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Possible whole litter with Parvo

9K views 30 replies 23 participants last post by  windycanyon 
#1 ·
Took pups for their 6wk shots Saturday; took my 4.5 Month old just so they could see how much she's grown. We got ready to leave & the assistant said we might not want to let her walk through the waiting area - "we've had some sick dogs in this morning. Starting last evening almost every puppy has diarrhea, a few vomiting, but all still playful. Wife took day off & same vet feels very bad & is treating it as parvo. Just wish they'd have called & warned me so I could have canceled.
 
#3 ·
That's terrible. The vet should have told you. Prayers headed your way. Please let us know how this works out for you.
 
#5 ·
I have my pups examined and shots given on my tailgate. I don't let the vet techs and assistants or other "patients" touch/pet them. I was rather P.O'ed when taking in a litter of 3 day old pups for dew claw removal that they had a litter of puppy mill doxies in with severe parvo (one died while we were there) and they didn't tell me until I had already waited in the waiting room/entry for 20 mins with everyone wanting a peek at the pups. While they "may" have some immunity from the mother, the last thing that I wanted to do was drag any of that crap back home with me. Other than wanting the mother checked out at the same time, I am considering either doing the dew claws myself, or just leaving them on.
 
#8 ·
My Lucy had Parvo and survived. It wasn't her time yet and I am very grateful for that. A pup that has Parvo has a distinct smell to them. A smell that is not any smell that you have encounter and will never forget. I hope all goes well. Your wife is more than a champ...she believes in what you believe. a keeper in anybody's book. :)
 
#11 ·
I am no vet, but we have had 2 dogs with Parvo in my life (1 was a stray we took in who presented with Parvo just a few days after we took him in) and they were NOT playful once the vomiting and diarrhea started so I am hopeful that it is something else like coccidia as someone else posted. Both of ours with Parvo had virtually no energy and seemed depressed which I believe is typical. I think the fact that yours are playful is a good sign.

Also, if your pups are at home then your vet is NOT treating as if it were Parvo. If the vet were treating as if it were Parvo they would be in the vet with an IV IMO. You don't send Parvo dogs home until they are over it.
 
#12 ·
Very possible it is something other than parvo. I would think at 6 weeks pups should still have immunity from parvo, from Mom. But there are many other 'bugs' they can pick up (and the exposure could have taken place at vet). I had a bug go thru a 5 wk litter years ago - horrible intestinal symptoms, they felt awful, would not eat or drink. Treated the symptoms (as per my vet), kept them hydrated - and it literally passed thru them all in a day - busy day tho!
 
#13 ·
That would the last time I saw that vet!!!!!

Had a training buddy who did not believe in shots, and wound up having two 2 year old dogs contract parvo and almost die. Age doesn't matter.
 
#16 ·
Years ago I brought a sick 3 week old pup into the vet and one of the staff insisted I get a weight and take the pup out of the plastic container I had placed on the scale and put the pup directly on the scale. My mind was screaming "no" but I did it, thankfully placing a towel underneath the pup. I realized that by following their instruction I had perhaps introduced parvo into my litter as every dog in that clinic that day stood on the scale to be weighed. A letter was written to the vet and procedures were tightened up. Thankfully Parvo is not that common here in Alaska. The vet told me he has only seen a couple of cases in many years. However, the whole thing made my blood boil, and caused a heck of a lot of unnecessary anxiety.
 
#17 · (Edited)
Does make you wonder how all those breeds that get tails done come back from the vet without parvo. That, and the fact that parvo is all over the place and you simply cannot prevent a litter from getting exposed unless they are in a bubble.

Could it be weak colostrum? I know many breeders using probiotic paste to goose the immune system. There is a window when the stuff actually does work and the science actually shows it. Porcine Blood Plasma has also been shown to help guard against infection in the young.
 
#19 · (Edited)
I've always wondered why docs have sick and well people, and sick and well animals, using the same space.

Bring your newborn in to the pediatrician for her shots and she is sure to leave exposed to every germ going around. It's no different at the vetrinarian---puppies are sure to be exposed to whatever crap is going around. Literally.

Some of the busier clinics it seems could have sick pet vs well pet rooms, sick kid vs well kid rooms. I wonder if it would help.

I hope these pups are ok, and that it is not parvo.
 
#20 ·
I would check for coccidia and giardia, too. We had to deal with it twice this year, one on puppies born in Dec (only coccidia) and both with the litter born in May. It has been a WET year here, literally water everywhere from it raining daily for over a month, most days it POURED. This is the first that I can remember having to treat since a litter that turned 11 in May. It's everywhere that standing water may be and smaller ponds (which was the issue with the litter years ago...didn't think about mama bringing it back from the pond in the pasture where I took her exercising for a break from the puppies)
 
#21 ·
Our vet usually calls if he has had a parvo pup in and we have an appointment for some of our pups. Cleo went into the office one time to get some health certificates for shipping. Local new owners locally had already picked up their pups. Evidently Cleo picked up the virous ON HER SHOES and all of the shipping pups came down with it and all three of the shipped pups came down with it, only one survived. Not any profit in that litter!

We now carry a LYSOL spray can in the van and spray our shoes every time we go to the Vets before we get back in the van. It may not have anything to do with it, but we haven't had any parvo since! Gosh I miss that woman, she was a jewel! Bill
 
#22 ·
Dog Mammal Vertebrate Dog breed Canidae


This is a couple hours ago. Definitely not a parvo problem; just a problem with color (my wife would disagree).

I was going from my vet's lead & recent possible interaction with, ummm, contaminated area. This afternoon a fecal was taken, awaiting results. Instead of getting worse through the day, the puppies remained playful & by middle of the night (morning?) bowels were returning to normal. Right now, guessing cocci & stress set it off - find out fecal in morning. I am in a small town, & we did make an agreement that they would do a home visit "whenever" I have another litter.

Thanks for all the suggestions; my wife is wore out, & the puppies are again begging to have the run of our downstairs.
 
#25 ·
Glad to hear it. Parvo is a bitch.
 
#27 ·
My very last litter got Parvo at 6 wks of age all 9 puppies. Figured it out that the leased bitch missed out on her booster shots. And just as the pups began to wean life went all to heck, as each little spark became deathly sick.

Outstanding Veterinary Care from Oakdale Vet Group saved 7 of the 9.

The dog in my avatar Purple was one of those pups. He need 2 plasma transfusion to pull him through.
He lived to the ripe old age of 16.

That experience ended my desire to have pups forever more.
 
#30 · (Edited)
I say one prayer and hope for the best. Living at a 40 year old training facility that runs 15-20 dogs with a separate boarding operation that houses 70 dogs+ a day plus add on walk up traffic plus the folks who come out to use the grounds as day trainers. Add in a couple field trials and an HRC test and training day or two. Also folks who just walk down the dead end road with their dogs. Add Elk, Deer, Bear, Coyotes, Raccoons, Opossum, Rabbits, Rats, Mice, Pigeons, Ducks, Beaver, Muskrat, Pheasant, Chukar and whatever else might carry something... Impossible to avoid life.
 
#31 ·
Glad to read the good news!
It could very well have been a reaction to the vaccine. I had one a few years ago who was given a combo + Lepto at 10 wks despite my advice to wait on the Lepto. BAD diarrhea! The vaccine manufacturer agreed it was likely vaccine shock basically.
But, this is why I give Neopar at 5 wks and my first combo at 7-7.5 wks myself. I have protection built by the time I have to go in for well checks and w/ my work, it's pretty hard to avoid walking thru the stuff at some of the places w/ all the strays wandering around. Puppies at dew claw age SHOULD have AMPLE immunity against parvo, etc, btw. Just keep them warm (since they are lacking that ability to regulate body temp) and you should be fine.
 
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