The dog appears to be in extreme pain, with a tucked-up abdomen. Within 24 hours a high fever develops and profuse diarrhoea that is frequently bloody. Almost no other disease produces such devastating symptoms. This form of Parvovirus affects the muscle of the heart, especially in puppies less than 3 months of age. Puppies with myocarditis stop nursing, cry out and gasp for breath.
Death can occur suddenly or in a few days.
Puppies that recover sometimes develop a chronic form of congestive heart failure that leads to death in weeks or months. The quarters where an infected is or has been kept should be cleaned and thoroughly disinfected. This is an extremely hardy virus that resists most household cleaners. This is a highly contagious disease of dogs that spreads rapidly through a kennel. A harsh dry cough is the characteristic sign of the illness.