While volunteering at the Idaho Falls Animal Shelter this winter, I became aware of a number of dogs who were infected with the highly contagious and deadly parvo virus, which attacks the intestinal tract of dogs.  The incubation period is short, and symptoms usually occur within  3 to 7 days of exposure.  Symptoms include loss of appetite, lethargy, dehydration, and vomiting.  Accompanying these symptoms are diarrhea, and once the virus is established in the intestinal lining, blood in the stool.  Dogs that contract parvo suffer mightily.  The virus quickly ravages a dog’s body, and many die within 48-72 hours of exhibiting symptoms.

The disease is difficult to kill and easily transmitted by anything it comes in contact with for up to a year; such as a dog’s paw, or human hand, clothing, and shoes.  While the shelter itself is likely to draw criticism for the spread of the virus through its canine population, make no mistake; parvo virus is a community problem which brings itself to the shelter.

The best prevention for this disease is vaccination.  Owners who do not vaccinate their dogs against parvo risk exposing other dogs they come in contact with at pet stores, parks-anywhere they take their dog.  Owners of unwanted dogs routinely dump, abandon or surrender their unvaccinated canines, which end up in the shelter, exposing the rest of the shelter population through fomites, environmental contamination, and direct animal contact. The dedicated staff at our local shelter fights this highly contagious and deadly virus with limited resources and a multitude of complicating factors.

Please vaccinate your puppy/dog and make sure they receive their booster shots to protect them from this highly contagious and deadly virus.

Further reading

Here are a number of reliable resources for more detailed information about parvo  and how you can prevent the spread of this deadly virus.

The Virus That Never Dies? Parvovirus is a persistent microscopic beast that can endure in the environment for months or even years. But there are ways to stop it in its tracks and keep it from infecting your shelter population.
BY KATE HURLEY, D.V.M., M.P.V.M.

Controlling Parvo: Real Life Scenarios In this issue, Dr. Hurley shares real cases sent to her by shelters and rescue groups—and provides potential solutions for controlling the spread of this often deadly disease.  By Kate F. Hurley, D.V.M., M.P.V.M.

Impacts of Shelter & Housing Design on Shelter Animal Health The aim of this document is to provide information about aspects of shelter design and animal housing that are thought to have a significant impact on the physical and behavioral health of shelter animals. This information is based on scientific data, expert opinion, and/or the collective clinical impression of shelter veterinarians, especially shelter medicine specialists. Unfortunately, scientific data regarding factors that impact disease levels in shelters are very sparse. The lack of information is due to several factors including, limited available funding and staff to conduct investigations, and the complexities involved in conducting investigations given the variability that exists within and between sheltering organizations.

Battling Parvovirus Parvovirus is a highly contagious disease that can sweep through your shelter’s dog kennels and wreak havoc in your community.  Controlling it requires education, planning and more than a little elbow grease.

Animal Sheltering.org If you’re an animal care professional or volunteer, The Humane Society of the United States has a wealth of resources designed to help you in your work for animals!

UC Davis Koret Shelter Medicine This website has been designed as a resource for all those involved with homeless animal care.

Canine Parvo Prevention and Management by Sandra Newbury, DVM
National Shelter Medicine Extension Veterinarian
Koret Shelter Medicine Program
Center for Companion Animal Health
U C Davis School of Veterinary Medicine

Saving Lives Through Sanitation by Kate F. Hurley, DVM, MPVM
Shelter Medicine Program Director
Center for Companion Animal Health
University of California, Davis