New Member

Posts: 2
From:Houston, TX
Registered: Jun 2003

posted 06-19-2003 04:39 PM            

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My 15 week old puppy Baxter, was put to sleep this morning from Parvo.

My husband I are very upset and he was a very loved puppy.

My question is, has anyone had a puppy with it and gotten another dog shortly after? And do you have any advice to prevent my new dog from getting it?

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Member

Posts: 20
From:Austin,Texas United States
Registered: Jun 2003

posted 06-19-2003 05:02 PM            

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I'm sorry about your puppy.

I recommend disinfecting everything with a mix of bleach and water.I wouldn't bring in any dogs that aren't vaccinated either.Parvo can live on your clothes carpet etc. for a long time.Hope this helps.

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Member

Posts: 20
From:Austin,Texas United States
Registered: Jun 2003

posted 06-19-2003 05:03 PM            

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I'm sorry about your puppy.

I recommend disinfecting everything with a mix of bleach and water.I wouldn't bring in any dogs that aren't vaccinated either.Parvo can live on your clothes carpet etc. for a long time.Hope this helps.

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New Member

Posts: 9
From:Britton, Michigan, United States
Registered: Jun 2003

posted 06-19-2003 05:16 PM            

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So sorry to hear of your loss. I too had a puppy that had died of parvo, right in front of me. It's a hard thing. I was on the phone to my vet crying my eyes out ask him what I could do he said nothing then he died. At that time I had 2 other dogs in the house and the sister to the puppy that died. The 2 older dogs have had their parvo shots but the sister of the puppy that died didn't and to this day she is healthy 7 yrs old she never got the disease from her brother I don't know how to explain that one, someone was on her side like an angel. I have heard of people doing extensive cleaning with cleaners in their house like with bleach to kill the disease. But you could ask your vet what they would recommend. I am not sure at what age they get the parvo shot to prevent the disease. But as long as you have cleaned your house in a thourough manner I'm thinking it should be ok. From what I have experienced and a friend of mine has went through.
I hope things go well for you and your husband. If you do get a new puppy watch where you take it someone else could have the disease lurking in their house or surrounding areas
Good Luck too you
Caliqu

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Posts: 163
From:
Registered: May 2003

posted 06-19-2003 07:12 PM         

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So very sorry for your loss. its amazing how much we love our dogs even in a short time. Some pups are more prone to parvo than others. Many vets and breeders do not recommend getting another puppy 6mths - a year+ even after thorough bleaching and cleansing, simply because it can still exist in the environment and out in the yard or a missed area - and really, why take the risk.

If you are really set on another dog soon have you thought of getting a teenage or adult dog? A healthy dog will usually have a strong immune system. I know, its not always the same as a pup, but may save more heartbreak....

good luck

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Member

Posts: 68
From:Cleveland, OH, USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted 06-20-2003 10:03 AM            

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I'm sorry that your puppy is no longer with you. It's a very devistating disease. I work in a vet clinic - and you can vaccinate a puppy for the parvo virus at earliest age of 6 weeks. There is a chemical called *parvosol* that is specifically designed for cleaning and sterilizing items which a parvo positive canine has come in contact with. It is a very stong chemical that will kill the parvo virus but the odor of the chemical is extremely strong and it is toxic so be careful. I do not believe you can get it at pet stores or over the counter. Your vet may be able to order some for you through his/her supply distributor. I know that the company "Butler" carries it (but only vets may be able to order it - I'm not sure) Try checking into it. We had a litter of toy poodles come to the clinic about a month ago. The mother, father and all 4 puppies tested positive. Luckily through 24/7 feedings, medication and IV fluids all 9 over a 4 day period of stay with us at the clinic made it. I have not had contact with the family since than to see how they are doing - but they looked 100% better when they went home. I wish you good luck and hope that you never have to battle with the disease again. Best wishes.

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Posts: 186
From:
Registered: Mar 2003

posted 06-20-2003 04:09 PM         

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One set of puppy vaccs isn't enough to guarantee immunity from parvo, at least not at 6 weeks of age. Puppies get antibodies from their mother's milk, and the vaccs aren't able to take effect as long as those first antibodies are present. The length of time the "puppy antibodies" (those they got from their mother) are effective varies, which is why puppy vaccs are given several times. There's no guarantee that the puppy antibodies will wear off by the time of the first vacc, so additional vacc(s) are given at 2-4 week intervals in hopes of giving the pup protection as soon as possible after the "puppy antibodies" wear off. It would be best in this situation to get an older pup (at least 4 months)/young adult, and have them titer tested (a test that shows the levels of antibodies the dog has.... in other words, how immune they are to the disease) so you can be sure they don't get the disease should they come in contact with an area you missed.

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Posts: 364
From:Tennessee, USA
Registered: May 2003

posted 06-21-2003 02:10 PM            

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Baxter, I too had to put down my puppy from parvo this year. We steam cleaned the carpet more than once, sprayed kennel sol on things, bleached the porch, etc... MY mom got a new puppy about 2 months after we put him down. I got a new puppy about 3 months after. Both puppies are healthy and parvo free. However, we are vaccinating them more than needed to stay ontop of things!

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Posts: 186
From:
Registered: Mar 2003

posted 06-21-2003 04:39 PM         

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Be careful about overvaccinating... giving a vacc three times is no more effective than giving it once (granted that the shot is given at the right time, ie: not too early in the pup's life), they either have the antibodies, or they don't. In addition, there have been a lot of studies done lately which seem to point to vaccs sometimes being a cause of cancer, and causing other health/temperament problems, which are more likely to occur if the dog gets vaccinated too often.

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Posts: 364
From:Tennessee, USA
Registered: May 2003

posted 06-21-2003 06:05 PM            

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Goob, maybe I misworded my post. I didn't mean give them a bunch at one time, i meant like he got 2 from the breeder, and instead of me just giving him 1 more to make his third shot i'm giving him 2 more to make 4 sets of shots.

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Posts: 163
From:
Registered: May 2003

posted 06-21-2003 09:47 PM         

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I like the idea of titer testing the new dog, but remember that titer readings could vary. They might read low or they might read high depending on what the dog HAS recently been exposed too. If a titer is low, it doesn't necessarily mean the dog needs a Vaccine nor does it mean he will get parvo, might just mean he hasn't come into contact with that virus therefore hasn't build up the antibodies.

I do believe vets tend to overvaccinate, and I also know of dogs who got parvo after being vaccinated. I believe a healthy immune system is capable of fighting off many things with minimum vaccinations. Still, I would wait as long as possible before getting a puppy again -- since this virus is in the environment and can remain so even after a hot hot summer or a minusly cold winter.

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New Member

Posts: 2
From:Houston, TX
Registered: Jun 2003

posted 06-22-2003 06:37 PM            

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Thank y'all so much for the advice. It's comforting to know that other people have gone through this. I felt guilty thinking that maybe I could have done more for him. But he withered away so fast.

I will definately invest in any chemical used to treat the inside of my house. Howver, I've heard that it stays in the yard for uor up to seven years. What have y'all done to get it out out of the yard??

For now we have decided to wait to get a dog. I can't take the chance of hurting another puppy.

Any advice on the yard would be appreciated.

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