Submitted by: Kelly Marshall

Gastro Parvo is a serious illness for all dogs but, young puppies and older dogs are often hit hard, and when they are the disease can be deadly unless you seek immediate treatment for your pet. Unfortunately for many puppies and older dogs by the time most owners realize that their dog is seriously ill, it may already be too late to save them. Knowing the signs to look for in your dog may well save his life and help prevent the spread of this illness to other dogs as well.

Lethargy

While it is natural for your dog to want to just lie around after a long exercise or play session, most dogs quickly recover after a nap. If your dog is lopping around for an unnaturally long period of time and doesn’t seem to want to move even when encouraged or moves slow you might want to make an immediate appointment with a vet. While being lethargic may be a sign of a less serious illness or no illness at all; it is also one of the first signs of parvo and the cost of the vet may well be worth it even if turns out to be nothing at all.

Loss of Appetite

Like lethargy, loss of appetite in your dog may be caused by many things including too many snacks. However, if his loss of appetite is unexpected and accompanied by being lethargic then there is probably something that is making him feel ill even if the cause is not parvo. Again seeking vet care is the best thing to do in order to find out exactly what is wrong and to get prompt treatment.

Fever

Almost every dog who contacts parvo will have some level of fever. Keep in mind however, that some dogs will carry and pass this disease without ever showing any real symptoms. These are usually adult dogs that have been in good health and may have received a parvo vaccine.

Diarrhea and Vomiting

Once the Parvo virus really takes hold, your dog may vomit and/or have diarrhea. In cases of parvo induced diarrhea your dogs stool will not only be liquid but may be almost black in color and extremely foul smelling. In most cases once a young puppy or older dog begins having diarrhea or vomiting he will quickly dehydrate and it is this dehydration that can kill a dog very quickly. If your dog, especially a puppy shows signs of vomiting or diarrhea then call your vet immediately. Get a stool sample and try to feed your dog as much fluid as possible. Giving him water laced with Gatorade will help him maintain his electrolyte levels until he can be treated.

Once diarrhea and vomiting have set in, treatment for parvo may include the use of an IV to replace fluids and perhaps even an extended stay at the Vet clinic which will be far more costly than an early visit to your vet, even if the visit proves to be a false alarm. While vaccinating your puppy at the appropriate times can help lessen the effects of this virus it does not mean that your dog still cannot catch it. So take care and be alert in order to protect your beloved pet s health.

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