What are the symptoms of parvovirus in dogs?
Some dogs will be asymptomatic. This means that they are shedding the virus but are showing no symptoms of disease. This is common in dogs over 12 months of age & dogs who have been vaccinated. Symptoms of parvovirus come on quickly & include; • Loss of appetite • Depression • Abdominal pain • Lethargy • Foul smelling, bloody diarrhea • Vomiting • Severe dehydration How is parvovirus diagnosed? Your veterinarian will perform a complete physical examination & obtain a medical history from you. There are other diseases with similar symptoms to parvovirus so your veterinarian will need to perform tests. These may include; • Testing the feces for presence of the virus. • Blood tests to check for antibodies to the virus. How is parvovirus treated? There is no cure for parvovirus, once infected supportive care is required while the dog’s immunity fights off the virus. Dogs who survive past 5 or so days will usually pull through. Hospitalisation is required in all but mild cases of parvovirus
