Comments on: The ‘new strain of parvo’ hysteria and why it should stop http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/02/08/parvo/ The Web blog of the Pet Connection, a pet-care feature syndicated internationally by Universal Press. Sun, 12 Oct 2008 05:35:45 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Ann http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/02/08/parvo/#comment-354302 Ann Sun, 28 Sep 2008 04:19:44 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/02/08/the-new-strain-of-parvo-hysteria-and-why-it-should-stop/#comment-354302 I have been doing rescue work for 6 years. We have had the same number, on average, of parvo cases in puppies over this time period. We have had an increase of adult parvo cases over the last year. We have personally had 5 cases of adult onset parvo (12 months old or older). In all but one case we had documented vaccines either given 3 times or 4 times, 3 dogs were fully vaccinated by a veterinarian and not by shelter personnel. In addition to these cases, we have cases in affiliated rescues totaling another 6 in the same time period. It really does seem like there is something going on out there. While my numbers may not seem statistically significant, they are to us - the worker bees in the trenches. I have been doing rescue work for 6 years. We have had the same number, on average, of parvo cases in puppies over this time period. We have had an increase of adult parvo cases over the last year. We have personally had 5 cases of adult onset parvo (12 months old or older). In all but one case we had documented vaccines either given 3 times or 4 times, 3 dogs were fully vaccinated by a veterinarian and not by shelter personnel. In addition to these cases, we have cases in affiliated rescues totaling another 6 in the same time period. It really does seem like there is something going on out there. While my numbers may not seem statistically significant, they are to us - the worker bees in the trenches.

]]> By: Jeanette Harper http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/02/08/parvo/#comment-298771 Jeanette Harper Thu, 19 Jun 2008 18:36:26 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/02/08/the-new-strain-of-parvo-hysteria-and-why-it-should-stop/#comment-298771 Three months of pure hell. I had a litter of seven boxer puppies(healthy puppies). Took them into vets to have their tails and dewclaws done. Two weeks later one died.(Did not suspect parvo at this time) At six weeks of age I took the others in for their first shots. Nine days later, first puppy comes down with parvo. And it continued until all six came down with parvo. All six had to be hospitalized. Long story short, Four came home, two had to be put down. One with a broke back, which vet could not explain(she came home,but progressively lost control of her back legs)within two weeks I had to take her back to vet to be put down.How this litter got parvo, vets can't explain,as they were born and raised in my home, and never left until I had their tails docked and dewclaws removed. Never on the ground. Now Vets trying to tell me it's a new strain of parvo going around. But thanks to your article I now know better. Thank you. Still suffering, as I can't sell fourteen week old puppies that have had parvo. Not a puppy mill! This was my first litter,and I waited until my female was four to breed her. You know, I just want someone to take responsibility for this.And I know they probably never will. I'm just tired of professionals blowing smoke up my ___,trying to cover theirs. Three months of pure hell. I had a litter of seven boxer puppies(healthy puppies). Took them into vets to have their tails and dewclaws done. Two weeks later one died.(Did not suspect parvo at this time) At six weeks of age I took the others in for their first shots. Nine days later, first puppy comes down with parvo. And it continued until all six came down with parvo. All six had to be hospitalized. Long story short, Four came home, two had to be put down. One with a broke back, which vet could not explain(she came home,but progressively lost control of her back legs)within two weeks I had to take her back to vet to be put down.How this litter got parvo, vets can’t explain,as they were born and raised in my home, and never left until I had their tails docked and dewclaws removed. Never on the ground. Now Vets trying to tell me it’s a new strain of parvo going around. But thanks to your article I now know better. Thank you. Still suffering, as I can’t sell fourteen week old puppies that have had parvo. Not a puppy mill! This was my first litter,and I waited until my female was four to breed her. You know, I just want someone to take responsibility for this.And I know they probably never will. I’m just tired of professionals blowing smoke up my ___,trying to cover theirs.

