The most important aspect of protecting your dog or puppy from parvovirus unfection is to have him or her vaccinated. The vaccine against parvo is remarkably effective in preventing the disease. In puppies it is absolutely crucial they get that booster series. Cases of parvo can vary from mild diarrhea and vomiting to severe bloody diarrhea and dehydration (which quickly leads to an infection of the blood and possibly death). If you notice your pet dog is a little lethargic or having some diarrhea or vomiting, it is important to contact your veterinarian right away. It may be nothing, but they can do a test for parvo that can catch it in the early stages of the disease, and sometimes that makes treatment easier. Anyone looking for more information on parvo should visit www.petplace.com They have very well written, easy to undertand articles about parvo and many other diseases that are authored only by vets. It is from this site that I give a lot of information on diseases to people adopting animals from the Humane League.
Dr. Bryan Langlois
Medical Director
Humane League of Lancaster COunty