After a day of playing up a storm, Ragnar, our 11-week-old Pitbull, was relaxing on the bed when he suddenly brought up his food. We thought it was a bit of an upset stomach after all his activities, but by the next morning, he was vomiting and had diarrhea. Because of how rapidly he deteriorated, we immediately called the vet and scheduled an appointment.

Still thinking that his food didn’t agree with him or that he overexerted himself, the vet tested for Parvo, and the results came back positive. The vet suggested hospitalization and intravenous (IV) therapy to improve his chance of survival. We decided to hospitalize Ragnar with very little knowledge of what Parvo entailed, how costly the treatment would be, and what his chances of recovery were.

Parvovirus is a dreadful disease. It is terrifying for pet owners, and it is extremely tough on puppies.

When Ragnar was diagnosed with Parvo, we did some online research and came across so many articles saying that the older they are, the better their odds, or puppies that make it past day 6 or 7 will make a full recovery. In some cases, these statistics could be true, but when we spoke to the staff managing the Parvo ward at the animal hospital, the reality was quite different.

I’ve created this post to share with you the experience of caring for a puppy with Parvo. Remember that the decisions that you make for your pet should always be based on research and advice from your vet. The challenges of a puppy suffering from parvovirus are overwhelming, and a combination of vet treatment and holistic care will give them their best chance, especially in severe cases of the disease.

What is Parvovirus?

Canine parvovirus is a contagious virus that affects unvaccinated puppies and dogs. It attacks the small intestine by damaging cells and the gut lining. This compromises the ability to absorb nutrients, increasing the risk of dehydration and electrolyte imbalances. Some dogs are affected by septicemia associated with hemorrhaging in the small intestine.

Parvovirus is a GI disease, but in some cases, it can cause myocarditis in puppies, which damages the heart and is responsible for high mortality rates.

What are the First Signs of Canine Parvovirus?

Puppies with parvo become very sick very quickly. The most obvious signs include vomiting and diarrhea, which may or may not be bloody. They develop a fever, become lethargic, and suffer from stomach pain and cramps that cause their abdomen to contract. As the disease progresses, they suffer from rapid weight loss, depression, and even dehydration if supportive care (IV treatment) is not provided.

Dogs usually develop Parvo symptoms six to ten days after exposure. This can make it hard to pinpoint where they may have contracted the disease. Most importantly, when they have parvo, they are highly infectious and should be isolated during their treatment and recovery.

How is Parvovirus Spread?

Parvo is spread when an unvaccinated puppy or dog comes into direct contact with contaminated objects and environments. The virus can remain active in soil for up to a year or longer. Puppies that sniff or lick contaminated objects, including feces, will contract the virus.

Parvovirus can be spread through shoes and clothing. It can live on surfaces inside the home, which is the reason disinfecting your puppy’s environment, especially in areas of parvo outbreaks, is so important.  

When taking unvaccinated young puppies to the vet, keep them in your arms or in a comfortable basket. Avoid placing them on the floor where they could be exposed to the virus.

How to Disinfect Against Parvo

Parvovirus cannot be destroyed by heat or freezing temperatures. The only way to destroy the virus is with a solution of bleach or products containing sodium chloride. You can use 1 part bleach to 30 parts water to disinfect surfaces, food, water bowls, and toys. If you aren’t concerned about color damage, bedding can be disinfected with this solution, too.

Because of its lifespan and resistance to changes in temperature and environments, pet owners who’ve had a puppy or a dog with Parvo are advised against introducing a new puppy or unvaccinated dog to their home for at least a year.

Overcoming Parvovirus

Day 1

When Ragnar started showing signs of parvovirus, he was vomiting, developed severe diarrhea, was lethargic, and had no appetite. Within 24 hours of him developing symptoms, he was hospitalized and placed on IV treatment.

In most cases, puppies will need IV treatment to restore the fluid loss that they experience with this disease. The rate at which Ragnar lost fluids was severe. He received IV therapy to prevent dehydration. As I previously mentioned, intravenous therapy is a necessary part of parvo treatment, especially in cases of severe vomiting and diarrhea, because of the high risk of dehydration. Regardless, the disease still runs its course and it becomes a waiting game.

Day 2 -4

Ragnar remained in the hospital, and we weren’t given the option to see him because he was contained in the Parvo ward at the vet. These wards are isolated because the disease is highly contagious. Vets prevent walking through the isolation area, as the virus can be transmitted to other pets from your hands, shoes, or clothing if not properly disinfected. Visitation also depends on your veterinary clinic. Some practices may allow you to visit and interact with your puppy, while others do not, so be sure to ask if your pup or dog is hospitalized.