]]> By: Michelle Gaden http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/02/08/parvo/#comment-255642 Michelle Gaden Sat, 26 Apr 2008 08:12:00 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/02/08/the-new-strain-of-parvo-hysteria-and-why-it-should-stop/#comment-255642 My 8-month old (unvaccinated...STUPID,STUPID, STUPID) female mixed-breed went to the vet April 13 for vomiting, lack of appetite and lethargy. Three negative parvo fecal tests left vets mystified. She was admitted to the hospital. Two days later my other 8-month old didn't eat breakfast. I immediately took him to the vet; he had no fever and wasn't acting very sick so they sent me home with amoxi and doxy. He died less than 48 hours later. Three days ago, my four 8-week old puppies started exhibiting symptoms of this as-yet undiagnosed disease. (They had their first puppy shots two weeks ago) Lost one of them overnight, took the other three in the next morning where they tested positive for parvo, so I left them there for treatment. Lost one of them last night and expect to lose the remaining two by the time I get to the vet clinic tomorrow. The first dog to get sick, Sissy, recovered after 12 days of hospitalization and is now staying at a friends house until her vaccinations kick in. There is still not a definitive diagnosis for her illness. For me, the biggest problem with this "new" strain is that it does not show up on the ELISA. I would have sought treatment for all my dogs immediately had I known what I was dealing with. My 8-month old (unvaccinated…STUPID,STUPID, STUPID) female mixed-breed went to the vet April 13 for vomiting, lack of appetite and lethargy. Three negative parvo fecal tests left vets mystified. She was admitted to the hospital. Two days later my other 8-month old didn’t eat breakfast. I immediately took him to the vet; he had no fever and wasn’t acting very sick so they sent me home with amoxi and doxy. He died less than 48 hours later. Three days ago, my four 8-week old puppies started exhibiting symptoms of this as-yet undiagnosed disease. (They had their first puppy shots two weeks ago) Lost one of them overnight, took the other three in the next morning where they tested positive for parvo, so I left them there for treatment. Lost one of them last night and expect to lose the remaining two by the time I get to the vet clinic tomorrow. The first dog to get sick, Sissy, recovered after 12 days of hospitalization and is now staying at a friends house until her vaccinations kick in. There is still not a definitive diagnosis for her illness. For me, the biggest problem with this “new” strain is that it does not show up on the ELISA. I would have sought treatment for all my dogs immediately had I known what I was dealing with.

]]> By: Christie Keith http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/02/08/parvo/#comment-233302 Christie Keith Sat, 23 Feb 2008 19:22:54 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/02/08/the-new-strain-of-parvo-hysteria-and-why-it-should-stop/#comment-233302 Pat, I understand you experienced illness in your dogs, and I'm sorry for what you and they went through, but you're mixing up a lot of different concepts here. Did you have a test done -- electron microscopy, PCR -- to determine that the symptoms were caused by CPV-2c? Why do you think they were? Since research has shown that the current vaccines DO protect against CPV-2c, and you had this problem in multiple dogs, the chances that it was, indeed, caused by this strain are so remote as to be nearly impossible. Sure, you could have had a house full of non-responders, but in that case, they'd be just as susceptible to parvo of the other strains, too. And since you're fostering, not breeding, I'd have to bump the odds of them all being non-responders all the way to zero. Did lab tests show these dogs were leukoenpic? What diagnostics showed this was parvo at all, and not some other form of intestinal disease? Bad information and over-reacting doesn't protect dogs; only good information does that. That's why I believe we need to be careful that what we say is accurate. Pat, I understand you experienced illness in your dogs, and I’m sorry for what you and they went through, but you’re mixing up a lot of different concepts here.

Did you have a test done — electron microscopy, PCR — to determine that the symptoms were caused by CPV-2c? Why do you think they were?

Since research has shown that the current vaccines DO protect against CPV-2c, and you had this problem in multiple dogs, the chances that it was, indeed, caused by this strain are so remote as to be nearly impossible. Sure, you could have had a house full of non-responders, but in that case, they’d be just as susceptible to parvo of the other strains, too. And since you’re fostering, not breeding, I’d have to bump the odds of them all being non-responders all the way to zero.

Did lab tests show these dogs were leukoenpic? What diagnostics showed this was parvo at all, and not some other form of intestinal disease?

Bad information and over-reacting doesn’t protect dogs; only good information does that. That’s why I believe we need to be careful that what we say is accurate.

]]> By: Pat Anderson http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/02/08/parvo/#comment-233266 Pat Anderson Sat, 23 Feb 2008 16:29:12 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/02/08/the-new-strain-of-parvo-hysteria-and-why-it-should-stop/#comment-233266 Having just had two outbreaks of this new parvo ( I do not know your definition of it but mine is it is new if not covered by the vaccine ) that affected many dogs, both adults and pups in the 3 to 4 month range, I believe it should be talked about and people should understand that there is no vaccine and pups are not as easy to bring through the disease as adult dogs so more caution for a longer period should be taken to protect the older pups. We have a lot of pups usually but they are fosters not bred here and I will take all caution to protect them from this disease that I can. Having just had two outbreaks of this new parvo ( I do not know your definition of it but mine is it is new if not covered by the vaccine ) that affected many dogs, both adults and pups in the 3 to 4 month range, I believe it should be talked about and people should understand that there is no vaccine and pups are not as easy to bring through the disease as adult dogs so more caution for a longer period should be taken to protect the older pups. We have a lot of pups usually but they are fosters not bred here and I will take all caution to protect them from this disease that I can.

