Why you need to be aware of Parvovirus

Canine Parvovirus is a highly contagious virus of dogs and particularly puppies. In this video, Heather Lee of Virbac, is interviewed by Jake from All About Animals, about Canine Parvo, and why we all need to be aware about this disease and how it can affect our pets. We can spread the disease without even knowing it.

Canine Parvovirus is a deadly disease that affects dogs, like no other disease that can be found in humans.

When immunologically naïve dogs (eg unvaccinated puppies) are exposed to Parvovirus, they quickly become infected, and deteriorate rapidly. Dogs infected with parvovirus can die within a matter of days, at the same time spreading the virus and infecting other dogs.

Dogs infected with this disease develop bloody diarrhoea, vomiting, dehydration, immune suppression and rapidly become lethargic, listless and the deteriorate in a matter of hours.

Parvovirus is extremely serious because the disease is spread through contaminated faeces, urine and other bodily fluids, and persists in the environment for up to 12 to 18 months. Parvovirus is easily spread on contaminated shoes and other objects, such that a human walking through a park where an infected animal has been, can bring the disease home and inadvertently affect their own dog quite easily.

Routine vaccination provides essential protection against disease, against infection and against shedding.