Regular veterinary care helps keep puppies healthy.
Puppies face many challenges in the first few months of life as they explore the world around them. This period of major mental and physical growth leaves puppies vulnerable to certain illnesses. One of the most dangerous diseases is parvo. Several steps can be taken to prevent this deadly disease from infecting your puppy.
Instructions
1. Educate yourself about the parvovirus. The best way to keep your puppy from catching parvo is to learn about the disease and how it is transmitted. The illness is caused by a virus that affects puppies more than adult dogs. The virus concentrates itself in the dog's intestinal lining and kills the healthy cells, causing diarrhea and vomiting. The virus can also attack the puppy's heart. The virus destroys disease-fighting white blood cells, causing secondary infections to further weaken a puppy's health.
2. Get your puppy vaccinated against parvo. The parvovirus vaccine has had limited success because the antibodies a young dog gets from its mother through her milk often interferes with the shot. This is why veterinarians recommend giving the parvo vaccine to puppies starting at 6 weeks and repeating the dose every three to four weeks. The vaccinations should continue until the puppy is 16 to 20 weeks old. After that, the dog should be vaccinated yearly against parvo. The parvo vaccine is often combined with other vaccines as a combination shot.
3. Keep your puppy away from dogs who have parvo, or are having symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea. Adult dogs, however, can carry the virus without showing signs of illness. The virus is shed in a dog's feces and can remain infectious for up to nine months. If you board your puppy, make sure the facility has parvo vaccination requirements for all kennel guests. It can take seven to 10 days after exposure before a dog starts to show symptoms. Parvo is a virus that only affects dogs and can only be transmitted from dog to dog. Your puppy cannot get the illness from any other animal.
4. Clean your yard and dog bowls. If you live in a neighborhood where other dogs leave stool in your yard where your puppy plays, keep the area clean to prevent parvo. Dog bowls that are shared between unvaccinated dogs need to be disinfected with a chlorine bleach and water solution of 4 ounces of water to 1 gallon of bleach.
5. Take your puppy to the veterinarian immediately if you know she has been exposed to the parvovirus. The antiviral medicine Tamiflu has been effective in preventing the development of parvo after a dog has been exposed. The medicine is given orally over five days. It may keep the virus from getting a foothold in your puppy's body.
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