Parvo is a deadly disease that infects young puppies and often kills them within twenty four hours. It's for this reason that you must act immediately upon the noticing the symptoms of parvo in your puppy, as doing so gives you the best chance to save his or her life. Unfortunately, even with the most professional treatment many young puppies will still succumb to parvovirus or the secondary conditions associated with it.

There are a few main signs of parvo in puppies (it is rare, thought not unheard of for parvovirus to infect adult dogs):

Lethargy and depression - Puppies infected with parvo virus will generally want to sleep much more than usual, with lethargy increasing as the disease progresses. While puppies in general tend sleep a lot, puppies with parvovirus will start sleeping even more as their body is trying to fight a deadly disease. The puppy may also appear depressed and no longer want to play, or not play as often as he or she used to.

Loss of appetite - Usually young puppies want to put absolutely everything in their mouth. However, once infected with parvo, dogs with previously ravenous appetites will generally cease to eat, no matter how delicious the offering. Appetite will decrease more and more as the disease progresses.

Foul (often described as metallic) smelling diarrhea (that may contain blood) - The smell of parvovirus is very distinct and once you clean up after a puppy infected with the disease, you will never forget it. Extremely foul smelling diarrhea, that may be very liquid in matter is a major sign of parvo. As the disease progresses it will likely contain traces or large amounts of blood.

Vomiting - Small or large amounts of vomit (may be clear and appear like saliva) are one indicator of parvovirus, and often will be among the very first symptoms. However, not all dogs that are infected with parvo will experience vomiting.

If your puppy is experiencing signs of parvo, it is of the utmost importance that he or she receives intensive veterinarian therapy immediately. Many dogs will die of the dehydration associated with parvo, or of a secondary infection, rather than from the disease itself. Death can occur within twenty four hours, or may take as long as weeks in some cases. It is vitally important that your puppy receives timely supportive therapy in order to have the best chance of survival.

However, it's important to remove the virus even if you do not plan to add a dog, and do not have multiple dogs. This is because the dogs of future tenants or owners could be at risk if you do not properly clean the area. Canine Parvo can live for many years outdoors, and many months on indoor hard surfaces.

Unfortunately, one of the reasons why Parvo in dogs is so rampant, is due to the fact that it is a very hardy virus that is difficult to destroy. In fact, most household cleaners are unable to kill the virus, despite making an area appear clean. The only things that are known to truly kill the virus are bleach and veterinary-grade disinfectants that specifically mention they kill canine Parvo virus.

When using bleach to kill the virus, a solution of 1 parts bleach to 30 parts water should be used. You will want to use this on all areas the dog has been in contact with. Any fabrics that a bleach solution can not be used on should be steam cleaned. The yard will also need to be disinfected - If the yard is large, you'll want to focus it on the areas where the dog has eliminated. Of course, you will want to first pick up any stools from the yard, as these will contain large amounts of the virus. Also any dogs that are not fully vaccinated should not be brought into the yard, as Parvovirus can live outdoors for up to seven years.

Unfortunately, many puppies die of the dehydration associated with parvo, as the puppy will be loosing bodily fluids through both vomiting and diarrhea. Often the puppy will not be able to hold liquids down, and so it's important for your vet to administer fluids either subcutaneously or via an intravenous drip. The vet will probably also administer anti nausea medication in order to make the patient more comfortable. Unfortunately, even with the best care, approximately half of puppies diagnosed with parvovirus will succumb to the virus or its secondary effects.

One of the most important aspects of puppy parvo treatment is starting with full supportive therapy at the first signs of pavo, in order to give the canine the best chance of survival possible. It is also important to clean areas where the puppy has been throughly with bleach and water, in order to ensure the virus is not passed on to other dogs. This is especially vital as parvo is a hardy virus that can live on hard surfaces for over a month in the home, and for over a year in yards.

Parvo is most prevalent in puppies under six months of age, especially puppies that have not yet completed their full set of puppy vaccines. The early symptoms include lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea (which may contain blood and have a distinct metallic smell), and lack of appetite. It's extremely important to act quickly when symptoms of canine parvo are noticed, as this is a disease which can kill very quickly, oftentimes within twenty four hours.