]]> By: Donna Miceli http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/02/08/parvo/#comment-229074 Donna Miceli Wed, 13 Feb 2008 17:30:14 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/02/08/the-new-strain-of-parvo-hysteria-and-why-it-should-stop/#comment-229074 When I first read the OSU article, I immediatly noticed that it was implying that the original Parvo didn't effect adult dogs. From experience I knew this was wrong. When Parvo fisrt appeared, before it was identified, whole kennels, adults and puppies, were dieing. During the most reacent major outbreak in my county, one shelter lost all it's puppies, but the other shelter lost half it's population, adults and puppies. Once I read that (lie? misinformation?) all the claims in the article became suspect. I know that there is a new Corona virus out that is upper respiratory, not intestinal. I know this because two of my dogs were the first on the west coast to be diagnosed with it. Since it also came from Europe and has been seen primarily in Italy, I wondered ii the writer of the article got the two dieases confused. When I first read the OSU article, I immediatly noticed that it was implying that the original Parvo didn’t effect adult dogs. From experience I knew this was wrong. When Parvo fisrt appeared, before it was identified, whole kennels, adults and puppies, were dieing. During the most reacent major outbreak in my county, one shelter lost all it’s puppies, but the other shelter lost half it’s population, adults and puppies.
Once I read that (lie? misinformation?) all the claims in the article became suspect.
I know that there is a new Corona virus out that is upper respiratory, not intestinal. I know this because two of my dogs were the first on the west coast to be diagnosed with it. Since it also came from Europe and has been seen primarily in Italy, I wondered ii the writer of the article got the two dieases confused.

]]> By: Lori http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/02/08/parvo/#comment-227510 Lori Tue, 12 Feb 2008 00:58:12 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/02/08/the-new-strain-of-parvo-hysteria-and-why-it-should-stop/#comment-227510 I believe I have seen this strain at my clinic. We had an adult dog- about 8 years old, stray from the shelter that presented in life-threatening shock. The standard Parvo test was negative, but he had all the standard clinical symptoms. This dog required plasma transfusions to survive this and several days of ICU care. We called it parvo, but could never prove it through standard diagnostics. He survived after a few weeks in the ICU and lots of donated money. I believe I have seen this strain at my clinic. We had an adult dog- about 8 years old, stray from the shelter that presented in life-threatening shock. The standard Parvo test was negative, but he had all the standard clinical symptoms. This dog required plasma transfusions to survive this and several days of ICU care.
We called it parvo, but could never prove it through standard diagnostics. He survived after a few weeks in the ICU and lots of donated money.

]]> By: Lyn Kargaard http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/02/08/parvo/#comment-227133 Lyn Kargaard Mon, 11 Feb 2008 15:03:16 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/02/08/the-new-strain-of-parvo-hysteria-and-why-it-should-stop/#comment-227133 I wonder about any breeder who has 600 puppies at one time!!! What other issues were manifested? This sounds like a puppy-mill and what little I know about puppy-mills suggest the care given and the breeding stock can be (may not be, I realize) responsible for health issues. 600 puppies die in one evening and one breeder--that is a problem in and of itself! I wonder about any breeder who has 600 puppies at one time!!! What other issues were manifested? This sounds like a puppy-mill and what little I know about puppy-mills suggest the care given and the breeding stock can be (may not be, I realize) responsible for health issues. 600 puppies die in one evening and one breeder—that is a problem in and of itself!

]]> By: Elizabeth http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/02/08/parvo/#comment-226972 Elizabeth Mon, 11 Feb 2008 11:10:21 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/02/08/the-new-strain-of-parvo-hysteria-and-why-it-should-stop/#comment-226972 Well written article, commonsensical!!! Well written article, commonsensical!!!

]]> By: Christie Keith http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/02/08/parvo/#comment-226596 Christie Keith Sun, 10 Feb 2008 21:52:36 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/02/08/the-new-strain-of-parvo-hysteria-and-why-it-should-stop/#comment-226596 Christopher, I agree... although it's not a direct quote from Kapil, and I have no idea of the context. I mean... there are adult dogs with the older strains of parvo, too. I would say that USUALLY parvo only affects puppies, but that's because most adult dogs are immune to parvo, not because a non-immune adult can't normally GET parvo. I feel that the combination of the wording of the press release and the just plain WRONG information being spread by so many people right now -- going far beyond anything implied in the release -- is doing a real number on people's heads. Christopher, I agree… although it’s not a direct quote from Kapil, and I have no idea of the context. I mean… there are adult dogs with the older strains of parvo, too. I would say that USUALLY parvo only affects puppies, but that’s because most adult dogs are immune to parvo, not because a non-immune adult can’t normally GET parvo.

I feel that the combination of the wording of the press release and the just plain WRONG information being spread by so many people right now — going far beyond anything implied in the release — is doing a real number on people’s heads.

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