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Wellness
PARVO: The 411 on this deadly disease Written by Jessica Harrell
Absolutely no one wants to hear that his or her puppy is sick, especially with a life-threatening disease. Parvo is an unfortunately common virus in puppies with fatal consequences, which is why every puppy owner should be aware of its symptoms, treatment plans, and modes of prevention. The canine parvovirus (CPV) infection, or parvo, is a highly contagious viral illness that affects dogs, especially puppies between six weeks and six months old. This virus is spread through direct contact with an infected dog or by indirect contact with an object contaminated with infected feces.
In untreated cases, mortality rates can reach up to 92 percent; however, with proper vaccination, this life-threatening virus can be prevented. Parvo occurs in young puppies aged six weeks to six months for two reasons. First, Puppies younger than six weeks old still retain some of their mothers’ antibodies (assuming the mother was vaccinated); therefore, the puppies are less susceptible to the virus. Second, by the time the puppy is six months old, they are most likely to have been vaccinated, and if not, they are likely to be surrounded by other dogs that have been vaccinated, lowcountry dog 10
