If you have a pet dog, surely you often ask yourself a recurring question: how to know if my dog has parvovirus. This is one of the most common concerns among dog owners. Parvovirus is a very common disease in dogs, especially when they are puppies, and it can be quite a dangerous disorder for their health.
Parvovirus is a very common disease among dogs but, unfortunately, very little is still known about it. Parvovirus, also known by the name of canine parvoriosis, is a disease of viral origin. The biggest problem we face in knowing if our dog has parvovirus is that the symptoms of this disease are very uncharacteristic and it is easy to confuse them with those of any normal gastrointestinal infection.
However, you have to be especially careful with this disease as it can be very dangerous for adults and deadly for puppies. In addition, puppies are the most likely to suffer from this disease since their immune system is still quite weak.
The best way to answer your question, how do I know if my dog has parvovirus, is to familiarize yourself with the disease. The more you know about it, the easier it will be to identify it and try to combat it. Remember that it is essential to get a quick diagnosis of the disease since the sooner you identify it, the first you can start fighting it. If you want to know more about how to know if my dog has parvovirus, do not miss what follows.
What do you need to know if my dog has parvovirus?
- Vaccines
Instructions to know if my dog has parvovirus
- The symptoms of this disease are quite common, so you must pay close attention to your pet in order to identify the disease.
- Remember that this disorder is much more common in puppies than in adult dogs.
- One of the first symptoms you will notice is that your dog loses his appetite and is constantly vomiting.
- You will also notice that your dog is sad and depressed. This is one of the symptoms that you will have to look at the most to try to identify the disease and not confuse it with a common gastrointestinal disorder.
- Drowsiness is another of the most common symptoms that will appear together with the previous one.
- Another of the clearest and most obvious symptoms that should make you suspect that your dog has parvovirus is that his stools will have a grayish-yellow hue and be smeared with blood. You will also notice that he has diarrhea quite often.
- As a consequence of all of the above, severe dehydration can occur in your dog. You should try to keep him hydrated as much as possible and take him to the vet immediately. Most deaths from this viral illness occur during the first two days of illness and are usually a result of the dehydration that occurs. Therefore, it is convenient that you identify the disease quickly and go to the veterinarian.
- There are some breeds that are much more vulnerable to getting this disease: German shepherd, Rottweiler, and Doberman and pit-bull, among others.
Tips to know if my dog has parvovirus
- If your dog has suffered from this disease and has already recovered, you must perfectly disinfect all his things. Remember that this disease is of viral origin. This means that if his things are infested he can relapse into the disease, something you do not want to happen in any way. Therefore, check all the things your dog is in contact with and disinfect them perfectly.
- Remember that the most common form of contamination of this disease is through infected feces. Therefore, you must be very careful that your dog does not get close to the feces of other dogs. You should watch it very well during walks and keep it under control. If your dog does not obey you too much, take him on a leash.
- The best way to prevent our dog from getting this disease is by giving him the appropriate vaccinations. To do this, you must make sure that your puppy has the necessary vaccines from the first moments you acquire it. Take him to the vet as soon as you can and make sure you get all the shots he may need.