Parvovirus, also called pavoviral enteritis, is caused by a
very virulent virus. This virus, which can be contracted by canines, can be
very serious.
This virus seeks out and kills the cells that rapidly reproduce
within the dog’s body. These are the cells that line the stomach and intestine,
so the most common signs are vomiting and diarrhea. When the damage occurs, the
body calls up white blood cells to fight infection, and those cells are then
targeted by the virus (http://goo.gl/sJwcx).
Dehydration can be one of the issues the dog may have as the
fluid loss is so severe and can leave your pet very weak. Puppies have no way
to fight this infection and the death rate can be very high. It can be
diagnosed by a stool sample and looking at the numbers of white blood cells in
the blood. Although these tests aren’t 100 percent, they are still very good.
This disease can be prevented by vaccination by your
veterinarian if it is done before the disease is incubating within the dog’s
body. If you have had your pet vaccinated every year, as you should have, the
chances of your dog getting infected with parvo is zero.
This is a very serious and contagious disease. If your dog
is experiencing vomiting, diarrhea or any fluid loss, please call us at the
Bregman Vet Hospital so we can look at your pet and help out as quickly as
possible.
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