puppy diarrhea bloody
Why Parvovirus is Deadly
Parvovirus is a word that is not to be taken lightly. For most dog owners, this word is the most dreaded thing to come out of the veterinarian’s mouth. This virus causes the most common infectious disease among dogs in the United States. Aside from being common, it also is very deadly. Ignoring the symptoms of such will certainly result in death among canines.
Dog owners have to remain vigilant to signs and symptoms that point to the disease. Parvovirus is a highly contagious disease that manifests itself through diarrhea and bloody stool. It is caused by the canine parvovirus (CPV-2).
Signs and symptoms of parvovirus differ among dogs infected by such. Unfortunately, some dogs show very few symptoms. Some do not show any at all. Typically, parvovirus causes severe enteritis, or an inflammation of the intestines. This further leads to vomiting, diarrhea – which may be bloody, dark feces, dehydration, and lethargy. This virus will affect any breed, sex and age of dog. The virus manifests itself more severely among younger puppies.
There are a few breeds that are more susceptible to parvovirus than others. Among them are Rottweilers, Labradors, and Doberman Pinschers. Puppies six months and below usually manifest a more serious form of the disease.
After the onset of this disease, the dog could die in as little as two days if not given immediate and proper treatment. The virus typically takes 7 to 14 days to incubate. Active excretion of this virus through feces could begin as early as 3 days.
Parvovirus can survive even on inanimate objects for up to five months. They particularly thrive on animals such as rats and insects. To prevent dogs from being infected, owners must keep kennels and surroundings clean. The virus can be spread through infected items such as clothing, food pans, cages, etc.
To disinfect such, cleaning the above mentioned articles with a 1:32 dilution of bleach or ¨ö cup per gallon is necessary. One may also expose the articles to Ultraviolet rays. Lots of sunlight can help eliminate the presence of these viruses.
It would do well to make sure that everything the dog will come in contact with is clean. Try avoiding having your dog come into contact with infected dogs and articles.
Diagnosis and Treatment Although not all vomiting and bloody diarrhea is caused by parvovirus, it would still pay to take a trip to the veterinarian for a check up. The only way to verify whether a dog has parvovirus or not is clinical and laboratory diagnosis. It would be better to err on the side of safety on this matter. If you think your dog has the parvovirus, a quick trip to the veterinarian won’t be in vain.
To treat the disease, a veterinarian will most likely recommend supportive therapy. This will involve replacing the fluids lost due to diarrhea and vomiting. This will probably be an electrolyte solution administered intravenously. In less severe cases, oral solutions will suffice. Antibiotics may be given to control secondary infections. Medicines to control vomiting may also be given.
When the parvovirus symptoms subside, a de-worming agent may be used. Your veterinarian will also probably restrict the food the dog may take.
Fortunately, dogs that have recovered from the virus are immune from re-infection for the next twenty months. There is also a good chance that your dog will be immune for the rest of its life.
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I have a 4 month old lab mix female puppy that has bloody diarrhea?
I have a 4 month old lab mix puppy that I adopted from the shelter just a few days ago. when I took her to my regular vet they said she had kennel cough with a fever. since then I have noticed bright red blood in her stool, which is actually very watery. I also noticed a single tick on the back of her front paw. my question is, can the bloody diarrhea be caused by the kennel cough or the tick? She was dewormed at the shelter so I don’t think it could be worms. She is on antibiotics for the kennel cough so can that help with the bloody stool?
She’s actually really active, is drinking water and does have a HEALTHY appetite so i don’t think it’s parvo. i worked at a veterinary clinic a few years ago and remember what parvo infected dogs/puppies looked like, definitely not like this puppy! (thank goodness) i just hope it’s the combination of being in a new enviornment, new diet and the stress of having kennel cough that’s causing it. do you think pet insurance is worth getting?
I adopted a dog about 6 months ago who also had kennel cough. They put him on an antibiotic right before I took him home and I’m not sure if it was from being in a new unfamiliar place with new food or antibiotics or both, but anyways he had bloody diarrhea for the first 2 weeks at my house. It was horrible! I was worried sick about him. I put him on a white rice and boiled chicken diet with a little bit of pure canned pumpkin and it little by little cleared up. He is healthy and happy as can be now. Diarrhea doesn’t kill dogs, dehydration does so make sure and monitor her. always give her fresh clean water and if you notice her not drinking enough, give her some of the water you boiled the chicken in, after it cools off. They drink that up like crazy and it keeps them healthy. Good luck. Don’t worry too much. I don’t think I’ve ever had a puppy that didn’t have some sort of issue in the first couple of months
