Parvo - Help Needed

[Bof]

A friend of mine took on a puppy last weekend and it appears to have parvo. She can't afford the intensive care that the vet recommended and I'm wondering if anyone has any tips for treatment.
It's only 4-5 weeks old and she seems to be expecting it to die.
She's giving it electrolyte with a dropper, which I don't think is enough to sustain it.

[Wolfie]

I am not a vet, but without intensive treatment, especially at that age, it doesn't have much of a chance. It needs IV fluids and antibiotics. Does she have other dogs?

[Wolfie]

It mind be kinder to euthanize it if she can't afford treatment. That's so young. Even if healthy, it ideally should be with its mother at that age. Poor puppy. :(

[Bof]

Does she have other dogs?

No. Their dog died from cancer last year, which is probably why she took this puppy on. I was careful not to touch the puppy myself.

[Wolfie]

It's highly contagious. If you have a dog or are around dogs, I'd bleach anything that might have come in contact with the puppy, like shoes if you stepped in poop, etc. If your friend decides to get another dog in the future, she should know parvo can live for several months so she needs to bleach any area the puppy came in contact with.

I feel really bad for your friend. She sounds like a great person, taking on this puppy.

[Bof]

It mind be kinder to euthanize it if she can't afford treatment. That's so young. Even if healthy, it ideally should be with its mother at that age. Poor puppy. :(

Unfortunately she's a softie like me and is hoping that the puppy will get better.
Apparently, the Council ordered the owner of the dogs to get rid of them.
People who regard animals as disposable make me extremely angry.

[Wolfie]

http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&C=&A=580&SourceID

Here's a site I found that tells a little about parvo. It mentions home treatment if you can't afford hospitalization, but it'd be an uphill battle with a puppy so young. :(

[Scorpius]

I'll have to agree w/ Wolfie. Even some pups being treated for parvo end up dying when they basically bleed out.

Its highly contagious amongst other pups, so ordering the infected dog to be put down is probably in everyone's best interests.

Seeing an infected pup survive w/o supportive care is very very rare. I wouldn't chance it.

[jenna]

do you think the vet would be able to work out some sort of payment plan with her? when my cat had cancer and there was a struggle with it for a couple years, the vet worked with me in paying a little bit every month.

[Bof]

It's highly contagious. If you have a dog or are around dogs, I'd bleach anything that might have come in contact with the puppy, like shoes if you stepped in poop, etc. If your friend decides to get another dog in the future, she should know parvo can live for several months so she needs to bleach any area the puppy came in contact with.

I feel really bad for your friend. She sounds like a great person, taking on this puppy.

Both my dogs are immunised but I put my hands in boiling water for 5 minutes just to be sure.

[Wolfie]

I was just trying to stress how contagious it is and bleach is one of the few things that kills it. I'm glad your dogs are immunized. But just to be on the safe side, you need to stick your hands in boiling bleach. :p

[Bof]

But just to be on the safe side, you need to stick your hands in boiling bleach. :p

That sounds too painful for me.

[mrosev14]

I would look into either a payment plan with the vet or take him to the shelter and they will use euthanasia on him. Parvo is a terrible way to die and there is nothing that can be done at home.

[goldfish]

Could you work out some sort of halfway plan with the vet? To keep the costs down, your friend could do the bulk of the nursing at home if she is happy to do that, but get some antibiotics (to prevent secondary infections - they'll do nothing against the parvo virus itself) and antiemetics. It's not the nicest way to administer fluids, but get her to ask the vet if they will give intraperitoneal fluids at the clinic. It will keep the pup hydrated even when at home and saves hospitalising on IV fluids.

This really is a bit of last ditch resort, and as already said here, it isn't hugely likely that this puppy will pull through even with intensive nursing, but all the best to your friend.

[Bof]

Thanks everyone. I'll pass this info on today.

[cheekywhiskers]

I have seen some pups sent home on subcutaneous fluids (no need for IP fluids), and oral meds and the pups survive. If they can get injectable meds so much the better. The parvo virus works in two major ways: it attacks the bone marrow preventing the pups immune system from working and destroys the gut lining allowing the gut bacteria access to the blood stream. The gut bacteria is what does the major damage, it produces endotoxins that cause total body shut down. The typical treatment includes supportive care to prevent dehydration and antibiotics against the gut bacteria. The pup's own immune system is what gets rid of the virus itself. Tamaflu can be used to help activate the immune system.
At 4-5 weeks the pup's immune system is probably too immature to be able to fight the virus, but at least she's doing what she can to help him. Try to see what help she can get from the vet. Anything is better than nothing.
Use bleach to clean up the virus, don't bother wiht boiling water (that had to have hurt!!!). The pup can continue to shed the virus for about a month after getting better and the natural immunty will last a year or so.

[Jinga]

A whole litter of puppies at the shelter got parvo earlier this year. You might find some more helpful info in the thread I started at the time http://www.veggieboards.com/boards/showthread.php?t=83510 .

10 of the 11 puppies survived, but the treatment was very intense and expensive. I'd go with the already mentioned option of asking the vet about a payment plan, bleaching anything that came in contact with the dog, and washing all clothing that could have come in contact immediately. Parvo is a very scary thing and can last 6 months in your home or yard :( Thankfully, my own dogs were vaccinated and didn't end up contracting the disease itself.

[Eclipse]

Sinc the pup already had parvo, maybe some rescue can help with the medical costs?. Good luck to your friend and their new pup.

[Bof]

Wonderful news!:vebo:
I called in to see Zoe (http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y204/Geoffo/Zoe.jpg) today and she told me that the puppy (http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y204/Geoffo/GemmaZoespuppy003.jpg) (Gemma) is fine. Apparently it was a misdiagnosis.
It really made my day as I was dreading hearing the news that the puppy was dead.

Thanks again to all who offered advice. :)

[mrosev14]

How scary is that misdiagnoses?!?! I haven't heard of a vet diagnosing parvo wrong. I would have been devastated because I would have put her down to eliminate the risk of contaminating my house, yard, etc.

BTW-That is excellent that she is doing well.

[Bof]

Apparently the vets closed for the rest of the day after the misdiagnoses so they could clean and sterilise everything.

[jenna]

geez, what a thing to misdiagnose but i'm thrilled that gemma is okay. and i hope she continues to be well, too. thank you for posting the pic of her. :)

[Bof]

thank you for posting the pic of her. :)

Zoe or the puppy? :)

[mrosev14]

I say puppy, thanks for posting the pic of the puppy.

[Wolfie]

Great news! That puppy is just too cute! :smitten: