Parvovirus is a highly contagious viral disease that strikes puppies above all. It is serious and must be treated as an emergency — but the good news is that a simple, effective vaccine protects your dog very well.

What is parvovirus?

It is an infection caused by a virus, canine parvovirus, which launches a violent attack on the intestine. It triggers severe inflammation of the digestive tract (an enteritis), often haemorrhagic: the dog vomits and passes diarrhoea containing blood. The virus is especially fearsome in puppies under three months old, but a poorly vaccinated adult dog can fall ill too.

How does a dog catch it?

The virus is extremely hardy: it survives for months in the environment (soil, kennels, the soles of shoes…). A dog becomes infected by swallowing particles present in the stools of a sick animal. Places with a high density of dogs — breeding kennels, shelters, pet shops, shows — carry the highest risk. What is more, an infected puppy becomes contagious before it even looks ill.

Which signs should alert you?

  • Sudden listlessness — a puppy gone ‘all floppy’ that no longer plays
  • Repeated vomiting
  • Profuse diarrhoea, often with blood or mucus and a very strong smell
  • Loss of appetite and fever, then rapid dehydration and weight loss
A veterinary emergency — In a puppy, parvovirus can move at lightning speed, sometimes even before the diarrhoea starts. At the first of these signs, seek help without delay: every hour counts.

How is it diagnosed and treated?

The vet confirms the diagnosis with a rapid stool test that detects the virus, alongside the clinical examination. No medicine directly ‘kills’ the virus. Intensive supportive care, on the other hand — a drip to rehydrate, medication against the vomiting, protection against secondary infections, often with a hospital stay — now saves a large proportion of the dogs treated in time. It is often said that a dog that comes through the first four to five days is out of danger.

Prevention: quite simply, the vaccine

This is the essential point: vaccination protects very effectively against parvovirus. A puppy receives a first series of injections, then regular boosters throughout its life — because an unprotected adult remains vulnerable. After a case, rigorous disinfection of the premises is indispensable, as the virus is very persistent. Together we draw up the protocol best suited to your dog’s lifestyle.

The key points: parvovirus is an emergency, above all in puppies; the sooner it is treated, the better the outcome, and the vaccine remains by far the best protection. If in doubt, call us at once.