Dads well being and offered money towards/the full cost of his vets bills.

She was phoning the vets and was going to ring me back when she knew more. I'm not really getting much out of my Dad atm. He doesn't like talking to people at the best of times.

OP posts:
Vallhala · 10/05/2011 11:23

OldBag, what a generous thing to say.

The place in question is a council pound which claims to have a no-kill policy but in fact dioes NOT have one (I discovered which one some time ago as Dooin and I have spoken off the forum about it). I speak as a rescuer who knows the pound and who has dealt with them quite a few times. I have personal experience of the fact that despite their claims they DO kill dogs when they're over-full or where the dog is harder to home - i.e. if he is older or if he has a treatable but contagious disease such as kennel cough. They aren't as bad as many I know but they are a profit-making organisation which is council taxpayer funded and a donation won't make any difference to the dogs I'm afraid.

Your kind offer would be much, much better placed with a no-kill rescue, the type of which gets such dogs out of this pound, takes them in and cares for them until they are re-homed or until the end of their lives and which only resorts to PTS when the dog is suffering beyond help. :)

Vallhala · 10/05/2011 11:38

Sorry, I don't mean to TELL you what to do or speak on Dooin's behalf. Re-read that and realised how it sounded. Blush Sorry Dooin too.

Got DD1 here talking exams, will explain further about pound and explain MYSELF about this one if asked to in a while, sorry.

OldBagWantsNewBag · 10/05/2011 11:41

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

chickchickchicken · 10/05/2011 11:48

I am so sorry this happened *dooin

she must have been so comforted from being shown such love and warmth. i hope the fact you were all so kind to her and gave her this opportunity will eventually give you all some comfort