There is one common thread that unites many of the 850+ customers we’ve worked with during the past two years, and this is it: people don’t comprehend just how fast-acting and aggressive the Parvo virus is.
One night, you might go to bed, knowing that your dog is happy and healthy, and by morning, when you get up, that same dog is incredibly sick and maybe even near death’s door - and, yes, the title of this article is not just a play on a popular expression, because Parvo has an unmistakable smell, as the diarrhea, which is frequently one of the first symptoms you’ll see with the latest 2c strain of this virus, is foul and unlike anything else you may have experienced before.
We had one customer, in the Pacific Northwest, whose dog first showed symptoms of Parvo on a Sunday morning, and by later that afternoon, it was already dead.
Even when this virus doesn’t claim your dog’s life quite so quickly, too many people sit around for day after day, watching their dog suffer, and doing absolutely nothing about it, because they believe they have time.
But nothing could be further from the truth!
You know what dogs are like - most of them, if not all, absolutely love their food, so if you noticed that your dog skipped even one meal, wouldn’t you be concerned that something might be seriously wrong?
Even if one of our dogs throws up, if they’re healthy (and ours are), then they are ready to eat again just minutes later, so a dog that’s off his food for several hours (which is often the very first sign you’ll see that your dog has Parvo, provided you’re observant, of course) should be a massive, red warning sign.
Unfortunately, there is such a lot of bad advice around about Parvo that a lot of dog owners are lulled into a false sense of security.
These dog owners feel secure because:
- Their dog has had all of its vaccinations (including boosters). And now for the reality: Parvo shots are not effective against the 2c strain (which is why many of our customers are finding that even their adult dogs are being infected, and dying, from this virus, even though they’ve had all of their vaccinations), and can even give your dog full-blown Parvo symptoms (especially if your dog is given his shot after he’s been infected, which is about the worst possible thing you can do).
- Their dog is no longer a puppy, and only puppies get Parvo. Sorry, wrong again! It is true that Parvo still infects puppies more than adults, but we have also observed, after dealing with over 850 cases of Parvo, that an increasing number of adult dogs are getting this virus too. We’re sort of tired of saying this, but it bears repeating until people get it: vaccinations don’t work like they used to - the 2c strain is simply too virulent and most vaccines on the market today are only effective against the older 2a and 2b strains (and that’s not to mention the long-term issues with all vaccinations, which most vets won’t tell you about).
- They try to do the right thing by having their dog tested for Parvo at the vet’s, but do nothing because the test comes back negative. Reality check time again: the 2c strain of Parvo often generates a false-negative result, especially with the in-clinic stool sample tests that are very popular these days. This is another example of how the medical profession has not caught up with the development of the Parvovirus - you think your dog is OK, when in fact he does have Parvo, and that leads to your doing nothing while the virus quietly launches its attack on your dog’s body (mainly the immune system and his intestinal tract) for several days until, suddenly, you see symptoms.
- They never take their dog outside, which means it won’t get infected by the Parvo virus. This is another myth, as one of the most common reasons why indoor dogs get Parvo is because it is their owners (or breeders) who give it to them! Yes, you can walk this virus into your house without even knowing it (or transmit it via your hands or clothes). This is why we always recommend that people (including visitors) change their shoes whenever they go indoors.
So, with so many myths floating around, not to mention bad advice, where can you go to get up-to-date and reliable information that you can use, safe in the knowledge that it will help your dog, and not make matters worse?
This actually highlights another major issue to do with Parvo: many dog owners have never heard of Parvo (until their vet tells them that’s why their dog is sick), which means they don’t know what to look out for. Even more amazing, to us, is that we come across many breeders who know nothing about this virus either. It seems to us that this is basic information and knowledge that you must have if you’re going to work in the doggie business!
Well, you’ll be glad to know that we have written a free, 100+ page ebook all about Parvo, called Parvo Treatment 101, that you can download to your computer in minutes.
This is an excellent place to start, as it contains practically everything you need to know about this virus, including the symptoms to look out for, treatment options, and much more.
If your dog is already sick, however, and by that, we mean that a vet has confirmed that your dog does have Parvo, or he shows one or more of the standard Parvo symptoms, or even if you believe or know that he was exposed to the virus within the last two or three days, then you should delay reading this book, because you need to administer Parvo treatment immediately, because there’s one thing you don’t have with this virus, and that is time. You can always read our free book later, once your dog is stabilized, or better.
We hope that you found this article both interesting and useful, and if it helps you save your dog’s life, even better. However, we do have a load more information about Parvo treatment for you, which is in addition to what’s in our free book.
We’d like to close by encouraging all dog owners to at least be educated about just how devastating this virus can be, and about the treatment options that are available (because contrary to popular opinion, you don’t have to take your dog to the vet and part with anywhere from $500 USD to over $10,000 USD, for a success rate that offers no better odds than tossing a coin, because safe, effective, inexpensive home Parvo remedies are available), so please, if you know anybody with a dog, then do forward this article, and/or our free book, on to them - you just never know who might need it, and there’s nothing better than knowing that you’ve helped to save somebody’s family pet from the excruciatingly painful death that the Canine Parvovirus often brings.