Parvo season typically peaks in the warmer months, especially late spring and summer, coinciding with more puppies being born and increased outdoor activity, though outbreaks can happen year-round, with some regions seeing spikes in autumn too. The virus thrives in warm, damp environments, making wetter seasons like spring and summer prime time for its spread through contaminated soil, feces, and surfaces, affecting unvaccinated puppies and dogs most severely.
Since puppies are often born in the spring and become vulnerable to the virus eight to ten weeks after birth, you often see more parvovirus outbreaks in the summer and early fall.
This virus can turn a pup from playful to fatally ill in just days. Thankfully, this virus can be prevented. Spring and Fall are considered “Parvo Season” in the world of veterinary medicine.
Ideally, puppies younger than 6 weeks have immunity to the virus because of the antibodies in their vaccinated mothers' bloodstream. Strategically scheduled vaccinations at 6, 8, and 12 weeks work to prevent the virus. Puppies should also receive a dose of the parvovirus vaccine between 14 and 16 weeks of age.
Avoid contact with known infected dogs and their premises. Keep your dog away from other dogs' feces. Routinely collect and properly dispose of your dog's feces. If you've been in contact with dogs with or exposed to parvovirus, avoid handling other dogs, or wash your hands and change your clothes before doing so.
The 777 Puppy Rule (or Rule of 7s) is a guideline for puppy socialization, suggesting that by seven weeks old, a puppy should experience seven different Surfaces, seven different Sounds, seven different Objects, seven different People, seven different Locations, seven different Containers, and seven different Challenges, all in positive, short, and safe ways to build confidence and resilience. It helps prevent fear and reactivity by creating positive associations with novel experiences during the critical socialization window (around 4-16 weeks).
The most common sign, and usually the first sign, is a puppy that just doesn't seem active, normal or wanting to play. Other signs associated with parvo include not wanting to eat, dehydration, diarrhea with or without blood, fever, lethargy, noticeable weight loss, stumbling while walking, weakness and vomiting.
Historical findings suggest that those most likely to contract the virus are intact males between one and three months of age who have no vaccines, and are one of the following breeds: Rottweiler, Doberman Pinscher, American Pit Bull Terrier, Labrador Retriever or German Shepherd.
What does parvo poop look like? Parvovirus causes severe, completely liquid diarrhea in dogs that is often bloody and foul-smelling. Parvo isn't the only disease in puppies that causes this symptom. Other diseases, such as hemorrhagic gastroenteritis, can also cause severe, bloody diarrhea.
Parvo is a preventable disease, but even vaccinated dogs are not 100% protected from the virus. Vaccines for the parvovirus are recommended for all puppies and are usually given in a series of three shots when the pup is between 6-to-8 weeks old, again at 10-to-12 weeks, and at 14-to-16 weeks.
High-risk areas for canine parvovirus (Parvo) are places with many dogs, lower vaccination rates, or recent outbreaks, including dog parks, beaches, kennels, shelters, and rural/remote areas, where the resilient virus spreads easily via feces and contaminated surfaces, putting unvaccinated puppies and immunocompromised dogs at extreme risk. Local outbreaks often occur in suburbs or regions with lower socioeconomic status, highlighting a link to poor vaccination uptake.
This phase usually lasts 2-5 days. Acute phase: The acute phase is the most severe stage of the disease, when the virus attacks the dog's immune system, causing the white blood cell count to drop. This makes the dog vulnerable to secondary infections and increases the risk of death.
A newer treatment option for parvovirus is monoclonal antibody therapy. Canine parvovirus monoclonal antibody (CPMA) is a one-time intravenous injection that neutralizes parvovirus by binding and blocking the virus from entering and destroying cells.
Prevention of Parvo in Dogs and Puppies
Parvo in dogs is a preventable disease. Starting around six weeks of age, your dog should be vaccinated and then boostered every three weeks thereafter until around the age of 16 weeks.
The disease most often strikes in pups between six and 20 weeks old, but older animals are sometimes also affected.
Dogs that receive prompt intensive care whilst hospitalised in a veterinary practice are much more likely to survive but, unfortunately, due to the seriousness of parvovirus, some die even with treatment. Parvovirus is nearly always fatal without treatment.
Stage 1: The initial stage of parvo, known as the incubation period, occurs after the puppy has been exposed to the virus. During this period, the virus begins to replicate in the body, but there may be no visible signs of illness. The incubation period can last anywhere from three to fourteen days.
What Cleaners Kill Parvovirus? The best thing you can use to kill parvovirus is a bleach solution. Mix one part bleach to 30 parts water and allow the item to be in contact with this solution for 10-15 minutes before thoroughly rinsing it off with water.
Puppies with parvovirus lose their appetite, often causing yellow vomit from stomach acid or white foam. As parvo progresses, affected puppies are often unable to keep anything down and rapidly become very weak and dehydrated.
Parvo virus causes severe life threatening diarrhea, often the diarrhea has blood in it. Once a puppy has symptoms of parvo, if left untreated they can die within 48 - 72 hours. It can be simply diagnosed and survival is possible if treated soon enough. If left untreated the mortality rate is as high as 91%.
While Gatorade may quench human thirst and replenish lost electrolytes, it's not a suitable beverage for dogs. Gatorade contains sugar and sodium that can make your pet sick if they have too much, so the risks of offering your dog Gatorade are greater than any benefits they might get from the boost of electrolytes.
Common Clinical Signs
Their stool may contain blood, indicating serious damage to their intestines. Puppies affected by canine parvovirus exhibit lethargy; they lose interest in playtime and become unusually quiet. A fever or low body temperature can also accompany these symptoms.
Parvo has an incubation period of about 5-7 days, this means that they may not get sick until five days after they have been exposed to the virus. Symptoms to look for are vomiting, lethargy, anorexia, dehydration and bloody, very smelly diarrhoea.
Parvo is also expensive to treat. With diagnosis and treatment, parvo can cost between $500 and $2,000 on average. You could end up paying more if your pet needs to be hospitalized for an extended period of time. Your best course of action is to take preventive measures to avoid parvovirus infection in the first place.
The clinical signs of parvovirus can vary but generally include severe vomiting and diarrhea. The diarrhea often has a powerful smell, may contain a lot of mucus, and may or may not contain blood. Additionally, affected dogs often exhibit a lack of appetite, marked listlessness and depression, and fever.