When the vet spoke to us about his condition on day 2, he wasn’t eating and had developed bloody diarrhea, but not vomiting. On days 3 and 4, his condition was unchanged, and he’d go through bouts of diarrhea and vomiting, still not eating.

Day 5-7

After a week of Ragnar being in the hospital, he was still cycling through vomiting and loose stools. He remained on the drip throughout the day and night and was given medication for pain and infection as the barrier in the intestine is destroyed.

By the end of his first week in the hospital, Ragnar had lost more than half his body weight and was severely depressed. At that point, we removed him from the clinic.

While puppies with Parvo will lose weight, some deteriorate a lot more than others. Some vets will recommend feeding tubes to ensure that puppies receive nutrition while fighting the disease, but this was far too costly for us, so we decided to try to treat him at home.

Day 1 at Home

Ragnar’s time recovering at home is a period in my life that I will never forget. He was a little body of bones with bulging, pitiful eyes because of his extreme weight loss. He was so thin and malnourished that he no longer walked using the pads of his feet as his paws buckled under him.

Ragnar was extremely nauseous, and even after drinking water, his body would reject it. Despite his condition, he would pine at the bedroom window looking out when he saw his sister, Blueberry, my older Boerboel, in the garden, and loved to sleep with his head on your chest at night.

Feeding Puppies with Parvo

The next stage of his care was to get food into his ravaged body. We used a large syringe filled with Nutrabol, a liquid prescription food containing vitamins and minerals. To help with nutrition, I blended cooked pasta, chicken, pumpkin and slowly fed this to him by spoon. Another nutritional addition was full-cream plain or Greek yogurt that was easily syringed into his mouth.

Because he locked his jaw, he didn’t eat at the vet, and he wasn’t properly force-fed, resulting in extreme weight loss. For dogs that keep their jaw shut, move the tip of the syringe into a gap between the teeth to get the food into their mouths, then keep their mouth closed and lift their heads to encourage them to swallow. You can also open their jaw by gently holding their head in your hand and then using your fingers to gently press their cheeks and ‘pop’ their jaw open. Once their mouth is open, you can squirt the food or water onto their tongue and not down their throat, which could risk getting fluid into their lungs. You can only try this if your puppy doesn’t fret or bite.

Day 2 at Home – How to Check for Dehydration

By the second day, we soon realized how unprepared we were. Rags needed 24-hour care. He had to be fed 25 ml of water every 40 minutes to an hour to replace the fluids that he lost (this was determined by the vet based on body weight). He needed liquid food to make it easier to digest, but the problem was that even the water would come up, and he continued to experience diarrhea.

We read a helpful article about holding your puppy in an upright position while you feed them to try to keep as much food down as possible. We filled a syringe with liquid food; one person supported Ragnar’s hind and back, while the other pushed the liquid food into his mouth. He then tried to get sick, but we kept him in this upright position. He moaned terribly but eventually made it past, bringing his food up. This was repeated a few times during the day to help him with much-needed nutrition.

Unfortunately, we simply couldn’t keep up with the amount of fluid that he was losing, and he had to be rushed to the vet when we noticed that his gums became pale and his skin wasn’t snapping back the way it would in a hydrated dog. A quick way to tell if they’re properly hydrated is to hold your finger against their gums. It should return to its plump state after releasing your finger, but if it takes longer than 2 seconds to return to normal, it needs more fluid. You can also pinch the skin on the back of their neck, and if it remains in the pinched position, they’re dehydrated.

Back to the Vet

It was already day 9 since his initial diagnosis. You’ll read claims that puppies that make it past day 5, 6, or 7 are on their way to recovery. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. When it comes to parvo in puppies, there is simply no guarantee when or if they’ll make it.

Later, we were told by a staff member at the clinic that a family with a German Shepherd puppy that had him on the drip for more than a week ran out of funds and had to have their dog euthanized. This is another aspect of parvo that should be considered. The cost of treatment is high when dogs are hospitalized.

A more cost-effective option is to hospitalize them for the day, where they’ll receive IV treatment, and then take them home at night, but you’ll have to monitor their condition. It is not for the faint of heart.

Advice for Treating Puppies with Parvo

Veterinary Hospital Support

Most dogs with parvo will not drink water on their own. They will refuse both food and water, which increases their risk of dehydration and malnutrition.

Fluid is an important part of helping puppies with parvovirus, which is the reason they are treated with IV therapy. It is a fast way to get fluid into the bloodstream, especially for puppies that are at risk of dehydration. IV therapy is also used to replace electrolytes and administer medication such as antiemetics and antibiotics.

