canine parvo virus is microscopic but this is what it looks like under a scope

What is Parvo

It is an extremely resilient, highly contagious virus that affects the canine population worldwide. There is not an exact human equivalent that accurately reflects the seriousness of canine parvo. But if we had to try to relate it to human viruses it would fall somewhere between the flu and ebola virus.

Comparing the Flu to Parvo: It’s like the human flu in that it’s highly contagious and there is an effective vaccine but the flu doesn’t kill 90% of it’s victims if left untreated. Parvo does.

A healthy human that comes down with the flu will usually recover on their own in 1-2 weeks. A healthy dog that contracts parvo is 90% likely to die without medical treatment.

Comparing Ebola to Parvo: It’s like the human Ebola virus in that Ebola and parvo are highly contagious, extremely deadly and have no cure. Humans with Ebola can die within 3-5 days and that’s pretty similar to untreated dogs that contract parvo.

Parvo is different from Ebola in that dogs can be given a vaccine to protect them from the virus while there is not a vaccine for Ebola.

Bottom line: To an unprotected dog, canine parvovirus is as serious as the Ebola virus is to a human. If there was a vaccine for Ebola, you could be certain that humans would be lining up to get vaccinated.

There is a vaccine for parvo and while no vaccine is 100% perfect, the parvo vaccine for canines is quite effective. But your dog needs you in order to get the vaccine.


You Can Read More FAQ’s About Canine Parvo Below:

What is the official name for dog parvo?

Officially it is called: Canine Parvovirus
Abbreviated it is: CPV or CPV2
Colloquially it is: Parvo

Where Did it come from?

Scientists and medical experts agree to theorize that canine parvovius is a tiny mutation of feline parvo (feline panleukopenia). According to experts, canine and feline parvovirus vary by just 2 amino acids

Which areas in the world have canine parvo?

Canine Parvovirus is worldwide.

Can I see the parvo in poop?

No. A parvo viral molecule is about this big: take the diameter of an average strand of human hair and divide it by 3,215.

Is parvo the same as worms?

No. Parvo is not worms and worms is not parvo.

Is parvo distemper?

No. Parvo is not distemper and distemper is not parvo.

What is the difference between worms, distemper, and parvo?

Canine worms are parasites that enter your dogs intestinal tract, usually through eating. Worms are cyclical and a dog could have worms every month or every year or never. A dog with worms does not become immune to worms, they’ll need a de-wormer every time they get worms.

Distemper is a highly contagious AIRBORNE disease that attacks the intestinal tract, respiratory system and nervous system in all kinds of wildlife plus dogs, cats and ferrets. It is commonly passed through sneezing, coughing, mucous membranes or ingestion. Distemper symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, discharge of fluid or pus from eyes and nose, circling, seizures, head-tilt, twitching, paralysis. Full recovery is not likely and dogs that do survive will usually suffer from serious, residual issues.

Canine Parvovirus is a highly contagious virus that viciously attacks the gastro-intestinal tract of puppies and dogs. It can also penetrate at the cellular level and attack a dog’s immune system, heart and bones.

The viral particles are NOT Airborne. Parvo spreads either dog to dog or a dog can be exposed to the virus from contaminated objects such as kennels, toys, water bowls and human shoes and clothing. Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, fever or low body temp, shivering, lack of appetite, lethargy and rapid weight loss. More than 80% of infected dogs will make a full recovery if they receive prompt treatment.

Is all parvo the same?

You might hear someone say: my cat, my dog or my son contracted parvo. They are all a form of parvovirus, but different strains.

Can a human get canine parvo?

CDC confirms that humans cannot catch canine parvovirus because this virus cannot replicate in a human host. But there is a form of human parvovirus called Parvovirus B19.

Can dogs catch human parvo?

CDC confirms that canines cannot get the human form of parvovirus which is called Parvovirus B19.

Do cats get parvo?

The parvo virus that wreaks havoc in cats is called Feline Parvovirus or Feline Panleukopenia. It is slightly different than canine parvovirus. BUT, given that the canine strain is thought to be a mutation of feline parvo, questions continue to surface as to whether or not cats are susceptible to contracting canine parvo or at least certain cats or certain strains.

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