{"id":4659,"date":"2022-12-10T14:07:00","date_gmt":"2022-12-10T22:07:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.animalhealthfoundation.org\/blog\/?p=4659"},"modified":"2022-12-10T14:07:03","modified_gmt":"2022-12-10T22:07:03","slug":"how-do-dogs-get-parvo-heres-how-to-spot-symptoms-what-to-know-on-spread-of-pet-disease","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.animalhealthfoundation.org\/blog\/2022\/12\/how-do-dogs-get-parvo-heres-how-to-spot-symptoms-what-to-know-on-spread-of-pet-disease\/","title":{"rendered":"How do dogs get parvo? Here’s how to spot symptoms, what to know on spread of pet disease."},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Anna Kaufman<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

USA TODAY https:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/news\/2022\/12\/08\/how-do-dogs-get-parvo\/10702650002\/<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/a>The spread of disease — person to person, through a sneeze or a loud exclamation, or via an unwashed surface — has been\u00a0a hot topic of conversation<\/a>\u00a0in recent years. Plenty of people now know a great deal about how to slow the spread of illness. Do those same rules apply when it comes to\u00a0the animal world?\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Parvo, for example, is a common virus<\/a> among dogs. How can canines stay protected? Get vaccinated and stay vigilant, just like us. Here’s what you need to know about the disease that affects puppies of all kinds<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How is parvo spread in dogs?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Dogs contract the highly contagious virus through dog-to-dog interaction or contact with an infected surface, environment, or person, the American Veterinary Medical association reports. <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is parvo?:<\/strong>Understand parvo in dogs with this definitive guide to the illness.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite there being an effective vaccine for the illness, parvo remains fairly common, Dr. Whitney Miller<\/a>, Petco’s chief veterinarian<\/a> told USA TODAY. This is in part because it is able to withstand weather conditions and live in the environment for upwards of 6 months to a year, Dr. Miller reports. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pet Care 101:<\/strong>What to know about your pet’s health and common behaviors<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What foods are safe for dogs to eat? <\/strong>Here’s what human foods are and are not safe for your pet.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are parvo symptoms?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

“Parvo is a viral disease that attacks a dog’s immune and GI systems,” Dr. Miller says, so the first sign a dog owner might see is their pet losing a healthy appetite. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This might eventually progress to “potentially bloody diarrhea and vomiting” she reports. This can dehydrate your dog, making it imperative to seek treatment sooner rather than later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The American Kennel Club lists potential symptoms as: <\/p>\n\n\n\n