Help Zero Beat Parvo

Hi I’m Chanel Carter and this is for my son Zero. Zero is a 2.1lb Pomeranian-Chihuahua (Pomchi) mix! He is expected to mature to 4-5 lbs. I got him as an early birthday gift on December 11th through puppyfind.  All weekend he was having loose stool and not super interested in food. So on Monday (14th) I took him to the vet for his first visit and the vet discovered he had parvovirus. Due to their recommendation and the severity of the virus, I rushed him to the animal hospital. He has been receiving intense supportive care at Points East Veterinary Hospital but the bill is sky high and he still needs help and time for his tiny little body to fight off the virus.

The Merck Veterinary Manual classifies the virus as a disease of the stomach and small intestines, as this is where the virus does the most damage. The virus prefers to infect the small intestine, where it destroys cells, impairs absorption, and disrupts the gut barrier. Parvo in puppies also affects the bone marrow and lymphopoietic tissues, and in some cases can also affect the heart.

There is no cure for parvo. The vet will offer a puppy supportive care over the course of the illness, treating symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, and dehydration, and making sure that your puppy gets adequate nutrition. Serious viruses like parvo weaken a puppy’s immune system and lower his white blood cell count, reducing his ability to fight off secondary bacterial infections. The damage the virus does to a dog’s intestinal wall increases the likelihood of a secondary infection.

Parvo is a potentially fatal disease. The survival rate of dogs treated by a veterinarian is 68 to 92 percent, and most puppies that survive the first three-to-four days make a complete recovery. Recovery times vary depending on the severity of the case, but it usually takes approximately one week for puppies to recover from parvo. This is the cost for a full week of hospitalization and the medications the vet will send us home with.