13 Must-Read Factoids About Canine Parvovirus
July 12, 2008 – 7:46 am1. 80% of dogs that are infected by Parvo virus that are untreated die in four or five days - with the older 2a and 2b strains of the virus.
2. Fully-vaccinated adult dogs, as well as puppies, are being infected by and dying from the most recent 2c strain of the Parvo virus.
3. Some breeds, such as German Shepherds, Labrador Retrievers, Pit Bulls, Rottweilers, Black & Tan Coonhounds and Doberman Pinschers are more prone to the Parvo virus for reasons nobody yet understands.
4. Although the Canine Parvovirus is particularly prevalent in the southern states, with California, Texas, Arizona and Florida being the four worst hit, every state in the US, including Hawaii and even Alaska, are suffering outbreaks.
5. The Parvovirus can survive extremes of temperature, including both frost and desert climates, and can live in the ground for up to twenty years, making it incredibly hard to kill.
6. Vet costs to treat the Parvo virus are prohibitively expensive - you could easily pay $500 to over $6,000 per dog.
7. You can only expect a 50% - 80% chance of survival if you take your dog to the vet.
8. Although the Parvo virus has historically been transmitted through contact with infected vomit and feces, it is now suspected that the latest 2c strain may be airborne.
9. It is ironic that cats can now be infected by the latest 2c strain of Parvo, given that it has always been suspected that Canine Parvovirus originally evolved from a similar feline virus, cat fever (aka feline distemper).
10. The latest 2c strain of the Parvo virus can kill your dog within one day of symptoms first appearing, with some dogs dying in only six hours.
11. Canine Parvo can incubate for anywhere from three days to 15 days, although five to seven days is the average. This means that your dog could be sick for up to two weeks and you would not even know it, as there would be no visible symptoms. However during this time, the virus is building up its attack force, ready to cause massive damage to your dog’s body.
12. Ironically, administering a Canine Parvovirus vaccine, especially the very first shot, can actually increase the chance of your puppy contracting this virus. This is because the maternal antibodies in the puppy’s body can kill off the modified live virus that is in the vaccine, but as shots work in part by lowering the body’s natural immune system, this actually opens up the puppy to infection by the full, live virus (not to mention other infections too).
13. Some breeds of dogs, notably Poodles and Cocker Spaniels, appear to be at a reduced risk of contracting the Parvo virus, although this does not mean that they will not be infected.
Tags: Pets
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