Suddenly, it burst upon the scene with a terrible, deadly vengeance. Breeders, kennels, humane shelters and veterinarians across the country were affected. Entire litters of puppies died a quick, bloody death. Once recognized, research soon found tests to diagnosis and vaccines to prevent the disease. There still isn t a cure for it.
Parvo usually hits puppies but older dogs can be susceptible.
In older dogs, stressed and unvaccinated pets are most commonly affected. Parvo virus attacks the dog s gastro-intestinal track. It produces copious amounts of vomiting, bloody diarrhea, dehydration, and if untreated, death. A puppy presented with these symptoms will often be tested for intestinal worms first. If these are not found or if parvo is still suspected, a blood sample may be pulled to check the white cell count.