13 Astonishing Things You Probably Didn't Know About Parvo Virus - Family - Pets

1. Four out of five dogs that are infected by the older 2a and 2b strains of Canine Parvo virus that are not treated die in four to five days.

2. Fully-vaccinated adult dogs, as well as puppies, are being infected by and dying from the latest 2c strain of the Parvo virus.

3. For reasons nobody yet understands, some breeds, such as Black & Tan Coonhounds, Doberman Pinschers, German Shepherds, Labrador Retrievers, Pit Bulls and Rottweilers are more susceptible to the Parvo virus.

4. Although the Parvo virus is especially prevalent in the southern states, with California, Texas, Arizona and Florida being the four worst hit, every state in the US, including Hawaii and even Alaska, are suffering outbreaks.

5. The Parvo virus is incredibly persistent, can live in the ground for up to 20 years and can survive extremes of temperature, including frost and hot weather.

6. Vet costs to treat the Parvo virus are very expensive - you could easily pay $500 to over $6,000 per dog.

7. Most vets will only give your dog a 50% - 80% chance of a full recovery, in spite of their costly treatments.

8. Although Canine Parvo has historically been transmitted through contact with infected vomit and feces, it is now suspected that the latest 2c strain may be airborne.

9. It is ironic that cats can now be infected by the latest 2c strain of Canine Parvo virus, given that it has always been suspected that Canine Parvovirus originally evolved from a similar feline virus, cat typhoid (aka feline distemper).

10. The latest 2c strain of Parvo can kill your dog within one day of symptoms first appearing, with some dogs dying in only six hours.

11. The Canine Parvo virus incubates, on average, for five to seven days, although it can be as few as three and as many as 15. This means that your dog could be sick for up to two weeks and you would not even know it, as there would be no visible symptoms. However during this time, the virus is growing in strength, ready to cause massive damage to your dog's body.

12. Ironically, administering a Canine Parvo vaccine, especially the very first shot, can actually increase the chance of your puppy contracting this virus. This is because the maternal antibodies inherited by the puppy can kill off the modified live virus that is in the vaccine, but as shots work in part by lowering the body's natural immune system, this actually opens up the puppy to infection by the full, live virus (not to mention other infections too).

13. Some breeds of dogs, especially Poodles and Cocker Spaniels, appear to be at a lower risk of contracting Parvo, although this does not mean that they will not be infected.