When we removed Ragnar from the clinic and realized how quickly he was dehydrating, our vet was kind enough to show us how to perform a bolus at home. This involved inserting a needle attached to a drip into pinched skin on the back of the neck. We would open the drip at a slow rate (as adjusted by the vet; this is very important), and it would form a ball of liquid under the skin.

Within an hour, the liquid was absorbed by the body, and the ball would disappear. We could perform the bolus because we were home during the day and we had help. For those who can’t stay at home, it is better to have puppies hospitalized for day treatment and then collect them in the evening.

The Role of Nutrition

Ensure that your puppy is getting fed. The only way to give them a fighting chance is if they have the necessary nutrition. Visit them at the vet, and if the staff is struggling to feed them, offer to try with a syringe and some liquid food.

The Merck Veterinary Manual suggests that puppies are fed a low-fat and bland diet once their vomiting has subsided for at least 12 hours. Reintroducing food in small quantities is best, and you can prepare things like boiled chicken breast, rice, and cottage cheese.

Ragnar hated the liquid food that he was prescribed, so we made a chicken and pasta slurry that we would force-feed with a plastic spoon. We also fed plain low-fat yogurt to introduce probiotics for a healthy gut.

For pets in recovery, consider placing them on a balanced and nutritious diet for dogs consisting of minced meat or shredded chicken breast for protein, vegetables such as soft-cooked pumpkin or squash for fiber and vitamins, and a supplement including fish oil (high in omega-3 and -6 fatty acids) to improve their skin and coat condition.

When Pets are Hospitalized, Request Updates and Visitation

For puppies and dogs that are hospitalized, speak to your vet for updates on their condition, and if you cannot see them in the clinic, ask if someone can take a picture to send to you. This way, you can determine whether they are clean and receiving the necessary care.

Obviously, visiting them is always better because your presence can do wonders to lift their spirits and get them to fight.

Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help

Caring for a puppy with parvo is emotionally challenging. You’ll need help, so ask for it. Reach out to family or friends who are willing to help you or give you a little bit of a break when you need it.

What You Need to Treat Parvo at Home

If your dog is stable enough to remain at home, it is important to be prepared. Once they’re isolated, line the floor with puppy training pads or newspaper to make any messes easier to clean.

You’ll need the following items:

• Surgical gloves
• Puppy training pads (or lining you can place under the puppy and across the floor)
• Wet wipes and paper towels
• Garbage bags (toss soiled pads, towels, and newspaper immediately)
• Bleach solution (do not expose your pet to the bleach)
• Syringe for liquid food

Stock up on roller towels or tissue paper to clean puppies who get sick. Wear surgical gloves and cleanse your hands before and after handling them. If you have other pets in the house, keep them away from your sick puppy. To avoid spreading the virus between the room and the rest of the house, keep a basin of disinfectant outside the room and step into the solution. You can also apply a disinfectant spray to your

Treatment for parvo at home must include medication and support instructions from your vet.

The condition of puppies can rapidly change when they suffer from parvovirus, so once your dog is diagnosed, work with your vet on a treatment plan. They need pain medication, prescription antibiotics, and a host of other meds to support their recovery.

Include supplements that offer nutrients to support the body. We used the Parvo-K Natural Remedy by Feel Good Pets to help with vomiting and diarrhea, and an electrolyte solution was added to his water to maintain hydration and mineral content (such as salt and potassium). Imbalanced electrolytes can lead to extreme fatigue, poor muscle coordination, and compromised nervous system function, so always manage their electrolytes.

Can Dogs Survive Parvo?

The mortality rate is between 60% and 90% for parvo puppies without treatment. Treatment includes fluids, electrolytes, antibiotics, and force-feeding to prevent dehydration, malnourishment, and starvation.

Some puppies succumb to parvo, while others make a full recovery even in the direst cases. If your puppy has been diagnosed with parvovirus, take each day as it comes. Work with your vet and ask them about supplements that would be helpful for ailing pets.

No one can guarantee whether your dog or puppy will survive canine parvovirus. Some dogs experience more severe symptoms for a longer period than others, making it harder to overcome the disease.

Ragnar Today

Ragnar’s turnaround happened when he was rushed to the vet for dehydration. His coat was dull and his gums pale, but after a night on the drip, we received a call from the vet the next morning to say that he woke up and started nibbling at the chicken and rice that they had prepared for him. He was at death’s door, and we prayed long and hard about his recovery. Our vet now calls him “miracle dog” because we were so close to losing him.

If your dog or puppy is diagnosed with Parvo, work with your vet on what would be the best option for treatment. Consider the costs, and please ask someone to help you with their care should you decide to try to treat them at home. Remember that this disease is a devastating one. Pray and never give up hope.