13 Must-Read Factoids About Canine Parvovirus
Posted by: Rae & Mark in Family, tags: Family1. 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 Canine Parvovirus.
3. Some breeds, such as Pit Bulls, Rottweilers, Black & Tan Coonhounds, Doberman Pinschers, German Shepherds and Labrador Retrievers are more susceptible 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 snow and desert climates, and can live in the ground for up to 20 years, making it incredibly hard to eradicate.
6. Vet costs to treat the Parvo virus are prohibitively expensive - you could easily pay $500 to over $6,000 per dog.
7. Most vets will only give your dog a 50% - 80% chance of a full recovery, in spite of their expensive treatments.
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 has always been suspected that Canine Parvovirus evolved from a similar feline virus, feline distemper, so it is ironic that cats can now be infected by the latest 2c strain of Parvovirus.
10. Dogs that are infected by the latest 2c strain of Parvo can die within one day of symptoms first appearing, with some dogs dying within just six hours.
11. Canine Parvo incubates, on average, for five to seven days, although it can be as few as three and as many as 15. 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 Parvo vaccine, especially the very first shot, can actually increase the chance of your puppy contracting this virus. This is because the maternal antibodies inherited by the puppy can kill off the modified live virus contained 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 as well).
13. A few breeds of dogs, particularly Cocker Spaniels and Poodles, appear to be at a reduced risk of contracting the Parvo virus, although this does not mean that they will not be infected.
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