Parvo

[twelvetigers]

Our clinic had a parvo positive dog come in yesterday. What a mess. We cleaned that up and ordered some new tests, as we'd used our last one. Imagine our surprise when I had to go borrow a snap test from another clinic today... and even more surprise when that ominous little dot on the right turned a dark and definite positive.

So, my hands are dry and rough not because of winter, but because of the large amounts of bleach and roccal that has washed over them these past two days. Yeesh.

FYI, the first dog was taken home to be treated there, but ended up at the vet hosp late at night foreuth. The second one was put down right away, mostly because of the presence of other dogs in the house (yikes).

Parvo used to be a summer disease here in OK, according to the vet. Now it seems to be prominent in the winter months instead. I wonder why? Any insight on this? Have there been many cases anywhere else?

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[FlyOnTheWall]

It's been a year round disease since it was invented in 1978.. Some increases around certain times of the year.. Different in different places.

 

[nyanko]

Parvo used to be a summer disease here in OK, according to the vet. Now it seems to be prominent in the winter months instead. I wonder why? Any insight on this? Have there been many cases anywhere else?

It has higher incidence in the summer months historically in temperate climates (my best guess is because of social factors), but I don't think you can call it a "summer disease" as the virus can easily survive and infect hosts in the winter. I'd say your clinic just got unlucky.

 

[HopefulAg]

It's been a year round disease since it was invented in 1978.. Some increases around certain times of the year.. Different in different places.

This may be a stupid question but:

Parvo was invented? As in genetically engineered? I thought it was a natural disease?

 

[karmapple]

This may be a stupid question but:

Parvo was invented? As in genetically engineered? I thought it was a natural disease?

The vet I used to work for told me that it is postulated that parvo is a mutation of the panleukopenia virus in cats, caused by the panleukopenia vaccine. That may be what FoTW means.

 

[sumstorm]

Parvo is pretty common in South Carolina. It is common enough to be routine with all of our staff knowing the procedures from first hint of it. Our shelters are hot beds of parvo and distempter due to improper sanitation, lack of isolation, inconsideration of health or fitness, and high populations of stray and feral puppies. Since we have warm winters, random breeding occurs year round with high social exposure rates, and since fences and leashes seem to be taboo, and vaccines are 'expensive' we see a lot of litters with parvo, and even more die in the shelters without treatment (our local shelters don't even TEST for parvo, or euthanize when they suspect it, so without isolation, it spreads quickly.)

 

[starlene45]

Parvo is pretty endemic here in parts of California (Fresno/central valley in particular), and this year we've seen cases all year round as well.

This year both in San Francisco and out in my clinic in Dublin, we have seen a higher-than-usual number of parvo cases, and many of the dogs have been more difficult to treat due to their extremely small size. A 2 lb. Chi puppy with Parvo often stands less of a chance than a 6 or 10 lb. puppy of some other breeding.

The SF cases have almost all been dogs owned by transient/homeless youth who tend to congregate and camp out in Golden Gate Park, and also frequently breed their dogs and/or acquire young unvaccinated puppies. With my volunteer group we have had to do a TON of education/outreach about the disease in the area, offering free s/n services, free vaccinations, and free emergency care for owners who have fixed their pets. The SPCA there has also played a big role and helped a lot of the parvo dogs coming out of the park, but it has been a tough autumn.

Some of the vets are saying they think this strain is more virulent than usual but I don't think there's any "scientific" basis for that, just feeling overwhelmed at the sheer number of sick dogs.

Moral of the story: if you live in CA, don't buy a puppy from the Fresno Farmer's Market.

 

[nyanko]

It's good practice to not buy a puppy from a farmer's market/flea market/fair anything like that no matter where you live anyway.

 

[LucyLoo]

The vet I used to work for told me that it is postulated that parvo is a mutation of the panleukopenia virus in cats, caused by the panleukopenia vaccine. That may be what FoTW means.

That was my understanding of it as well after I took a virology class this Fall. It was thought to happen since cats and dogs often share the same waiting room at the vet.

 

[twelvetigers]

I didn't realize that I was so uninformed on the virus. I am enjoying all of your replies almost as much as I'm enjoying my dad's iPhone... Except that it's taken me five minutes to type this. Haha.

 

[Pandacinny]

Haha, I know what you mean! I got an Ipod touch for Christmas and it's great, but it takes me forever to type things right.

 

[BodhiBird]

Two summers ago we had a back yard breeder come in with I think 9 husky puppies and the litter's father, all had parvo. Our isolation room was crazy!!! We managed to cure all but 2 of the puppies. We see it all year round, but I am in Florida (T-shirt and shorts today).

 

[dreamvet]

yup, i work at en emergency clinic in miami, fl and we see parvo year round. It is VERY common in our parts.

 

[starlene45]

It's good practice to not buy a puppy from a farmer's market/flea market/fair anything like that no matter where you live anyway.

yeah... you know what i meant, i just couldn't resist the fresno dig.